Micropump

• US 8,491,283 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Hajime, Kawasumi, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer, Devon
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAXEY, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US12/508,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20100047099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 417/478, 417/479, 417474-47714, 417/477.3
• US Class Current: 417/474
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/082 the tubular flexible member being pressed against a wall by a number of elements, each having an alternating movement in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the tubular member and each having its own driving mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1261 the rollers being placed at the outside of the tubular flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1276 Means for pushing the rollers against the tubular flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1284 Means for pushing the backing-plate against the tubular flexible member

Abstract

A micropump including a tube unit and a control unit. The control unit has a plurality of fingers. A cam sequentially presses the plurality of fingers from an inlet side to an outlet side of the tube. A drive unit gives rotation force to the cam, a control circuit unit controls operation of the drive unit, and a device frame holds the plurality of fingers, the cam, the drive unit, and the control circuit unit. A reservoir communicates with an inlet port of the tube; and a power source supplies power to the control circuit unit, wherein the tube unit is detachably attached to the control unit substantially in the horizontal direction with respect to the rotation surface of the cam and attached to the inside of a space produced by the device frame.

Claims

1. A micropump comprising:

a tube unit which includes a tube having elasticity and a circular-arc-shaped part and a tube guide frame for holding the tube, the circular-arc-shaped part being disposed between a pair of lobes of the tube guide frame when viewed in plan;

a control unit which has a plurality of fingers extending from the center of the circular-arc shape of the tube in radial directions, a cam for sequentially pressing the plural fingers from an inlet side to an outlet side of the tube, a drive unit for giving rotation force to the cam, a control circuit unit for controlling operation of the drive unit, and a device frame for holding the plural fingers, the cam, the drive unit, and the control circuit unit, the device frame including sidewalls that define a pair of recesses that correspond to the pair of lobes of the tube guide frame;

a reservoir communicating with an inlet port of the tube; and

a power source for supplying power to the control circuit unit,

wherein the tube unit is detachably coupled to the control unit substantially in the horizontal direction with respect to the rotation surface of the cam and attached to the inside of a space produced by the device frame such that the lobes of the tube guide frame mate with and abut the sidewalls of the device frame that define the recesses.

2. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein the tube guide frame has a tube guide groove into which the tube is inserted, and a tube supporting portion for supporting the tube inside the tube guide groove.

3. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein a guide portion, which disposes the center of the circular-arc shape of the tube and the rotation center of the cam substantially at the same position when the tube unit is attached to the control unit, is provided on the tube unit and the control unit.

4. The micropump according to claim 3, wherein a detection unit, which detects that the center of the circular-arc shape of the tube and the rotation center of the cam have been disposed substantially at the same position when the tube unit is attached to the control unit, is provided between the tube unit and the control unit.

5. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein:

the device frame has finger guide holes to which each of the plurality of fingers are attached;

each of the plurality of fingers has a shaft to be attached to the corresponding finger guide hole, and a fringe-shaped tube pressing portion larger than the finger guide hole; and

the plurality of fingers have a separation preventing mechanism which prevents separation of the fingers from the finger guide holes in an axial direction.

6. The micropump according to claim 5, wherein:

the separation preventing mechanism has projections;

each of the plurality of fingers has a groove in the circumferential direction of the shaft; and

the projections are attached to the grooves to regulate shift of the plurality of fingers in the axial direction.

7. The micropump according to claim 5, wherein:

each of the plurality of fingers has a stopper fringe disposed on the shaft at an end opposite to the tube pressing portion or at an intermediate position; and

shift of the plurality of fingers in the axial direction is regulated by the tube pressing portions and the stopper fringes, or concaves formed at intermediate positions of the finger guide holes in the axial direction for accommodating the stopper fringes.

8. The micropump according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tube regulating wall disposed on the tube guide frame and pressed by the plurality of fingers to regulate shift of the tube; and

an elastic member disposed between the tube and the tube regulating wall.

9. The micropump according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cover member which fixes the tube unit to the control unit; and

an elastic member disposed between the cover member and the tube unit to urge the tube unit toward the control unit.

10. The micropump according to claim 9, wherein the elastic force of the elastic member is larger than the tube pressing force of the plurality of fingers.

11. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein a part or all parts of the device frame and the tube guide frame is transparent.

12. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein the power source is accommodated in the tube unit.

13. The micropump according to claim 12, wherein the power source is detachably attached to the tube unit.

14. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is detachably attached to the tube.

15. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir is accommodated in the tube unit.

16. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir and the power source are accommodated in the tube unit.

17. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir has a port.

18. The micropump according to claim 17, wherein:

the reservoir is accommodated in the tube unit; and

the port is supported on an opening formed on the tube guide frame such that an inlet portion of the port can project from the outside of the tube guide frame.

19. The micropump according to claim 1, further comprising an air-bent filter provided on the communicating portion between the reservoir and the tube to block passage of a bubble.

20. The micropump according to claim 1, wherein the power source is accommodated in the control unit.