Fluid supply device

Abstract

To provide a fluid supply device capable of efficiently pooling fluid without requiring a power source.SOLUTION: A fluid supply device 100 for supplying pooled fluid to the outside includes: a first balloon 11 formed of an elastic body so as to pool the fluid; a second balloon 12 formed of an elastic body so as to pool the fluid having contractive force larger than that of the first balloon 11; a support member 10 for supporting both the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12; and a housing 15 for storing the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12, and defining an inflation range of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12. The support member 10 is formed with a flow channel 10e for fluidly communicating the inside of the first balloon 11 with the inside of the second balloon 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid supplying device, and more particularly to a fluid supplying device for supplying liquid for raising living things such as mice. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, experiments have been conducted in which mice and other living organisms are transported into space aboard spacecraft such as the space shuttle and reared in space, with the aim of studying the effects of the zero-gravity or microgravity environment in space on living organisms. Similar to rearing mice and other living organisms on Earth, the rearing environment for mice and other living organisms in space requires equipment for providing water and liquid feed (hereinafter referred to as water, etc.) to the mice and other living organisms (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Automatic fluid supply devices utilizing gravity are commonly used as equipment for providing water, etc. to mice and other living organisms on Earth. However, such automatic fluid supply devices utilizing gravity cannot be used in a zero-gravity environment.

[0003] Therefore, a device that automatically supplies water using an electric syringe pump or the like has been proposed as a facility for providing water to mice and the like in space. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-017191 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because electrically powered devices require a power source, they are relatively heavy and take up a large amount of space. For this reason, it is not desirable to install such electrically powered devices on a spacecraft, which has limited payload and space. Furthermore, electrically powered devices are prone to malfunction. When an electrically powered device malfunctions, it must be repaired by an astronaut, which requires a lot of time and effort for maintenance.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid supply device that eliminates the problems associated with the above-mentioned conventional techniques, does not require a power source, and can efficiently store fluid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides a fluid supply device that supplies stored fluid to the outside, comprising: a first balloon formed of an elastic material so as to be able to store the fluid; a second balloon formed of an elastic material so as to be able to store the fluid and having a contractile force greater than that of the first balloon; a support member that supports both the first balloon and the second balloon; and a housing that houses the first balloon and the second balloon and defines the inflation ranges of the first balloon and the second balloon, wherein the support member is formed with a flow path that fluidly connects the inside of the first balloon and the inside of the second balloon.

[0008] In this case, the support member may have a connection portion connecting adjacent ends of the first balloon and the second balloon, and the flow path may be formed in the connection portion. The support member may be a tubular member and pass through the first balloon and the second balloon. The support member may extend from one end to the other end of the housing. The support member may have a plate shape, with the first balloon attached to one surface and the second balloon attached to the other surface. The housing may be provided with a sensor for detecting that at least one of the first balloon and the second balloon has come into contact with the housing.

[0009] The present invention also provides a fluid supply device for supplying stored fluid to the outside, comprising: a first unit including a first balloon formed of an elastic material so as to be able to store the fluid; a first support member supporting the first balloon; and a first housing that houses the first balloon and defines an inflation range of the first balloon; and a second unit including a second balloon formed of an elastic material so as to be able to store the fluid and having a greater contractile force than the first balloon; a second support member supporting the second balloon; and a second housing that houses the second balloon and defines an inflation range of the second balloon, wherein the first support member and the second support member are formed with flow paths for fluidly connecting the interior of the first balloon with the interior of the second balloon.

[0010] In this case, the first housing may be provided with a sensor for detecting that the first balloon has come into contact with the first housing, and the second housing may be provided with a sensor for detecting that the second balloon has come into contact with the second housing.

[0011] In the above invention, the first balloon and the second balloon may have different wall thicknesses, different inner diameters, or different lengths. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a fluid supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 shows a schematic cross section of a shaft and a balloon. [Figure 3] FIG. 3(a) shows a schematic diagram of the fluid supply device and the sensor, and FIG. 3(b) shows a graph of the change in internal pressure with the change in the elapsed time of discharge. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fluid supply device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]10 shows a cross section of a fluid supply device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the inside of the fluid supply device with the balloon inflated. [Figure 7] 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid supply device with a balloon inflated. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a front view of a fluid supply device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a balloon unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (First embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a front view of a fluid supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of a shaft and a balloon, FIG. 3(a) shows a schematic view of the fluid supply device and a sensor, and FIG. 3(b) shows a graph of the change in internal pressure with the change in elapsed discharge time.

