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US 4,648,807 AGranted
Compact piezoelectric fluidic air supply pump
AssigneeThe Garrett Corporation
InventorsThomas B. Tippetts, Michael F. Cycon, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The piezoelectrically driven diaphragm of an air pump is extended through a chamber and commmunicating outlet passage of the pump's housing. During vibration of the diaphragm, air pulses are alternately expelled through the outlet passage portions positioned on opposite sides of the diaphragm. The air pulses are collected in a rectifying device, carried by the housing, for delivery to a fluidic device or system.
Claims30
A piezoelectric fluidic air supply pump comprising:
- (a) first and second generally disc-shaped housing members each having:
- (1) an axially projecting portion having a depression formed in a central portion of the distal end thereof,
- (2) a peripheral edge having a flattened portion, and
- (3) a channel extending from said depression to open outwardly in an outlet on said flattened peripheral edge portion,
- (b) a generally disc-shaped diaphragm member;
- and
- (c) a duality of piezoelectric elements secured to opposite side surface portions of said diaphragm member and being electrically drivable to cause lateral vibration of said diaphragm member,
- a peripheral portion of said diaphragm member being clamped between said axially projecting portions of said first and second housing members and extending across said depressions and channels thereof, said channels being in congruent alignment with one another, an unclamped portion of said diaphragm extending outwardly to separate said channels throughout their length from said depressions at least to said outlets, an annular peripheral portion of said diaphragm member being unrestrained.
5 more elements
Air pump apparatus comprising:
- (a) a flat diaphragm member having a peripheral edge;
- (b) first and second housing members each having:
- (1) a periphery;
- (2) a depression positioned inwardly of said periphery, and
- (3) a channel extending from said depression outwardly through said periphery to open in an outlet thereon;
- (c) means for clamping said diaphragm member between said first and second housing members in a manner such that:
- (1) only a portion of said diaphragm member positioned inwardly of said peripheral edge thereof is restrained, and
- (2) an unclamped portion of said diaphragm member extends to said outlets between and continuously separates said channels of said first and second housing members, said channels each being immediately adjacent and extending along opposite side surfaces of said flat diaphragm member;
- and
- (d) means for utilizing an external power source to cause lateral vibration of said diaphragm member to thereby create alternate outward expulsions of air through said first and second housing member channels.
7 more elements
A method of supplying air to a fluidic device, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a housing having a chamber and an outlet passage communicating with said chamber and opening outwardly on the housing in an outlet;
- (b) securing a diaphragm member within said housing so that said diaphragm member extends through, and completely divides into two opposite portions, said chamber and said outlet passage;
- (c) utilizing an unrestrained portion of said diaphragm extending outwardly from said chamber through said outlet passage at least to said outlet to divide said outlet passage into said two opposite portions;
- (d) causing vibration of said diaphragm member to create alternate outward air pulses through the divided outlet passage portions;
- (e) collecting the alternate air pulses;
- and
- (f) delivering the collected air pulses to the fluidic device.
4 more elements
Air supply pump apparatus comprising:
- (a) housing means having a chamber therein and an outlet passage communicating with said chamber;
- and
- (b) diaphragm means dividing each of said chamber and said outlet passage into first and second portions, said first and second chamber portions, respectively, opening outwardly through said first and second outlet passage portions, said diaphragm means being vibratable to cause alternate compression and expansion of each of said first and second chamber portions to thereby create alternate outward expulsions of air through said first and second outlet passage portions, said diaphragm means having a peripheral edge and being restrained by said housing means only along a surface area positioned inwardly of said peripheral edge.
A fluidic air supply pump comprising:
- (a) a duality of generally disc-shaped housing members each having:
- (1) an axially facing side surface,
- (2) a truncated portion defining a flattened edge surface, and
- (3) a cylindrical boss projecting axially from a central portion of said side surface, said boss being generally tangential to said flattened edge surface and having at its distal end a recessed portion bounded by a narrow, axially facing flat annular peripheral surface having an outer diameter, said recessed portion having formed therein a channel with an outlet extending through said flattened edge surface;
- (b) a metallic disc having opposite side surfaces and a diameter greater than the outer diameters of said annular peripheral end surfaces of said bosses;
- (c) a duality of piezoelectric elements secured, in an opposite polarity relationship, to said opposite side surfaces of said metallic disc along a central portion thereof;
- (d) fastening members joining said housing members with said peripheral boss end surfaces being in a facing, aligned relationship and said flattened edge surfaces of said housing members being aligned, said metallic disc being coaxially clamped between said flat peripheral surfaces of said bosses around only an annular area positioned inwardly of its periphery, a portion of said metallic disc extending between said channel outlets and projecting outwardly of said flattened edge surfaces of said housing members;
- (e) a duality of flexible electrical conductor members positioned on opposite sides of said metallic disc within said recessed portions of said boss, each conductor member being operatively connected to one of said piezoelectric elements;
- (f) first and second terminals for receiving alternating electrical current from a source thereof, said first terminal being insulated from said housing members, and said second terminal being grounded to one of said housing members;
- (g) wiring interconnecting said first terminal with said flexible conductors;
- and
- (h) an air receiver carried by one of said housing members, said air receiver having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being adjacent said projecting metallic disc portion and facing said channel outlets, said inlet extending axially beyond each of said side surfaces of said metallic disc.
