Electro-active fluid cooling system
First Claim
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1. A device, comprising:
- an inlet fluid line, wherein the inlet fluid line has a cross sectional area of about 0.012 square inches or less;
a valve housing including an inlet connected to the inlet fluid line, an outlet, and a fluid volume to allow fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet;
an outlet fluid line connected to the outlet;
a first niece of electro-active material connected to the valve housing; and
circuitry electrically connected to the first piece of electro-active material to apply a first voltage across the first piece of electro-active material to cause the first piece of electro-active material to have a first shape that does not substantially restrict fluid flow through the fluid volume of the valve housing, and to apply a second voltage across the first piece of electro-active material to cause the first piece of electro-active material to have a second shape, the second shape that at least partially restricts the flow of fluid from the inlet through the fluid volume to the outlet.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide one or more valves in which an electroactive material acts to open or close the valves to increase efficiency of a pump, which may be a pump that uses an electroactive diaphragm to pump fluid. The valves and pump may pump fluid to cool a device in a system.
22 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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an inlet fluid line, wherein the inlet fluid line has a cross sectional area of about 0.012 square inches or less; a valve housing including an inlet connected to the inlet fluid line, an outlet, and a fluid volume to allow fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet; an outlet fluid line connected to the outlet; a first niece of electro-active material connected to the valve housing; and circuitry electrically connected to the first piece of electro-active material to apply a first voltage across the first piece of electro-active material to cause the first piece of electro-active material to have a first shape that does not substantially restrict fluid flow through the fluid volume of the valve housing, and to apply a second voltage across the first piece of electro-active material to cause the first piece of electro-active material to have a second shape, the second shape that at least partially restricts the flow of fluid from the inlet through the fluid volume to the outlet.
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2. A device, comprising:
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an inlet fluid line; a valve housing including an inlet connected to the inlet fluid line, an outlet, and a fluid volume to allow fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet; an outlet fluid line connected to the outlet; a first piece of electro-active material connected to the valve housing, wherein the valve housing and the first piece of electro-active material comprise a first valve, circuitry electrically connected to the first piece of electro-active material to apply a first voltage across the first piece of electro-active material to cause the first piece of electro-active material to have a first shape that does not substantially restrict fluid flow through the fluid volume of the valve housing, and to apply a second voltage across the first piece of electro-active material to cause the first niece of electro-active material to have a second shape, the second shape that at least partially restricts the flow of fluid from the inlet through the fluid volume to the outlet; a pump having an electro-active diaphragm, a pump inlet, and a pump outlet the pump inlet connected to the outlet fluid line of the first valve; a second valve having a second piece of electro-active material and connected to the pump outlet; a cooling device connected to the second valve to receive fluid pumped by the pump, the fluid received being heated when within the cooling device; a heat producing device connected to the cooling device to transfer heat from the heat producing device to the cooling device; a heat exchanger connected to the cooling device to receive the heated fluid from the cooling device and to transfer heat to an environment around the heat exchanger; and wherein the circuitry is also electrically connected to the pump and the second valve to apply voltages to the pump and the first and second valve, the voltages timed to cause the first valve to be closed and the second valve to be open when the diaphragm within the pump expands and to cause the first valve to be open and the second valve to be closed with the diaphragm within the pump contracts. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A device, comprising:
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a diaphragm pump to draw fluid in from a pump inlet and expel fluid out through a pump outlet; a first valve including an electro-active material to allow fluid to flow into the diaphragm pump when the diaphragm pump draws fluid in from the pump inlet and to at least partially restrict fluid flow when the diaphragm pump expels fluid out through the pump outlet; and a second valve including an electro-active material to allow fluid to flow from the diaphragm pump when the diaphragm pump expels fluid out through the pump outlet and to at least partially restrict fluid flow when the diaphragm pump draws fluid in from the pump inlet. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method, comprising:
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applying a first voltage to a first piece of electro-active material in an inlet valve to cause the first piece of electro-active material to take a first shape that at least partially restricts fluid flow through the inlet valve; applying a first signal to a pump with an inlet connected to the inlet valve to cause the pump to expel fluid from the pump, the first piece of electro-active material having the first shape during at least some of a time that the pump expels fluid from the pump;
applying a second voltage to a second piece of electro-active material in an outlet valve connected to an outlet of the pump to cause the second piece of electro-active material to take a second shape that does not substantially restrict fluid flow through the inlet valve, the second piece of electro-active material having the second shape during at least some of the time that the pump expels fluid from the pump;applying a third voltage to the first piece of electro-active material in the inlet valve to cause the first piece of electro-active material to take a third shape that does not substantially restrict fluid flow through the inlet valve; applying a second signal to the pump with an inlet connected to the inlet valve to cause the pump to draw in fluid to the pump, the first piece of electro-active material having the third shape during at least some of a time that the pump draws in fluid to the pump; and applying a fourth voltage to the second piece of electro-active material in the outlet valve to cause the second piece of electro-active material to take a fourth shape that at least partially restricts fluid flow through the outlet valve, the second piece of electro-active material having the fourth shape during at least some of the time that the pump draws in fluid to the pump. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification