Micropump with liquid-absorptive polymer gel actuator

Claim 1

A micropump for supplying and feeding fluid comprising: a pump body member defining a tank chamber to contain fluid; a fluid inlet portion mounted on said pump body member for receiving a fluid to be contained in said tank chamber; a fluid outlet portion including an outlet port mounted on said pump body member for discharging fluid contained in said tank chamber; an actuator for decreasing a volume of the tank chamber to discharge fluid contained in said tank chamber, said actuator comprising a liquid-absorptive polymer gel which increases in volume by absorbing a fluid supplied to said actuator from said fluid inlet portion, wherein the increase in volume of the actuator results in a decrease in volume of the tank chamber so as to discharge fluid in the tank chamber through said fluid outlet portion; an outlet valve means disposed between said tank chamber and said fluid outlet portion, said outlet valve means comprising a plurality of sealing means formed of a liquid-absorptive polymer gel for opening and closing said outlet port; and a deviating means disposed between said sealing means and said outlet portion for deviating said sealing means to a closing direction.