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US 2003/0169315 A1Published application
Micro Fluid Dispensers using Flexible Hollow Glass Fibers
OwnerDavid J Pickrellinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A micro fluid dispenser including reservoir, glass tube, hollow glass fiber, a piezoelectric element and a controller. The reservoir is to hold fluid to be dispensed. The glass tube has a first end, a second end and a tube body. The first end of the glass tube is connected to the reservoir to receive the fluid. There is a hollow glass fiber for each glass tube. The hollow glass fiber has a first end, a second end and a fiber body. The first end of the hollow glass fiber is connected to the second end of the glass tube to receive the fluid. The second end of the hollow glass fiber has an open tip to act as a nozzle to dispense the fluid. The piezoelectric element forces the fluid out of each of the open tip. The controller controls activation of the piezoelectric element.
Claims40
A micro fluid dispenser comprising:
- at least one reservoir to hold fluid to be dispensed;
- at least one glass tube having a first end, a second end and a tube body between said first and second ends, said first end of said glass tube connected to said reservoir to receive said fluid into said tube body;
- a hollow glass fiber for each glass tube, said hollow glass fiber having a first end, a second end and a fiber body between said first and second ends, said first end of said hollow glass fiber connected to said second end of said glass tube to receive said fluid into said fiber body, said second end of said hollow glass fiber having an open tip to act as a nozzle to dispense said fluid;
- a piezoelectric element to force said fluid out of each of said open tip of said hollow glass fiber, said piezoelectric element including connections to a voltage source to activate said piezoelectric element;
- and
- a controller to control activation of said piezoelectric element, said controller connected to said voltage source to control activation of said piezoelectric element.
3 more elements
A micro fluid dispenser comprising:
- at least one reservoir to hold fluid to be dispensed;
- at least one hollow glass fiber, said hollow glass fiber having a first end, a second end and a fiber body between said first and second ends, said first end connected to said reservoir to receive said fluid into said fiber body, said second end having an open tip to act as a nozzle to dispense said fluid;
- a piezoelectric element located about said at least one hollow glass fiber to impact said hollow glass fiber to force said fluid out of each of said open tip of said hollow glass fiber due to an energy imparted to said fluid due to said impact, said piezoelectric element including connections to a voltage source to activate said piezoelectric element;
- and
- a controller to control activation of said piezoelectric element, said controller connected to said voltage source to control activation of said piezoelectric element.
2 more elements
A method of dispensing fluid, using at least one reservoir to hold fluid to be dispensed;
- at least one glass tube having a first end, a second end and a tube body between said first and second ends, said first end of said glass tube connected to said reservoir to receive said fluid into said tube body;
- a hollow glass fiber for each glass tube, said hollow glass fiber having a first end, a second end and a fiber body between said first and second ends, said first end of said fiber body connected to said second end of said glass tube to receive said fluid into said fiber body, said second end having an open tip to act as a nozzle to dispense said fluid;
- a piezoelectric element located about said at least one glass tube to impact said one glass tube to force said fluid out of each of said open tip of said hollow glass fiber due to an energy imparted to said fluid due to said impact, said piezoelectric element including connections to a voltage source to activate said piezoelectric element;
- and a controller to control
- activation of said piezoelectric element, said controller connected to said voltage source to control activation of said piezoelectric element, comprising:
- activating said piezoelectric element using said controller to impact against said at least one glass tube to produce an energy wave through said fluid which forces said fluid to move along said at least one glass tube, into said hollow glass fiber and out of said open tip.
3 more elements
A method of dispensing fluid, using at least one reservoir to hold fluid to be dispensed;
- a least one hollow glass fiber, said hollow glass fiber having a first end, a second end and a fiber body between said first and second ends, said first end connected to said reservoir to receive said fluid into said fiber body, said second end having an open tip to act as a nozzle to dispense said fluid;
- a piezoelectric element located about said at least one hollow glass fiber to impact said hollow glass fiber to force said fluid out of each of said open tip of said hollow glass fiber due to an energy imparted to said fluid due to said impact, said piezoelectric element including connections to a voltage source to activate said piezoelectric element;
- and a controller to control activation of said piezoelectric element, said controller connected to said voltage source to control activation of said piezoelectric element, comprising:
- activating said piezoelectric element using said controller to impact against said at least one hollow glass fiber to produce an energy wave through said fluid which forces said fluid to move along said at least on hollow glass fiber and out of said open tip.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.