Bionic full-soft pulsation pump based on air driving

Abstract

The utility model provides a bionic full-soft pulsating pump based on air driving, and belongs to the technical field of soft robots. The pulsating pump comprises a pump body, a pulsating piece, a pressure relief piece and a valve assembly. The pump body has a pulsating chamber, a first port and a second port. The pulsation piece divides the pulsation cavity into a control cavity and a pumping cavity, and the pulsation piece is configured to deform according to the pressure difference between the control cavity and the pumping cavity. The pressure relief piece is arranged at the second connector and can open or close the second connector according to the pressure in the control cavity. The first end of a first one-way valve of the valve assembly communicates with the pumping cavity, and the second end of a second one-way valve communicates with the pumping cavity. According to the pulsating pump, high-efficiency pumping of pulsating flow is utilized to boost full softening of the pump, development of a full-soft heart is promoted, biological compatibility of the pump and flexibility of the pumping process are improved by changing flexible materials, and a driving scheme can be provided for development of a full-soft driving structure of a follow-up soft robot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of soft robot technology, and in particular to a biomimetic fully soft pulsating pump based on air drive. Background Technology

[0002] Most pulsation pumps control the flow cycle through electromechanical components. These components typically have high rigidity, mass, and size, poor biocompatibility, and can contaminate or damage the pumped liquid. External mechanical drives or control elements are usually required to control the pulsation cycle, impacting the pump's integration. In related technologies, pulsation pumps using flexible chambers achieve the pulsation cycle through a bistable structure; however, the bistable's abrupt changes easily generate vibrations, significantly affecting the pumping stability. Pulsation pumps combining rigid and flexible materials require high overall manufacturing precision and suffer from poor biocompatibility. Utility Model Content

[0003] This invention provides a biomimetic fully soft pulsating pump based on air drive. Its purpose is to improve the smoothness of the pumped fluid and to utilize the high efficiency of pulsating flow to promote the full softening of the pump, which is conducive to the development of fully soft core. By using flexible materials, the biocompatibility of the pump and the compliance of the pumping process are improved. It can also provide a driving solution for the development of fully soft drive structure for subsequent soft robots.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a pneumatically driven biomimetic fully soft pulsating pump, comprising:

[0005] The pump body has a pulsation chamber, a first interface, and a second interface;

[0006] A pulsating plate is disposed within the pulsating cavity to divide the pulsating cavity into a control cavity and a pumping cavity. Both the first interface and the second interface are connected to the control cavity. The first interface is configured to deliver driving fluid into the control cavity, and the second interface is configured to discharge the driving fluid from the control cavity. The pulsating plate is configured to deform according to the pressure difference between the control cavity and the pumping cavity.

[0007] A pressure relief component is disposed at the second interface. When the pressure in the control chamber is less than a threshold, the pressure relief component can close the second interface; when the pressure in the control chamber is greater than the threshold, the pressure relief component can open the second interface.

[0008] A valve assembly is configured to allow fluid to flow from a first end of the valve assembly to a second end of the valve assembly, the valve assembly including a first check valve and a second check valve, the first end of the first check valve communicating with the pumping chamber, and the second end of the second check valve communicating with the pumping chamber.

[0009] In one embodiment, there are multiple pulsating plates, which divide the pulsating cavity into a control cavity and multiple pumping cavities, and the multiple pumping cavities are independent of each other.

[0010] In one embodiment, there are multiple pulsating pumps, and the multiple pulsating pumps are independent of each other.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first check valve and the second check valve are coaxially distributed.

[0012] In one embodiment, the material of the pulsating pump is configured as silicone.

[0013] The above-mentioned solution of this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0014] In this embodiment, the control chamber and the pumping chamber are separated by a pulsating plate, preventing the driving fluid (e.g., gas) in the control chamber from directly acting on the fluid (e.g., liquid) in the pumping chamber, thus reducing the possibility of contamination. Furthermore, as the driving fluid is continuously input into the control chamber through the first interface, the pulsating plate gradually deflects towards the pumping chamber. During this process, the volume of the control chamber gradually increases, while the volume of the pumping chamber gradually decreases, causing the fluid in the pumping chamber to gradually exit through the valve assembly. This results in a smoother flow rate change in the pumped fluid, leading to higher stability of the pumped fluid and reducing the likelihood of vibration during pumping. This improves the stability of the pulsating pump and consequently expands its applicability.

