Diaphragm pump for the transport of liquids

Abstract

A diaphragm pump for conveying liquids for application in a sterile environment includes passageways for conduction of a liquid, and check valves for controlling a flow of liquid through the passageways. The diaphragm pump is constructed in such a way that all surfaces of the passageways in contact with the liquid being conveyed are disposed at a slant. In addition, all transitions between liquid-conducting surfaces have a gradual configuration. For drainage of the diaphragm pump, the shutoff elements of the check valves are lifted off their valve seat through temporary generation of a magnetic field.

1 . A diaphragm pump, comprising: 
 passageway means for conduction of a liquid; and    check valves for controlling a flow of liquid through the passageway means,    wherein the passageway means has liquid-conducting surfaces which are all of slanted configuration.    
   
   
       2 . A diaphragm pump, comprising: 
 passageway means for conduction of a liquid; and    check valves for controlling a flow of liquid through the passageway means,    wherein the passageway means has liquid-conducting surfaces, with all neighboring liquid-conducting surfaces being at least partially connected to one another in a gradual manner.    
   
   
       3 . A diaphragm pump, comprising: 
 a check valve having a shutoff element for controlling a flow of liquid through a valve seat; and    a device for random lifting of the shutoff element off the valve seat independently of a pressure state of the pump, said device being constructed to generate a magnetic field for interaction with the shutoff element.    
   
   
       4 . A diaphragm pump, comprising: 
 at least one pumping chamber for a liquid to be conveyed and fluidly communicating with an inlet and an outlet for intake and discharge of liquid;    a pressure chamber; and    a diaphragm separating the pumping chamber from the pressure chamber,    wherein at least one member selected from the group consisting of inlet and outlet is shaped in such a manner as to produce a direct contact flow upon at least one portion of the diaphragm and/or a marginal zone of the pumping chamber.    
   
   
       5 . The diaphragm pump of  claim 4 , further comprising passageway means for conduction of a liquid, said passageway means having surfaces, wherein any one of the surfaces which comes into contact with liquid have a slanted configuration.  
   
   
       6 . The diaphragm pump of  claim 4 , wherein the member is shaped in such a manner that a flow against the portion of the diaphragm and/or the marginal zone of the product chamber is realized at an angle of 90°±20°.  
   
   
       7 . The diaphragm pump of  claim 4 , wherein the member is shaped in such a manner that a flow against the portion of the diaphragm and/or the marginal zone of the product chamber is realized at an angle of 90°±10° 
   
   
       8 . The diaphragm pump of  claim 4 , wherein the member is shaped in such a manner that a flow against the portion of the diaphragm and/or the marginal zone of the product chamber is realized at an angle of 90°±5°.  
   
   
       9 . The diaphragm pump of  claim 2 , wherein the passageway means have surfaces, wherein any one of the surfaces which comes into contact with the liquid have a slanted configuration.  
   
   
       10 . The diaphragm pump of  claim 3 , further comprising passageway means for conduction of a liquid, said passageway means having surfaces, wherein any one of the surfaces which comes into contact with liquid have a slanted configuration.  
   
   
       11 . A check valve for application in a pump, comprising: 
 a valve housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion, said first housing portion being defined by an inside dimension which is smaller than an inside dimension of the second housing portion, said valve housing forming a valve seat in at a contact area of the housing portions, wherein the housing portions. are disposed in offset relationship such that a transition between the housing portions is gradual in a region of the valve seat; and    a shutoff element movably supported in the valve housing for cooperation with the valve seat.    
   
   
       12 . The check valve of  claim 11 , wherein the housing portions of the valve housing have each an inner cross section of circular configuration, and wherein the shutoff element is configured in the shape of a ball.  
   
   
       13 . The check valve of  claim 11 , wherein the transition is positioned on a gravity side of the check valve.  
   
   
       14 . A check valve for application in a pump, comprising: 
 a valve housing;    a shutoff element movably supported in the valve housing and having at least one portion exhibiting a magnetic property; and    a device for applying a magnetic field for lifting the shutoff element off a valve seat in opposition to a closing force.    
   
   
       15 . The check valve of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one portion of the shutoff element is made of ferromagnetic material.  
   
   
       16 . The check valve of  claim 14 , wherein the shutoff element is a ball.  
   
   
       17 . The check valve of  claim 16 , wherein the ball includes an iron core.  
   
   
       18 . The check valve of  claim 14 , wherein the device includes a permanent magnet for temporary attachment onto the check valve for application of the magnetic field.  
   
   
       19 . A check valve for application in a pump, comprising: 
 a valve housing; and    a shutoff element movably supported in the valve housing,    wherein the valve housing forms a two-dimensional valve seat having a shape corresponding to a contour of the shutoff element in a contact zone between the valve seat and the shutoff element.    
   
   
       20 . The check valve of  claim 19 , wherein the shutoff element is a ball, and wherein the valve seat has a concave configuration with a radius in correspondence to a radius of the ball.  
   
   
       21 . A method of draining a pump with at least two check valves, comprising the step of lifting the check valves off their valve seat through temporary generation of a magnetic field.