9 more elements
Air supply pump apparatus comprising:
- (a) housing means having a chamber therein and an outlet passage communicating with said chamber;
- and
- (b) diaphragm means, extending through and completely dividing said chamber and said outlet passage into first and second portions and being vibratable between first and second deflected positions, for alternately:
- (1) expelling air from said first portion of said chamber outwardly through said first portion of said outlet passage, while drawing air inwardly through said second portion of said outlet passage into said second portion of said chamber, during movement of said diaphragm means toward said first deflected position thereof, and
- (2) expelling air from said second portion of said chamber outwardly through said second portion of said outlet passage, while drawing air inwardly through said first portion of said outlet passage into said first portion of said chamber, during movement of said diaphragm means toward second deflected position thereof;
- said housing means further including first and second housing members, and said diaphragm means including a metal disc having a peripheral edge, said metal disc being clamped between said first and second housing members only around an annular portion spaced inwardly from said peripheral edge.
3 more elements
Air supply pump apparatus comprising:
- (a) housing means having a chamber therein and an outlet passage communicating with said chamber;
- and
- (b) diaphragm means, extending through and completely dividing said chamber and said outlet passage into first and second portions and being vibratable between first and second deflected positions, for alternately:
- (1) expelling air from said first portion of said chamber outwardly through said first portion of said outlet passage, while drawing air inwardly through said second portion of said outlet passage into said second portion of said chamber, during movement of said diaphragm means toward said first deflected position thereof, and
- (2) expelling air from said second portion of said chamber outwardly through said second portion of said outlet passage, while drawing air inwardly through said first portion of said outlet passage into said first portion of said chamber, during movement of said diaphragm means toward said second deflected position thereof;
- wherein a portion of said diaphragm means projects outwardly of said housing means through said outlet passage, said apparatus further comprising an air receiver carried by said housing means and having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being adjacent said projecting diaphragm means portion and facihg said outlet passage to receive air expelled therefrom.
3 more elements
Air pump apparatus comprising:
- (a) a flat diaphragm member having a peripheral edge;
- (b) first and second housing members each having:
- (1) a periphery;
- (2) a depression positioned inwardly of said periphery, and
- (3) a channel extending from said depression outwardly through said periphery;
- (c) means for clamping said diaphragm member between said first and second housing members in a manner such that:
- (1) only a portion of said diaphragm member positioned inwardly of said peripheral edge thereof is restrained, and
- (2) said diaphragm member extends between and separates said channels of said first and second housing members, said channels each being immediately adjacent and extending along opposite side surfaces of said flat diaphragm member;
- and
- (d) means for utilizing an external power source to cause lateral vibration of said diaphragm member to thereby create alternate outward expulsions of air through said first and second housing member channels;
- said air pump apparatus further comprising means for receiving said outward air expulsions and converting the same to a pulsating air supply stream;
- said means for receiving and converting including an air receiver carried by one of said housing members and having an inlet positioned to receive said alternate air expulsions from each of said first and second housing member channels;
- and
- said air pump apparatus further comprising means defining a baffle interposed between said channels and said air receiver inlet for substantially preventing air being expelled from one of said channels from being drawn into the other of said channels.
11 more elements
A method of supplying air to a fluidic device, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a housing having a chamber and an outlet passage communicating with said chamber;
- (b) securing a diaphragm member within said housing so that said diaphragm member extends through, and completely divides into two opposite portions, said chamber and said outlet passage;
- (c) causing vibration of said diaphragm member to create alternate outward air pulses through the divided outlet passage portions;
- (d) collecting the alternate air pulses;
- (e) delivering the collected air pulses to the fluidic device;
- and
- (f) wherein said securing step includes positioning said diaphragm member so that a portion thereof projects outwardly of said housing through said outlet passage.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.