Patent ID: 8197233

Claim:
A pump comprising: a housing; a plurality of diaphragm assemblies radially disposed within the housing, each diaphragm assembly of the plurality of diaphragm assemblies comprising a diaphragm; a drive element configured to be eccentrically coupled to a rotating shaft motor to actuate the diaphragm for each of the plurality of diaphragm assemblies to draw fluid into or expel fluid from the diaphragm assembly; the drive element comprising: a first member; a spring support having a leg received by the first member and a locking feature for compressively securing the spring support to the first member with a spring, the spring support rotatably movable about an axis parallel to the shaft motor; and a plurality of second members, each second member of the plurality of second members being movably secured to the spring support and disposed between the first member and the diaphragm of each of the plurality of diaphragm assemblies, each second member also being maintained in contact with an inner edge of a corresponding diaphragm; and wherein during actuation of each diaphragm of the plurality of diaphragm assemblies, the corresponding first member, second member and spring support provide a continuously rigid radial coupling with the diaphragm, the second member maintaining radial support of the diaphragm while remaining substantially perpendicular to the direction of radial support during pump operation.