US5338164A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Positive displacement micropump
Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne of DE Inc
•
Filing: 1993-05-28
•
Granted: 1994-08-16
•
Expires: 2013-05-28
Abstract
Abstract This invention is for a pump having a series of chambers in a stack wherein electrodeformable material is used to deform a diaphragm to change the volume in the chambers. The architecture of the pump features stacks of chambers having a common diaphragm between adjacent chambers such that when a diaphragm is deformed to increase the volume in one chamber it simultaneously decreases the volume in the adjoining chamber. In one embodiment the stacks of chambers can be combined with other stacks to increase the head pressure in stages. In a second embodiment the stages can be in the same stack.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert F. Sutton
- 👤 Ramin Tabibzadeh
- 👤 Ko-Wei Lang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:12
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04B; F04B43/00; F04B43/02; F04B43/04; F04B43/043; F04B43/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A pump comprising, a plurality of chambers each having a top disc diaphragm, a bottom disc diaphragm and a side wall, an inlet and an outlet for fluid flow to and from each chamber, passing through the side wall, a valve attached to the inlet and a valve connected to the outlet to control the direction of fluid flow, the plurality of chambers stacked such that the disc top diaphragm of one chamber is also the bottom disc diaphragm of the adjacent chamber, each disc diaphragm having an electrodeformable material for deforming the disc diaphragm and changing the volume of the chamber when activated, a means of activating the electrodeformable material so that the top and bottom disc diaphragms in each chamber move toward each other or away from each other simultaneously, the outlet of one chamber is connected to the inlet of another chamber for increasing the pressure of the fluid in stages.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A pump comprising, a plurality of chambers each having a top disc diaphragm, a bottom disc diaphragm and a side wall, an inlet and an outlet for fluid flow to and from each chamber, passing through the side wall, a valve attached to the inlet and a valve connected to the outlet to control the direction of fluid flow, the plurality of chambers stacked such that the disc top diaphragm of one chamber is also the bottom disc diaphragm of the adjacent chamber, each disc diaphragm having an electrodeformable material for deforming the disc diaphragm and changing the volume of the chamber when activated, a means of activating the electrodeformable material so that the top and bottom disc diaphragms in each chamber move toward each other or away from each other simultaneously, the outlet of one chamber is connected to the inlet of another chamber for increasing the pressure of the fluid in stages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A pump as in claim 1 wherein, the outlet of one chamber is connected to the inlet of another chamber in the same stack for increasing the pressure of a fluid in stages.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A pump as in claim 1 wherein, the outlet of one chamber is connected to the inlet of another chamber in a different stack for increasing the pressure of a fluid in stages.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A pump as in claim 2 wherein, the chamber size varies corresponding to the chamber stage in the pump.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A pump as in claim 3 wherein, the chamber size varies corresponding to the chamber stage in the pump.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A pump as in claim 1 wherein the top chamber is bounded by the top of the housing and a disc diaphragm and the bottom chamber is bounded by the bottom of the housing and a disc diaphragm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A pump as in claim 1 wherein the top chamber has an inlet and outlet through the top of the housing and the bottom chamber has an inlet and outlet through the bottom of the housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3107630A
Cited
US2971471A
Cited
US3657930A
Cited
US4519751A
Cited
US4648807A
Cited
JPH01167475A
Cited
US4939405A
Cited
US5246347A
Cited
GB2238833A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-08-15 | 1998-02-14 | 1998-08-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-08-15 | 2002-02-14 | 2002-08-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-08-15 | 2006-02-14 | 2006-08-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |