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US 2007/0177997 A1Published application
Resonant Multilayered Impedance Pump
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsMorteza Gharib, Derek Rinderknecht, Laurence Loumes, Arian Forouhar, Anna Hickerson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multilayered impedance pump is formed by an inner tube and an outer tube which have different mechanical characteristics. The outer tube is relatively stiff, and can be used for a structural material. The inner tube is excitable, and a gel is placed between the inner and outer tube. The actuator actuates the gel to cause pressure waves along the inner tube.
Claims35
A pumping device, comprising:
- an outer lumen, formed of a substantially unbending material defining an inner surface inside the lumen, and an outer surface outside the lumen;
- an inner lumen, formed entirely within said inner surface within the outer lumen, said inner lumen formed of a material that is elastically deformable and having an inside surface which is adapted to receive a fluid therein;
- a fluid material, between said inner wall and said outer wall, said fluid material having a mechanical property that allows it to transmit applied force waves;
- and
- an actuator, that actuates said fluid material at a frequency that causes constructive wave interaction within the fluid material and drives a fluid flow through the inside surface of the inner lumen.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- pumping using a device that has an outer lumen, formed of a substantially unbending material, an inner lumen, formed entirely within an inside defined within the outer lumen, formed of a material that is elastically deformable, and a fluid material, between said inner wall and said outer wall, said fluid material having a mechanical property that allows it to transmit applied force waves;
- and
- actuating said fluid material at a frequency that causes constructive wave interaction within the fluid material and creates an induced wave on said inner lumen of a type that can drive a fluid flow through the inner lumen substantially without moving an outer wall of said outer lumen.
A method, comprising:
- inserting an inner tube and an outer tube that surrounds the inner tube, in a collapsed state into a body cavity;
- using a stent to expand the outer tube;
- inserting a gel like material between the outer tube and the inner tube;
- and
- actuating the gel like material to cause excitation of the material and to allow a pumping effect in the inner tube.
2 more elements
A pump device, comprising:
- an outer lumen, formed of a substantially unbending material;
- and
- a pumping part, within said outer lumen, which pumps without dynamically exciting said outer lumen.
A method of pumping comprising:
- exciting a fluid medium that is located between an outer lumen and an inner lumen;
- and
- adjusting the excitation, so that waves are formed that can constructively interfere, and that allow a relatively small actuation wave to add and become a larger amplitude wave that is induced on the inner lumen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.