ELECTROKINETIC PUMP DESIGNS AND DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a piston assembly having a piston housing filled with an electrolyte; a housing within the piston housing that divides the piston housing into a first portion and a second portion, the housing having apertures, a shaft connecting the housing to a piston head outside of the piston housing; and a porous material inside of the housing in contact with the electrolyte. Additionally, there are provided a method for filling the delivery chamber with a delivery fluid by withdrawing the piston head from within the delivery chamber. Yet another embodiment provides a method for filling a fluid delivery assembly by withdrawing a shaft from within the fluid delivery assembly to simultaneously displace a moving pump element within the delivery chamber and bypass fluid around a housing in the pump chamber.
102 Citations
50 Claims
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1-28. -28. (canceled)
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29. A method for operating a fluid delivery system comprising:
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providing a delivery chamber having a piston assembly therein, wherein the piston assembly includes a pump housing having a pair of electrodes therein, a piston head outside of the pump housing and attached to a shaft extending through a wall in the pump housing, and a material housing attached to the shaft and between the electrodes; and filling the delivery chamber with a delivery fluid by drawing the piston assembly at least partially out of the delivery chamber. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 40, 41, 42)
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30. (canceled)
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34. (canceled)
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35. A method for operating a fluid delivery assembly having a pump housing including a pump chamber and a delivery chamber, the method comprising:
withdrawing a shaft from the pump housing to simultaneously displace a moving pump element within the delivery chamber and bypass fluid around a material housing in the pump chamber. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 43, 44)
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45. A method for operating a fluid delivery system comprising:
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filling a delivery chamber with a delivery fluid by drawing a piston assembly at least partially out of the delivery chamber, the piston assembly including a piston head and a pump housing having a pair of electrodes therein; providing an electric field between the pair of electrodes; and advancing the piston head within the delivery chamber using electrokinetic energy created by the pair of electrodes such that the delivery fluid is expelled from the delivery chamber. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification