Fluid pump with a tubular driver body capable of selective axial expansion and contraction
AssigneeNanyang Technological University
InventorsJan Ma, Yin Chiang Boey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid pump for pumping fluid. The fluid pump includes a driver having a substantially tubular shaped body defining a body axis and, a number of elements circumferentially spaced around the body. Each element is responsive to a signal to so as cause a corresponding portion of the body to expand or contract in a direction substantially parallel to the tube axis. The pump also includes an urging member positioned in a flow path. In use, the urging member is coupled to the driver such that selective expansion and/or contraction of the body causes the urging member to rotate, thereby urging fluid along the flow path.
Claims32
A fluid pump for pumping fluid, the fluid pump comprising:
- a flow path;
- a driver having:
- a substantially tubular shaped body defining a body axis;
- and,
- a number of elements circumferentially spaced around the body, each element being responsive to a signal to cause a corresponding portion of the body to expand or contract in a direction substantially parallel to the body axis;
- and,
- an urging member positioned in the flow path, the urging member being coupled to the driver such that selective expansion and contraction of the body causes the urging member to rotate, thereby urging fluid along the flow path in use;
- wherein the body is formed from piezoelectric material and the elements are piezoelectric elements each being formed from:
- a common electrode mounted on an inner surface of the body;
- and
- a respective electrode mounted on an outer surface of the body.
A fluid pump for pumping fluid, the fluid pump comprising:
- a flow path;
- a driver having:
- a substantially tubular shaped body defining a body axis;
- and, a number of elements circumferentially spaced around the body, each element being responsive to a signal to cause a corresponding portion of the body to expand or contract in a direction substantially parallel to the body axis;
- and,
- an urging member positioned in the flow path, the urging member being coupled to the driver such that selective expansion and contraction of the body causes the urging member to rotate, thereby urging fluid along the flow path in use;
- wherein the elements are piezoelectric elements, the body being formed from a double layered piezoelectric material, each piezoelectric element being formed from:
- a common electrode positioned between the layers;
- a first set of respective electrodes mounted on an inner surface of the body;
- and,
- a second set of respective electrodes mounted on an outer surface of the body.
A fluid pump for pumping fluid, the fluid pump comprising:
- a flow path;
- and
- a driver having:
- a substantially tubular shaped body defining a body axis;
- and,
- a number of elements circumferentially spaced around the body, each element being responsive to a signal to cause a corresponding portion of the body to expand or contract in a direction substantially parallel to the body axis, the driver being arranged in the flow path such that selective expansion and contraction of the body urges fluid along the flow path in use;
- wherein the body is formed from piezoelectric material and the elements are piezoelectric elements each being formed from;
- a common electrode mounted on an inner surface of the body;
- and
- a respective electrode mounted on an outer surface of the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.