Pump assembly for an emergency eyewash station
View Patent ↗A pump assembly for an emergency eyewash station and method of retrofitting a plumbed emergency eyewash station is disclosed. The pump is configured into two parts, an impeller assembly and a drive assembly, that are configured to couple together. The impeller assembly is isolated from the drive assembly and can be easily replaced to ensure a sterile fluid path is maintained for the eyewash fluid. The drive assembly can be fluid powered or an electric motor as desired. The present invention allows a plumbed eyewash station to be retrofitted to use a sterile eyewash fluid. The present invention can also be used in portable eyewash station units too.
1. An emergency eyewash station, comprising:
a sterile eyewash fluid source;
a plumbed tap water source;
a sterile eyewash dispensing structure;
a fluid-powered pump assembly in fluid connection between said sterile eyewash fluid source and said dispensing structure and configured and arranged to draw sterile eyewash fluid from said sterile eyewash fluid source and pump it to said dispensing structure,
said fluid powered pump assembly comprising
an impeller pump unit and an impeller drive unit,
said impeller pump unit having a pumping chamber with an input port in fluid communication with said sterile eyewash fluid source, an output port in fluid communication with said dispensing structure, an impeller pump wheel rotatably mounted within said pumping chamber, and a first drive shaft driven by said impeller pump wheel,
said impeller drive unit comprising a drive housing having a drive chamber with an intake port in fluid communication with said plumbed tap water source, an exhaust port in fluid communication with a discharge drain, an impeller drive wheel rotatably mounted within said drive chamber, and a second drive shaft driven by said impeller drive wheel;
a drive coupler coupled between said first and second drive shafts;
a valve assembly configured and arranged to control the flow of plumbed tap water from said plumbed tap water source; and
a valve actuator for selectively commencing a flow of plumbed tap water through said impeller drive unit whereby rotation of said impeller drive wheel in turn causes rotation of said impeller pump wheel through said drive coupler, and further whereby rotation of said impeller pump wheel causes pumping of sterile eyewash fluid from said sterile eyewash fluid source to said dispensing structure.
2. A kit for retrofitting a plumbed eyewash station to use a sterile eyewash fluid source, said plumbed eyewash station comprising, a plumbed tap water source, an eyewash dispensing structure and a discharge drain, said kit comprising:
a sterile eyewash fluid source;
a fluid-powered pump assembly in fluid connection between said sterile eyewash fluid source and said dispensing structure and configured and arranged to draw sterile eyewash fluid from said sterile eyewash fluid source and pump it to said dispensing structure,
said fluid powered pump assembly comprising
an impeller pump unit and an impeller drive unit,
said impeller pump unit having a pumping chamber with an input port configured and arranged for fluid communication with said sterile eyewash fluid source, an output port configured and arranged for fluid communication with said dispensing structure, an impeller pump wheel rotatably mounted within said pumping chamber, and a first drive shaft driven by said impeller pump wheel,
said impeller drive unit comprising a drive housing having a drive chamber with an intake port configured and arranged for fluid communication with said plumbed tap water source, an exhaust port configured and arranged for fluid communication with said discharge drain, an impeller drive wheel rotatably mounted within said drive chamber, and a second drive shaft driven by said impeller drive wheel;
a drive coupler coupled between said first and second drive shafts;
a valve assembly configured and arranged to control the flow of plumbed tap water from said plumbed tap water source; and
a valve actuator for selectively commencing a flow of plumbed tap water through said impeller drive unit whereby rotation of said impeller drive wheel in turn causes rotation of said impeller pump wheel through said drive coupler, and further whereby rotation of said impeller pump wheel causes pumping of sterile eyewash fluid from said sterile eyewash fluid source to said dispensing structure.