MAGNETIC PUMP

• US 3,836,289 A
• Filed: 09/06/1972
• Issued: 09/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Earl W. Wolford, Orville P. Frazee
• Original Assignee: Earl W. Wolford, Orville P. Frazee
• Inventors: Wolford, Earl W., Frazee, Orville P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, C. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/286,726
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 417/415,419 310/32,34
• US Class Current: 417/417
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/046 the fluid flowing through the moving part of the motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/00 Motors with reciprocating, oscillating or vibrating magnet, armature or coil system arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with motors H02K7/00, e.g. H02K7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/02 with armatures moved one way by energisation of a single coil system and returned by mechanical force, e.g. by springs
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 33/12 with armatures moving in alternate directions by alternate energisation of two coil systems

Abstract

A pump device comprising at least two magnetizable members defining in part a fluid chamber disposed therebetween, means for generating magnetic fields of generally uniform flux through said magnetizable members along their respective lengths, whereby the magnetizable members are periodically polarized for attraction toward each other to effect pumping.

Claims

1. A device comprising a housing, first and second magnetizable members mounted in said housing and defining in part a fluid chamber therebetween, one-way valve means, inlet and outlet ports communicating through said one-way valve means with said fluid chamber, at least one of said magnetizable members being movable along an axis relative to the other to correspondingly change the volume of said fluid chamber, means for generating a magnetic field of uniform flux through said magnetizable members along said axis of movement, means for periodically altering said magnetic field, first means for controlling the relative direction of said magnetic field, whereby said magnetizable members are attracted to each other when the magnetic field extends in one general direction through the magnetizable members to contract the volume of said fluid chamber, and second means for displacing said one of the magnetizable members to expand said volume of the fluid chamber.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said magnetizable members are of high magnetic permeability and low magnetic coercivity.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said field generating means includes magnetic field generating coil connected to a voltage source.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said second means includes means for reversing the magnetic polarity of one of said coils relative to the other.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4 wherein said voltage source is of alternating current and said means for reversing the magnetic polarities includes rectifier means connected between one of said coils and said voltage source for periodically effecting relative reversal of current through said one coil relative to the other coil.

6. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said movable magnetizable member includes a piston mounted for reciprocation in said housing.

7. The structure set forth in claim 6 wherein said inlet port extends through said first magnetizable member, said outlet port extending through said second magnetizable member.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 wherein said second magnetizable member comprises a piston mounted for reciprocation in said housing.

9. The structure set forth in claim 8 wherein said first and second means each includes a magnetic field generating coil connected to a voltage source.

10. The structure set forth in claim 9 wherein said second means further includes means for reversing the magnetic polarity of one of said coils relative to the other.

11. The structure set forth in claim 10 wherein said voltage source is of alternating current and said means for reversing the magnetic polarities includes rectifier means connected between one of said coils and said voltage source for periodically effecting relative reversal of current through said one coil relative to the other coil.

12. A fluid handling device comprising a housing, a pair of magnetizable pistons reciprocally mounted in said housing for movement along an axis, said pistons defining in part a fluid chamber therebetween, inlet and outlet ports, one-way valve means for establishing communication between said ports and said fluid chamber, each of said pistons being movable away from each other to increase the volume of said fluid chamber, means for periodically generating a magnetic field of substantially uniform flux through said pistons along said axis to effect attraction of said pistons and means for periodically effecting repulsion of said pistons from each other including means for altering said uniform flux magnetic field.

13. The structure set forth in claim 12 wherein said inlet port is formed in one of said pistons, said outlet port being formed in the other of said pistons.

14. An electrically operated pump, comprising a tubular member having opposite inlet and outlet ends, at least one piston made of magnetic material reciprocable within the tubular member between limit positions, fluid chamber means volumetrically contracted and expanded in response to reciprocation of the piston between said limit positions, one-way valve means for conducting fluid flow between said inlet and outlet ends of the tubular member through the piston in response to said contraction and expansion of the fluid chamber means, at least one electromagnetic coil mounted externally on the tubular member and extending axially between the limit positions of the piston, an electrical power means connected to said coil for establishing a magnetic field having a flux path of substantially uniform flux density extending axially through the piston between said limit positions, and control means connected to the power means for periodically altering the strength of said magnetic field to effect reciprocation of the piston between the limit positions within said axial flux path of uniform flux density.