[0014] The fluid supply device 100 according to this embodiment is used in outer space, for example, to provide water or liquid feed (liquid for raising organisms, hereinafter referred to as water, etc.) for raising organisms such as mice raised in outer space. In particular, the fluid supply device 100 according to this embodiment can be mounted on a spacecraft for launch and / or recovery.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid supply device 100 includes a shaft 10 (support member), a first balloon 11, a second balloon 12, a first cap 13, a second cap 14, and a case (housing) 15.

[0016] The case 15 has a cylindrical shape and is made of a transparent resin material. A first cap 13 is attached to one end of the case 15, and a second cap 14 is attached to the other end. A first balloon 11 and a second balloon 12 are supported on a shaft 10 supported by the first cap 13 and the second cap 14. The inner circumferential surface of the case 15 is formed so that the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 come into contact with the inner circumferential surface when inflated by injection of water or the like. As a result, the case 15 defines the inflation ranges of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12.

[0017] The first balloon 11 is formed so as to expand into an apple-like shape with the first cap 13 side concave in the longitudinal direction x, and the second balloon 12 is formed so as to expand into an apple-like shape with the second cap 14 side concave in the longitudinal direction x. The first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 have smaller diameters than when a single balloon is used, and therefore have larger surface curvatures, which reduces corners S1 and S2 that are generated at both ends of the case 15 when the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 are inflated, thereby enabling efficient use of the space within the case 15.

[0018] The first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 are formed of an elastic material, and are not particularly limited, but are preferably formed of, for example, silicone rubber from the viewpoint of biocompatibility. The first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 are formed so as to be able to store water or the like to be given to living organisms such as mice, and are provided so as to be able to discharge the stored fluid such as water.

[0019] The second balloon 12 has a greater contractile force than the first balloon 11. The first balloon 11 according to this embodiment is formed to have a longer overall length than the second balloon 12. That is, of the first balloon 11 and second balloon 12 attached to the shaft 10, the first balloon 11 is longer in the longitudinal direction x along the shaft 10 than the second balloon 12.

[0020] In this embodiment, the second balloon 12 is formed shorter than the first balloon 11 in the longitudinal direction x, so that the second balloon 12 has a greater contractile force than the first balloon 11, but this is not limiting. As long as the contractile force of the second balloon 12 is greater than that of the first balloon 11, the wall thickness and inner diameter of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 may be different.

[0021] The first balloon 11 has a first hole 11a formed at one end and a second hole 11b formed at the other end. The shaft 10 passes through the first hole 11a and the second hole 11b. The first hole 11a and the second hole 11b are provided with cylindrical shaft members 11c and 11d that protrude from the ends of the first balloon 11 toward the inside of the first balloon 11. The first balloon 11 is formed to be in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the shaft 10 that passes through it using the shaft members 11c and 11d.

[0022] Similar to the first balloon 11, the second balloon 12 also has a first hole 12a formed at one end and a second hole 12b formed at the other end. The shaft 10 passes through the first hole 12a and the second hole 12b. The first hole 12a and the second hole 12b are provided with cylindrical shaft members 12c and 12d that protrude from the ends of the second balloon 12 toward the inside of the second balloon 12. The second balloon 12 is formed to adhere closely to the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 10 that passes through it using the shaft members 12c and 12d.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1 , the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 are attached to the shaft 10 so as to be adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction x. In this embodiment, the first balloon 11 is disposed on the inlet 10a side of the shaft 10, and the second balloon 12 is disposed on the outlet 10b side of the shaft 10. As a result, the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 are configured such that the shaft member 11d of the first balloon 11 and the shaft member 12c of the second balloon 12 abut against each other, and the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 expand by spreading from between the shaft member 11d of the first balloon 11 and the shaft member 12c of the second balloon 12 in a direction away from the shaft 10. As a result, as the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 expand, the area of ​​close contact around the shaft member 11d of the first balloon 11 and the shaft member 12c of the second balloon 12 increases. Note that Figure 1 shows the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 in an expanded state, but in a deflated state, the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 are each in a state of approximately tight contact with the shaft 10.

[0024] The shaft 10 is a tubular member having a cylindrical shape. The shaft 10 extends from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction x of the case 15, and as shown in FIG. 2, a flow path 10e is formed through which water flows along the axis. One end of the shaft 10 has an outlet 10b for discharging water or the like stored in the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12. Meanwhile, the other end of the shaft 10 has an inlet 10a for injecting water or the like into the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12. The flow path 10e is formed to extend from the inlet 10a to the outlet 10b.

[0025] Although the injection port 10a according to this embodiment is connected to a one-way valve 40 for preventing the outflow of water or the like from the shaft 10, the injection port 10a itself may have a built-in one-way valve. The injection port 10a is provided so that piping or the like (not shown) can be connected to it via the one-way valve.

[0026] The shaft 10 is formed with a first communication hole 10c for directly connecting and fluidically communicating the internal space of the cylindrical shaft 10 with a flow path 10e in the internal space of the first balloon 11. Also, a second communication hole 10d is formed with a second communication hole 10d for directly connecting and fluidically communicating the internal space of the cylindrical shaft 10 with the internal space of the second balloon 12.

[0027] The shaft 10 also has a connecting portion 10f that connects adjacent ends of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12, i.e., the axial member 11d (see FIG. 1) of the first balloon 11 and the axial member 12c (see FIG. 1) of the second balloon 12, and the flow path 10e is also formed within the connecting portion 10f. The connecting portion 10f is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the outer circumferential surface of this cylindrical portion is formed with an outer diameter that allows the axial member 11d of the first balloon 11 and the axial member 12c of the second balloon 12 to be in close contact with each other. The shaft 10 according to this embodiment is formed to have a cylindrical shape with a constant outer diameter from the first hole 11a of the first balloon 11 to the second hole 12b of the second balloon 12, but is not limited thereto, and the portion between the shaft member 11c (see FIG. 1) and the shaft member 11d (see FIG. 1) of the first balloon 11 and the portion between the shaft member 12c (see FIG. 1) and the shaft member 12d (see FIG. 1) of the second balloon 12 may have different outer diameters or outer peripheral shapes. The fluid supply device 100 includes the connection portion 10f, so that the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 are fluidly connected to each other and are also fluidly connected to the discharge port 10b and the inlet 10a.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the case 15 is formed in a cylindrical shape from a transparent resin material. The case 15 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be a rectangular tube with a polygonal cross section, as long as it is cylindrical. The shaft 10, the first balloon 11, and the second balloon 12 are disposed within the case 15. A first cap 13 is attached to the case 15 so as to close one opening of the case 15. A second cap 14 is attached to the case 15 so as to close the other opening of the case 15. Therefore, both ends of the shaft 10 protrude outward from both ends of the case 15 in the longitudinal direction x.

[0029] The procedure for storing water or the like in the fluid supply device 100 and the procedure for discharging water or the like from the fluid supply device 100 will be described below. When storing water or the like in the fluid supply device 100, a liquid source (not shown) is connected to the inlet 10a of the shaft 10, and water or the like is injected into the shaft 10 through the inlet 10a. In this embodiment, the contraction force of the first balloon 11 is smaller than the contraction force of the second balloon 12, so the water or the like injected into the shaft 10 flows through the first communicating hole 10c into the first balloon 11. At this time, the first balloon 11 expands in accordance with the amount of water or the like injected.

[0030] When the outer surface of the expanding first balloon 11 abuts against the inner surface of the case 15, the water or other liquid injected into the shaft 10 is injected into the second balloon 12, causing the second balloon 12 to expand in accordance with the amount of water or other liquid injected.

[0031] When the outer circumferential surface of the expanding second balloon 12 comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the case 15, the injection of water into the fluid supply device 100 is completed.

[0032] 3(a), the fluid supply device 100 according to this embodiment is provided with a first pressure sensor 33 for detecting that the first balloon 11 has contacted the case 15, a second pressure sensor 34 for detecting that the second balloon 12 has contacted the case 15, and a third pressure sensor 35 incorporated in the flow path 10e of the shaft 10 for detecting the internal pressure within the flow path 10e. Based on the detection results of the first pressure sensor 33 and the second pressure sensor 34, the user of the fluid supply device 100 can determine that the outer circumferential surfaces of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 have contacted the inner circumferential surface of the case 15, and can detect the pressure of the liquid stored in the fluid supply device 100 based on the detection result of the third pressure sensor 35.

[0033] When water or the like is to be supplied to a living thing such as a mouse, a valve on a pipe or the like (not shown) connected to the shaft 10 is opened. This causes the contraction force of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 to discharge the water or the like from the inside of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 from the discharge port 10b into the pipe, thereby automatically supplying water or the like to the living thing such as a mouse.

[0034] When water or the like inside the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 is discharged from the discharge port 10b, the internal pressure of the first balloon 11 changes as shown in FIG. 3(b). In this figure, the vertical axis represents the internal pressure (kPa) and the horizontal axis represents the elapsed time (hr). Note that while FIG. 3(b) uses the internal pressure of the first balloon 11 for explanation, this is not limiting, and the internal pressure of the second balloon 12 may also be used.