[0015] Other beneficial effects of this invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a pulsating pump according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the pulsating pump in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the pulsating pump in different states during one pumping cycle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pulsating pump in one embodiment of the present invention, showing multiple pumping chambers in perspective.

[0020] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0021] 1. Pump body; 11. Pulsating chamber; 111. Control chamber; 112. Pumping chamber; 12. First interface; 13. Second interface; 2. Pulsating plate; 3. Pressure relief component; 4. Valve assembly; 41. First check valve; 42. Second check valve. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the technical problems, solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, a detailed description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this utility model described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0024] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a locking connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] The gas-driven biomimetic fully soft pulsating pump of this application mainly changes the volume of the control chamber through gas-driven changes, which in turn changes the volume of the pumping chamber adjacent to the control chamber, thereby enabling the pumping chamber to pump fluid.

[0026] Specifically, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The pulsating pump includes a pump body 1, a pulsating plate 2, a pressure relief component 3, and a valve assembly 4. The pump body 1 has a pulsating chamber 11, a first interface 12, and a second interface 13. The pulsating plate 2 is disposed within the pulsating chamber 11 to divide the pulsating chamber 11 into a control chamber 111 and a pumping chamber 112. The control chamber 111 and the pumping chamber 112 are independent of each other. For example, the pump body 1 may be configured as, but is not limited to, cylindrical, cubic, spherical, hemispherical, corrugated, or annular. The pulsating plate 2 may be configured as, but is not limited to, a thin circular plate, a thin spherical surface, or a thin curved surface. Both the first interface 12 and the second interface 13 are connected to the control chamber 111. The first interface 12 is configured to deliver a driving fluid into the control chamber 111 to increase the pressure within the control chamber 111. For example, the first interface 12 may be an air inlet, the driving fluid may be gas, and the air inlet may be connected to an external air source (e.g., an air pump) to continuously deliver gas into the control chamber 111. The second interface 13 is configured to discharge the driving fluid from the control chamber 111 to reduce the pressure within the control chamber 111. For example, the second interface 13 can be an air outlet connected to the outside to discharge excess gas from the control chamber 111. The pulsating plate 2 is configured to deform according to the pressure difference between the control chamber 111 and the pumping chamber 112. For example, when the pressure in the control chamber 111 is greater than the pressure in the pumping chamber 112, the pulsating plate 2 deflects towards the pumping chamber 112 due to the pressure difference between the two chambers, compressing the volume of the pumping chamber 112 and thereby squeezing out the fluid from the pumping chamber 112.

[0027] Pressure relief component 3 is disposed at the second interface 13. When the pressure in the control chamber 111 is less than a threshold, pressure relief component 3 can close the second interface 13 to accumulate driving fluid in the control chamber 111, thereby gradually increasing the pressure and volume of the control chamber 111. For example, when the pressure in the control chamber 111 is low, an external air source continuously supplies gas into the control chamber 111 through the first interface 12 to increase the pressure in the control chamber 111. During this process, the pulsating plate 2 also generates a gradually increasing deflection towards the pumping chamber 112 due to the gradually increasing pressure difference between the control chamber 111 and the pumping chamber 112, thereby gradually squeezing the fluid in the pumping chamber 112 out of the pumping chamber 112. When the pressure in the control chamber 111 exceeds the threshold, the pressure relief component 3 can open the second interface 13 to discharge the driving fluid in the control chamber 111, thereby reducing the pressure in the control chamber 111. During this process, the pulsating plate 2 can reduce its deformation by relying on its own elastic restoring force, thereby increasing the volume of the pumping chamber 112, which in turn enables the pumping chamber 112 to absorb fluid.

[0028] Valve assembly 4 is configured to allow fluid to flow from a first end to a second end of valve assembly 4; that is, valve assembly 4 is a one-way valve, through which fluid can only flow in the same direction relative to valve assembly 4. For example, the fluid can be a liquid, such as blood or water. Valve assembly 4 includes a first one-way valve 41 and a second one-way valve 42. The first end of the first one-way valve 41 communicates with the pumping chamber 112, and the second end of the first one-way valve 41 communicates with the outside of the pulse pump to discharge fluid from the pumping chamber 112. The second end of the second one-way valve 42 communicates with the pumping chamber 112, and the first end of the second one-way valve 42 communicates with the fluid source of the fluid to be pumped to deliver fluid into the pumping chamber 112, such that the fluid in the pumping chamber 112 can only flow from the second one-way valve 42 to the first one-way valve 41 relative to the pumping chamber 112. For example, the same pumping chamber 112 can correspond to one or more first one-way valves 41, and the same pumping chamber 112 can also correspond to one or more second one-way valves 42.

