System, Method, and Apparatus for Estimating Liquid Delivery
First Claim
1. A pump, comprising:
- a reservoir configured to deliver a liquid;
a port coupled to the reservoir and configured to discharge the liquid;
a plunger having a piston coupled to a shaft, wherein the piston is disposed within the reservoir in sliding engagement with an inner surface of the reservoir, wherein the piston defines a liquid side of the reservoir and a non-liquid side of the reservoir whereby movement of the plunger towards the liquid side of the reservoir discharges liquid through the port; and
a reference-volume assembly coupled to the reservoir, wherein the reference-volume assembly comprises;
a reference-volume chamber in acoustic communication with the non-liquid side of the reservoir;
a speaker disposed within the reference-volume chamber; and
a reference microphone disposed within the reference-volume chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pump, related system, and related method are provided. The pump includes a reservoir, a port, and a plunger. The reservoir delivers a liquid by discharging the liquid through the port coupled to the reservoir. The plunger has a piston coupled to a shaft and is disposed within the reservoir in sliding engagement with an inner surface of the reservoir. The piston defines a liquid side of the reservoir and a non-liquid side of the reservoir whereby movement of the plunger towards the liquid side of the reservoir discharges liquid through the port. The pump also includes a reference-volume assembly and/or a linear position sensor. The reference-volume assembly is coupled to the reservoir at an opposite end of the reservoir relative to the port and includes a reference-volume chamber in acoustic communication with the non-liquid side of the reservoir, a speaker disposed within the reference-volume chamber, and a reference microphone disposed within the reference-volume chamber. The reference-volume assembly and/or linear position sensor may be used to estimate the amount of liquid discharged from the reservoir.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A pump, comprising:
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a reservoir configured to deliver a liquid; a port coupled to the reservoir and configured to discharge the liquid; a plunger having a piston coupled to a shaft, wherein the piston is disposed within the reservoir in sliding engagement with an inner surface of the reservoir, wherein the piston defines a liquid side of the reservoir and a non-liquid side of the reservoir whereby movement of the plunger towards the liquid side of the reservoir discharges liquid through the port; and a reference-volume assembly coupled to the reservoir, wherein the reference-volume assembly comprises; a reference-volume chamber in acoustic communication with the non-liquid side of the reservoir; a speaker disposed within the reference-volume chamber; and a reference microphone disposed within the reference-volume chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A pump, comprising:
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a reservoir configured to deliver a liquid; a port coupled to the reservoir and configured to discharge the liquid; a plunger having a piston coupled to a shaft, wherein the piston is disposed within the reservoir in sliding engagement with an inner surface of the reservoir, wherein the piston defines a liquid side of the reservoir and a non-liquid side of the reservoir whereby movement of the plunger towards the liquid side of the reservoir discharges liquid through the port; an additional reservoir configured to deliver an additional liquid; an additional port coupled to the additional reservoir and configured to discharge the additional liquid; an additional plunger having an additional piston coupled to an additional shaft, wherein the additional piston is disposed within the additional reservoir in sliding engagement with an inner surface of the additional reservoir, wherein the additional piston defines a liquid side of the additional reservoir and a non-liquid side of the additional reservoir whereby movement of the additional plunger towards the liquid side of the additional reservoir discharges liquid through the additional port; and a reference-volume assembly coupled to the reservoir at an opposite end of the reservoir relative to the port, wherein the reference-volume assembly is further coupled to the additional reservoir at an opposite end of the additional reservoir relative to the additional port, and wherein the reference-volume assembly comprises; a reference-volume chamber in acoustic communication with the non-liquid side of the reservoir, wherein the reference-volume chamber is further in acoustic communication with the non-liquid side of the additional reservoir; a speaker disposed within the reference-volume chamber; and a reference microphone disposed within the reference-volume chamber. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A pump, comprising:
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an acoustic housing; a reservoir configured to deliver a liquid, wherein the reservoir is disposed within the acoustic housing; a port coupled to the reservoir and configured to discharge the liquid; a plunger having a piston coupled to a shaft, wherein the plunger is disposed within the acoustic housing, wherein the piston is disposed within the reservoir in sliding engagement with an inner surface of the reservoir, wherein the piston defines a liquid side of the reservoir and a non-liquid side of the reservoir whereby movement of the plunger towards the liquid side of the reservoir discharges liquid through the port; and a reference-volume assembly coupled to the acoustic housing through an acoustic port, wherein the reference-volume assembly comprises; a reference-volume chamber in acoustic communication with the acoustic housing via the acoustic port; a speaker disposed within the reference-volume chamber; and a reference microphone disposed within the reference-volume chamber. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29)
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21. A pump, comprising:
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an acoustic housing; an additional acoustic housing a reservoir configured to deliver a liquid, wherein the reservoir is disposed within the acoustic housing; a port coupled to the reservoir and configured to discharge the liquid; a plunger having a piston coupled to a shaft, wherein the plunger is disposed within the acoustic housing, wherein the piston is disposed within the reservoir in sliding engagement with an inner surface of the reservoir, wherein the piston defines a liquid side of the reservoir and a non-liquid side of the reservoir whereby movement of the plunger towards the liquid side of the reservoir discharges liquid through the port; an additional reservoir configured to deliver an additional liquid, wherein the additional reservoir is disposed within the additional acoustic housing; an additional port coupled to the additional reservoir and configured to discharge the additional liquid; an additional plunger having an additional piston coupled to an additional shaft, wherein the additional plunger is disposed within the additional acoustic housing, wherein the additional piston is disposed within the additional reservoir in sliding engagement with an inner surface of the additional reservoir, wherein the additional piston defines a liquid side of the additional reservoir and a non-liquid side of the additional reservoir whereby movement of the additional plunger towards the liquid side of the additional reservoir discharges liquid through the additional port; and a reference-volume assembly coupled to the acoustic housing through an acoustic port, wherein the reference-volume assembly is coupled to the additional acoustic housing through an additional acoustic port, wherein the reference-volume assembly comprises; a reference-volume chamber in acoustic communication with the acoustic housing via the acoustic port, wherein the reference-volume chamber is in acoustic communication with the additional acoustic housing via the additional acoustic port; a speaker disposed within the reference-volume chamber; and a reference microphone disposed within the reference-volume chamber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification