IP Library Granted Patent US 12692855
Granted Patent B2
US 12692855 · App. 18/961,602 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Diaphragm rupture signalling device

Inventors: Josef Braun (Hockenheim, DE); Maximilian Göpfert (Mannheim, DE); Manuel Niedermayer (Langenbrücken, DE); Martin Reinhard (Heidelberg, DE); Marc Mohr (Mannheim, DE)
Assignee: ProMinent GmbH
F04B43/0081F04B43/009F04B43/02F04B51/00F04B49/10
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12692855
App. No.
18/961,602
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In order to provide a diaphragm rupture signalling device for a diaphragm pump, which ensures a more functionally reliable rupture signalling compared to the prior art, a diaphragm to be arranged between the drive unit and the delivery unit is disclosed, with at least a first and a second essentially circular diaphragm layer, wherein the diaphragm has a clamping area and an operating area and a sensor area arranged in the section of the clamping area in which at least one of the diaphragm layers is designed such that, when the pressure between this diaphragm layer and the adjacent diaphragm layer increases, it moves further away from the adjacent diaphragm layer in the section of the sensor area than in the other sections of the diaphragm, with an increase in the distance between the diaphragm layers, thereby triggering a diaphragm rupture signalling signal in the diaphragm pump.

Claims (29)

1 . A diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device, the diaphragm pump having a diaphragm ( 1 ), a drive unit ( 2 ) and a delivery unit ( 3 ), the diaphragm ( 1 ) being arranged between the drive unit ( 2 ) and the delivery unit ( 3 ), the drive unit ( 2 ) having a drive means ( 4 ) that can be moved back and forth on a movement axis (B) and the delivery unit ( 3 ) has a delivery chamber ( 5 ) for receiving a liquid to be pumped, wherein the diaphragm ( 1 ) is movable by the drive means ( 4 ) so that liquid in the delivery chamber ( 5 ) is moved, wherein

the diaphragm ( 1 ) has at least a first diaphragm layer ( 6 ) and a second diaphragm layer ( 7 ),

the at least first and second diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) have a substantially circular periphery and a center point of the circular periphery and are in flat contact with one another,

the diaphragm ( 1 ) has a clamping area (E) running around the entire circumference of the substantially circular periphery for clamping the diaphragm ( 1 ) between the drive unit ( 2 ) and the delivery unit ( 3 ) and an operating area (A) adjoining in the direction of the center point of the circular periphery,

a sensor region (S) is provided in a sensor region section of the clamping area (E), in which sensor region at least one of the at least one first and at least one second diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) is designed such that, when the pressure between the at least one first diaphragm layer ( 6 , 7 ) and the at least one second diaphragm layer ( 7 , 6 ) adjacent thereto increases, the at least one first or the at least one second diaphragm layer ( 6 , 7 ) moves further away from the adjacent at least one first or at least one second diaphragm layer ( 7 , 6 ) in the sensor region (S) than in all other sections of the diaphragm ( 1 ), and

wherein a signal reporting element ( 8 ) is arranged at the sensor region (S) of the diaphragm ( 1 ), which converts an increase in the distance between the diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) in the section of the sensor region (S) into a diaphragm rupture signalling signal and transmits it,

characterised in that the sensor region (S) extends over the full extent of a circular path, which is substantially concentric with the circular periphery of the diaphragm ( 1 ).

2 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the sensor region (S) extends at a radially outer peripheral region of the diaphragm ( 1 ).

3 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the sensor region (S) extends at a distance from the operating area (A).

4 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the first and second diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) are designed such that one of the two diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) in the sensor region (S) has, in the direction of the other of the two diaphragm layers ( 7 , 6 ) a recess extending substantially over the entire width of the sensor region (S), and the other of the two diaphragm layers ( 7 , 6 ) in the sensor region (S) has, in the direction of the first diaphragm layer ( 6 , 7 ) an embossment extending substantially over the entire width of the sensor region (S).

5 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the diaphragm ( 1 ) is arranged between the drive unit ( 2 ) and the delivery unit ( 3 ) in such a way that the first diaphragm layer ( 6 ) faces in the direction of the delivery unit ( 3 ) and the second diaphragm layer ( 7 ) faces in the direction of the drive unit ( 2 ).

6 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the signal reporting element ( 8 ) is arranged on the drive unit ( 2 ) or in the drive unit ( 2 ).

7 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 1 , characterised in that a signal indicating element ( 9 ) is provided on the drive unit ( 2 ) or on the delivery unit ( 3 ), which receives a diaphragm rupture signalling signal forwarded by the signal reporting element ( 8 ) and displays the diaphragm rupture signalling signal visually on the outside of the drive unit ( 2 ) or of the delivery unit ( 3 ).