[0029] For example, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 (a) shows the state of the pulsating plate 2 and the pressure relief element 3 when the pressure in the control chamber 111 is less than the threshold. Figure 3 (b) illustrates the state of the pulsating plate 2 and the pressure relief element 3 when the pressure inside the control chamber 111 exceeds a threshold. During one pumping cycle of the pulsating pump of this application, an external air source continuously supplies gas into the control chamber 111 through the first interface 12, causing the pressure inside the control chamber 111 to gradually increase but not exceed the threshold. The pressure relief element 3 remains closed to the second interface 13. The gradually increasing pressure inside the control chamber 111 causes the pulsating plate 2 to gradually increase its deflection towards the pumping chamber 112, gradually compressing the volume of the pumping chamber 112, causing the fluid inside the pumping chamber 112 to gradually be discharged through the first one-way valve 41. When the pressure in the control chamber 111 exceeds the threshold, the pressure relief component 3 opens to connect the second interface 13, allowing the driving fluid in the control chamber 111 to be discharged through the second interface 13 at a relatively fast speed. The large pressure in the control chamber 111 is released, allowing the pulsating plate 2 to recover to its pre-deformation state through its elastic restoring force. The pressure relief component 3 then closes the second interface 13 again, thereby increasing the volume of the pumping chamber 112. External fluid can then enter the increased volume of the pumping chamber 112 through the second one-way valve 42, causing the pumping chamber 112 to be filled with more fluid again. Since the first one-way valve 41 only allows fluid to flow from the first end to the second end, the fluid discharged from the first one-way valve 41 will not be drawn back into the pumping chamber 112 through the first one-way valve 41. Based on this, one pumping cycle of the pulsating pump is completed.

[0030] For example, please refer to Figure 1The pumping chamber 112 can be enclosed within the control chamber 111, and the valve assembly 4 passes through the control chamber 111 and communicates with the pumping chamber 112. The pumping chamber 112 can also be... Figure 2 It is shown adjacent to control cavity 111.

[0031] For example, within a certain range, the smaller the thickness of the pulsating plate 2 and the larger its radial dimension, the greater the deformation that the pulsating plate 2 can produce, which in turn makes the flow rate of the fluid pumped by the pumping chamber 112 greater.

[0032] For example, the greater the flow rate of the driving fluid delivered to the control cavity 111 through the first interface 12, the higher the frequency of the fluid pumped by the pulsating pump.

[0033] For example, each component of the pulsating pump can be configured as a software structure.

[0034] In this embodiment, the control chamber 111 and the pumping chamber 112 are separated by the pulsating plate 2, so that the driving fluid, such as gas, in the control chamber 111 will not directly act on the fluid, such as liquid, in the pumping chamber 112, reducing the possibility of the driving fluid contaminating the fluid. Furthermore, as the driving fluid is continuously input into the control chamber 111 through the first interface 12, the pulsating plate 2 can generate a gradually convex deflection towards the pumping chamber 112. During this process, the volume of the control chamber 111 gradually increases, and the volume of the pumping chamber 112 gradually decreases, causing the fluid in the pumping chamber 112 to gradually discharge through the valve assembly 4. This allows the flow rate of the discharged fluid to change more smoothly during the pumping process, resulting in higher stability of the pumped fluid. This reduces the possibility of vibration during the pumping process, improving the stability of the pump and thus expanding its applicability. Furthermore, existing pulse pumps in related technologies are not entirely soft; some are only partially soft. For example, only the pumping component is a soft structure, while the control component is not. In this application, each component of the pulse pump can be configured as a soft structure, combining the control and pumping components to achieve overall soft material manufacturing and actuation. This aims to advance the complete softening of pulse pumps, which is beneficial for the development of a fully soft core. By using flexible materials, the biocompatibility of the pump and the compliance of the pumping process are improved, and a driving solution can also be provided for the development of fully soft drive structures for subsequent soft robots.

