Electromechanical polymer pumps
First Claim
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1. A pump, comprising:
- a housing having an inlet provided to allow fluid flow into the housing and an outlet provided to allow fluid flow out of the housing;
an elastic diaphragm positioned in the housing such that motion in the elastic diaphragm drives the fluid flows at the inlet and the outlet of the housing, forming a first space and a second space joined by a fluid conduit substantially external to the housing; and
one or more electromechanical polymer (EMP) actuators each being provided on a portion of a surface of the elastic diaphragm, wherein the mechanical responses to electrical stimuli applied on the one or more EMP actuators cause the motion in the diaphragm, such that (i) when the one or more EMP actuators are moved to a position at the inlet, fluid flow into the first space is blocked and fluid flows from the first space into the second space via the fluid conduit, and (ii) when the elastic diaphragm is driven to an extended state, the elastic diaphragm drives fluid flow from the second space through the outlet out of the housing.
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Abstract
A motor-less pump includes: (a) a housing having an inlet provided to allow fluid flow into the housing and an outlet provided to allow fluid flow out of the housing; (b) an elastic diaphragm positioned in the housing such that motion in the elastic diaphragm drives the fluid flows at the inlet and the outlet of the housing; and (c) one or more electromechanical polymer (EMP) actuators each being provided on a surface of the elastic diaphragm, wherein the mechanical responses to electrical stimuli applied on the EMP actuators cause the motion in the diaphragm. The EMP actuators may include one or more bimorphs.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A pump, comprising:
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a housing having an inlet provided to allow fluid flow into the housing and an outlet provided to allow fluid flow out of the housing; an elastic diaphragm positioned in the housing such that motion in the elastic diaphragm drives the fluid flows at the inlet and the outlet of the housing, forming a first space and a second space joined by a fluid conduit substantially external to the housing; and one or more electromechanical polymer (EMP) actuators each being provided on a portion of a surface of the elastic diaphragm, wherein the mechanical responses to electrical stimuli applied on the one or more EMP actuators cause the motion in the diaphragm, such that (i) when the one or more EMP actuators are moved to a position at the inlet, fluid flow into the first space is blocked and fluid flows from the first space into the second space via the fluid conduit, and (ii) when the elastic diaphragm is driven to an extended state, the elastic diaphragm drives fluid flow from the second space through the outlet out of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A pump, comprising:
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a housing having an inlet provided to allow fluid flow into the housing and an outlet provided to allow fluid flow out of the housing; an elastic membrane positioned to divide the housing into a first space and a second space joined by a fluid conduit; and one or more electromechanical polymer (EMP) actuators each being provided on a portion of a surface of the elastic membrane, wherein the one or more EMP actuators receive electrical stimuli to provide mechanical responses for driving the elastic membrane, such that (i) when the elastic membrane is driven towards a relaxed state, the one or more EMP actuators are moved to a position at the inlet such that fluid flow into the first space is blocked, and fluid flows from the first space into the second space via the fluid conduit substantially external to the housing, and (ii) when the elastic membrane is driven to an extended state, the elastic membrane drives fluid flow from the second space through the outlet out of the housing.
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Specification