Method of measuring a pressure of a pressurized fluid fed through a diaphragm pump and accumulated in a vessel, and miniature pump system effecting the measurement
First Claim
1. A method for measuring a pressure of a pressurized fluid fed through a diaphragm pump and accumulated in a vessel, said diaphragm pump having a pump cavity and a diaphragm with a piezoelectric element which is actuated by application of a voltage to displace said diaphragm for pumping a fluid into said vessel, said method comprising the steps of:
- deenergizing said diaphragm by removal of the voltage to said piezoelectric element so as to stop pumping the fluid and accumulating the pressurized fluid into said vessel;
introducing said pressurized fluid only from said vessel back into said pump cavity so as to cause a displacement of said diaphragm by said pressurized fluid;
deriving an electrical signal indicative of the displacement of said diaphragm; and
translating said electrical signal into a corresponding pressure value indicative of the pressure of said pressurized fluid in said vessel.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for determination of a pressure of the pressurized fluid with the use of a diaphragm pump responsible for accumulating the pressurized fluid in the vessel. The pump has a pump cavity and a diaphragm with a piezoelectric element which is actuated by an application of a voltage to displace the diaphragm for pumping a fluid into the vessel. The method comprises the steps of:
(a) deactivating the diaphragm by removal of the voltage to the piezoelectric element so as to stop pumping the fluid and accumulating the pressurized fluid into the vessel;
(b) introducing the pressurized fluid only from the vessel back into the pump cavity so as to cause a displacement of the diaphragm by the pressurized fluid;
(c) deriving an electrical signal indicative of the displacement of the diaphragm; and
(d) translating the electrical signal into a corresponding pressure value indicative of the pressure of the pressurized fluid in the vessel.
76 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for measuring a pressure of a pressurized fluid fed through a diaphragm pump and accumulated in a vessel, said diaphragm pump having a pump cavity and a diaphragm with a piezoelectric element which is actuated by application of a voltage to displace said diaphragm for pumping a fluid into said vessel, said method comprising the steps of:
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deenergizing said diaphragm by removal of the voltage to said piezoelectric element so as to stop pumping the fluid and accumulating the pressurized fluid into said vessel; introducing said pressurized fluid only from said vessel back into said pump cavity so as to cause a displacement of said diaphragm by said pressurized fluid; deriving an electrical signal indicative of the displacement of said diaphragm; and translating said electrical signal into a corresponding pressure value indicative of the pressure of said pressurized fluid in said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A miniature pump system for accumulating a pressurized fluid into a vessel and having a capability of measuring the pressure of the pressurized fluid, said pump system comprising:
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a pump having a pump cavity and a diaphragm covering said pump cavity, said diaphragm including a piezoelectric element which displaces the diaphragm, in response to a voltage applied to said piezoelectric element, to draw a fluid into the pump cavity and feed it into said vessel for accumulating said pressurized fluid in said vessel; return means which allows said pressurized fluid to return into said pump cavity from said vessel while prohibiting non-pressurized fluid from entering said pump cavity; control means which provides a measurement cycle and deenergizes, within said measurement cycle, said piezoelectric element to stop actuating the diaphragm while at the same time activates said return means to introduce the pressurized fluid into said pump cavity back from said vessel for displacing said diaphragm by the pressurized fluid being introduced; and processing means which derives an electrical signal caused by the displacement of said diaphragm within said measurement cycle and translate the electrical signal into a corresponding pressure value indicative of the pressure of said pressurized fluid in said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification