Patent ID: 8215930

Claim:
A diaphragm pump comprising: a) a diaphragm having a pump side and an actuation side; b) a pump head circumferentially coupled to said pump side of said diaphragm thereby defining an angle of intersection along a resulting circumferential interface; c) a pumping chamber defined by said pump head and said pump side of said diaphragm; and d) at least one barrier material disposed within said pumping chamber, wherein during operation of said diaphragm pump, said diaphragm is caused to oscillate between a suction stroke position and a discharge stroke position thereby causing a process fluid to flow through said pumping chamber, wherein said oscillation further causes the angle of intersection along said circumferential interface to expand and contract, wherein said barrier material substantially prevents said process fluid from contacting said circumferential interface during said expansion; and wherein said barrier material is an annular ring with a triangular like cross section comprising a first hypotenuse like side contacting the pump head, a second side contacting the diaphragm and a third side facing the pump chamber.