[0035] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 The pulsating plates 2 are multiple, and these multiple pulsating plates 2 divide the pulsating chamber 11 into a control chamber 111 and multiple pumping chambers 112. The multiple pumping chambers 112 are independent of each other, allowing them to pump fluid at the same frequency. For example, please refer to... Figure 4There are two pulsating plates 2, which divide the pulsating chamber 11 into a control chamber 111 and two pumping chambers 112. The two control chambers 111 are connected to each other through corresponding pulsating plates 2. Each pumping chamber 112 has one or more first check valves 41 and one or more second check valves 42. Different types of fluids can be pumped in different pumping chambers 112, or they can be the same type of fluid. It should be noted that the pipe diameter of the first check valves 41 corresponding to different pumping chambers 112 can be different, the pipe diameter of the second check valves 42 corresponding to different pumping chambers 112 can be different, and the first check valves 41 and the second check valves 42 corresponding to different pumping chambers 112 can be connected in parallel or in series. The radial dimensions and thickness of the pulsating plates 2 corresponding to different pumping chambers 112 can also be different, so that different pumping chambers 112 can pump fluids of different flow rates at the same frequency. This allows the pulsating pump of this application to pump different fluids at the same frequency through the corresponding first check valve 41 and then mix them synchronously in different proportions (i.e., different fluids are discharged through the corresponding pumping chambers 112 at different flow rates) to obtain the desired mixed fluid. This enables the pulsating pump of this application to play a role in research fields such as fluid mixing, fluid transport, fluid exchange and heat dissipation, and pulsating fluids.

[0036] In one embodiment, there are multiple pulse pumps, which operate independently of each other. For example, each pulse pump is configured to pump a different fluid, such that multiple different fluids can be pumped out at different frequencies through corresponding first check valves 41 and then mixed in different proportions to obtain the desired mixed fluid.

[0037] In one embodiment, please refer to Figures 1-3 The first check valve 41 and the second check valve 42 are coaxially distributed to reduce the resistance of fluid flow in the pumping chamber 112 and improve the smoothness of fluid absorption and discharge in the pumping chamber 112.

[0038] In one embodiment, the pulsating pump is made of silicone. Silicone has good biocompatibility, temperature resistance, and chemical resistance. Based on this, the pulsating pump of this application can be applied to an artificial heart to simulate the muscle contraction and relaxation of the heart and the valve characteristics of the heart, for the intake and pumping of blood. For example, the pressure relief element 3 can be constructed as a silicone spherical valve or a silicone soft valve. There is a tiny gap between the two silicone valves when there is no pressure. Under low pressure, the two silicone valves can come close together to close, so as to prevent gas from escaping from the second interface 13. Under high pressure, the two silicone valves can move away from each other to open the second interface 13, so that gas can escape quickly from the second interface 13. Alternatively, both the first one-way valve 41 and the second one-way valve 42 can be constructed as silicone one-way valves.

[0039] For example, the silicone can be transparent silicone, translucent silicone, or silicone of other colors.

[0040] For example, a mold can be printed using 3D printing technology, and silicone can be poured into the mold to allow the pump body 1, pulsating plate 2, and valve assembly 4 to be integrally formed. The remaining components can be formed separately and then glued together.

[0041] The above description is the preferred embodiment of this utility model. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A pneumatically driven, biomimetic, fully soft pulsating pump, characterized in that, include: The pump body has a pulsation chamber, a first interface, and a second interface; A pulsating plate is disposed within the pulsating cavity to divide the pulsating cavity into a control cavity and a pumping cavity. Both the first interface and the second interface are connected to the control cavity. The first interface is configured to deliver driving fluid into the control cavity, and the second interface is configured to discharge the driving fluid from the control cavity. The pulsating plate is configured to deform according to the pressure difference between the control cavity and the pumping cavity. A pressure relief component is disposed at the second interface. When the pressure in the control chamber is less than a threshold, the pressure relief component can close the second interface; when the pressure in the control chamber is greater than the threshold, the pressure relief component can open the second interface. A valve assembly is configured to allow fluid to flow from a first end of the valve assembly to a second end of the valve assembly, the valve assembly including a first check valve and a second check valve, the first end of the first check valve communicating with the pumping chamber, and the second end of the second check valve communicating with the pumping chamber.

2. The air-driven biomimetic fully soft pulsating pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of pulsating plates is multiple, and the multiple pulsating plates divide the pulsating cavity into one control cavity and multiple pumping cavities, and the multiple pumping cavities are independent of each other.

3. The air-driven biomimetic fully soft pulsating pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of pulse pumps is multiple, and the multiple pulse pumps are independent of each other.

4. The air-driven biomimetic fully soft pulsating pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first check valve and the second check valve are coaxially distributed.

5. The air-driven biomimetic fully soft pulsating pump according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the pulsating pump is configured as silicone.

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