8 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 7 , characterised in that the diaphragm rupture signalling signal forwarded by the signal reporting element ( 8 ) is a movement of the signal reporting element ( 8 ) along a first axis, which causes a movement of the signal indicating element ( 9 ) along a second axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis form an angle of >0°.

9 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 7 , characterised in that the diaphragm rupture signalling signal transmitted by the signal reporting element ( 8 ) is a movement of the signal reporting element ( 8 ) that activates a trigger mechanism, causing a movement of the signal indicating element ( 9 ).

10 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 7 , characterised in that the signal indicating element ( 9 ) triggers an electrical signal or has a diaphragm rupture indicating portion ( 10 ), wherein the diaphragm rupture indicating portion ( 10 ) is arranged in the drive unit ( 2 ) or in the delivery unit ( 3 ) so as not to be visible from the outside when the diaphragm ( 1 ) is arranged in the drive unit ( 2 ) or in the delivery unit ( 3 ) in such a way that it is not visible from the outside, and wherein the diaphragm rupture signalling signal forwarded by the signal reporting element ( 8 ) causes the signal indicating element ( 9 ) to move in such a way that the diaphragm rupture indicating portion ( 10 ) becomes visible from the outside.

11 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 10 , characterised in that the diaphragm rupture indicating portion ( 10 ) has an inscription, a bar code, or a QR code.

12 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 10 , characterised in that the signal indicating element ( 9 ) can be manually removed without the use of tools in the state in which the diaphragm rupture indicating portion ( 10 ) is visible from the outside.

13 . The diaphragm pump with a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 10 , characterised in that, in the state in which the diaphragm rupture indicating portion ( 10 ) is visible from the outside, it is not possible, when the pump is running, for the signal indicating element ( 9 ) to be displaced back out of a signal indicating position caused by the diaphragm rupture and back into a starting position, as long as the diaphragm rupture is still present.

14 . A diaphragm ( 1 ) for a diaphragm pump, wherein

the diaphragm ( 1 ) has at least a first diaphragm layer ( 6 ) and a second diaphragm layer ( 7 ),

the at least first and second diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) have a substantially circular periphery and are connected to one another in a manner such that they lie flat against one another,

the diaphragm ( 1 ) has a fully peripheral clamping area (E) running around the entire circumference of the substantially circular periphery for clamping the diaphragm ( 1 ) in a diaphragm pump, in a section of the clamping area (E) of the diaphragm, a sensor region (S) is provided, in which at least one of the at least one first and the at least one second diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) is designed in such a way that when the pressure between the at least one first diaphragm layer ( 6 , 7 ) and the adjacent at least one second diaphragm layer ( 7 , 6 ) is increased, the at least one first or the at least one second diaphragm layer ( 6 , 7 ) moves further away from the adjacent at least one first or the at least one second diaphragm layer ( 7 , 6 ) in the section of the sensor region (S) than in all other sections of the diaphragm ( 1 ),

characterised in that the sensor region (S) extends over the full extent of a circular path, which runs substantially concentrically with the circumference of the substantially circular periphery of the diaphragm ( 1 ).

15 . A method for repairing a diaphragm pump having a diaphragm rupture signalling device according to claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm pump has an original diaphragm ( 1 ) having a rupture, characterised in that the original diaphragm ( 1 ) having a rupture is replaced by a replacement diaphragm, wherein

the replacement diaphragm ( 1 ) has at least a first diaphragm layer ( 6 ) and a second diaphragm layer ( 7 ),

the at least first and second diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) have a substantially circular periphery and are connected to one another in a manner such that they lie flat against one another,

the replacement diaphragm ( 1 ) has a fully peripheral clamping area (E) running around the entire circumference of the substantially circular periphery for clamping the replacement diaphragm ( 1 ) in a diaphragm pump, in a section of the clamping area (E) of the diaphragm, a sensor region (S) is provided, in which at least one of the at least one first and the at least one second diaphragm layers ( 6 , 7 ) is designed in such a way that when the pressure between the at least one first diaphragm layer ( 6 , 7 ) and the adjacent at least one second diaphragm layer ( 7 , 6 ) is increased, the at least one first or the at least one second diaphragm layer ( 6 , 7 ) moves further away from the adjacent at least one first or at least one second diaphragm layer in the section of the sensor region (S) than in all other sections of the replacement diaphragm ( 1 ),

characterised in that the sensor region (S) extends over the full extent of a circular path, which runs substantially concentrically with the circumference of the substantially circular periphery of the replacement diaphragm ( 1 ).