[0035] When water is discharged from the discharge port 10b of the fluid supply device 100, the water or the like stored in the second balloon 12, which has a greater contractile force than the first balloon 11, is first discharged from the discharge port 10b. When the discharge of the water or the like stored in the second balloon 12 ends and the discharge of the water or the like stored in the first balloon 11 is switched to, that is, when approximately 36 hours have passed in FIG. 3(b), the internal pressure of the first balloon 11 rises and a first peak P1 occurs. As a result, a user of the fluid supply device 100 can determine that the balloon discharging water or the like has switched from the second balloon 12 to the first balloon 11 by detecting the first peak P1 using the third pressure sensor 35, without visually checking the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12.

[0036] When the discharge of water or the like from the second balloon 12 is completed, the fluid supply device 100 discharges the water or the like stored in the first balloon 11. At this time, the internal pressure of the first balloon 11 decreases as the water or the like is discharged. However, when the discharge of water or the like stored in the first balloon 11 is completed, that is, when approximately 72 hours have passed in FIG. 3(b), the internal pressure of the first balloon 11 rises slightly, and a second peak P2 occurs. By detecting the second peak P2 using the third pressure sensor 35, a user of the fluid supply device 100 can determine that the water or the like stored in the first balloon 11 will soon be depleted, without visually checking the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12. In this embodiment, the storage volume of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 is determined using the third pressure sensor 35, but it is also possible to determine that the storage volume of the first balloon 11 has decreased using the first pressure sensor 33, and to determine that the storage volume of the second balloon 12 has decreased using the second pressure sensor 34.

[0037] The fluid supply device 100 according to this embodiment includes a first balloon 11 made of an elastic material capable of storing water or the like, a second balloon 12 also made of an elastic material capable of storing water or the like and having a greater contractile force than the first balloon 11, a shaft 10 supporting both the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12, and a case 15 housing the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 and defining the inflation ranges of the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12. The shaft 10 has a flow path 10e that fluidly connects the interior of the first balloon 11 with the interior of the second balloon 12. As a result, the divided first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 have smaller diameters than a single balloon, resulting in a larger surface curvature. This reduces the size of corners S1 and S2 at both ends of the case 15 when the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 are inflated, thereby enabling efficient use of the space within the case 15. This eliminates the need for a power source and allows for efficient fluid storage.

[0038] Furthermore, in the fluid supply device 100 of this embodiment, since the second balloon 12 has a greater contractile force than the first balloon 11, the order in which the first balloon 11 and the second balloon 12 expand and contract can be controlled so that the second balloon 12 contracts before the first balloon 11, and so that the first balloon expands before the second balloon 12.

[0039] Furthermore, in the fluid supply device 100 according to this embodiment, the plurality of balloons are deflated in sequence, so that the reduction in water or the like stored in the fluid supply device 100 can be grasped in stages.

[0040] Furthermore, the fluid supply device 100 according to this embodiment includes the first balloon 11, which has a small contractile force, and therefore can expand smoothly even when fluid is injected at low pressure. This allows for easier expansion than when only one balloon is included, and the balloon can expand to fill the corners S1 and S2 without the need for a very high fluid pressure, thereby reducing the load on the balloon.

[0041] (Second embodiment) Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a fluid supply device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 5 shows a cross-section of the fluid supply device according to the second embodiment, Fig. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the inside of the fluid supply device with the balloon inflated, and Fig. 7 shows a schematic cross-section of the fluid supply device with the balloon inflated. Note that in the second embodiment, only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and the same reference numerals are used for parts that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 4, the fluid supply device 200 according to this embodiment includes a plate-shaped support plate (support member) 110 and a pair of cases (housings) 115, 115 formed to cover both sides of the support plate 110.

[0043] 5, each of the cases 115, 115 has a shape that bulges out in a direction away from the support plate 110, and a cavity is formed between the case 115, 115 and the support plate 110. Within these cases 115, 115, a first balloon 111 is attached to one surface 110a of the support plate 110, and a second balloon 112 having a greater contractile force than the first balloon 111 is attached to the other surface 110b.

[0044] The support plate 110 is formed with a flow path 110e extending in the in-plane direction relative to the surfaces 110a and 110b, and this flow path 110e is fluidly connected to the discharge port 10b and the inlet 10a. The flow path 110e branches off near the center of the support plate 110 to form a branch path 110f extending in the out-of-plane direction relative to the surfaces 110a and 110b, and the branch path 110f is fluidly connected to the interior of the first balloon 111 and the interior of the second balloon 112 on the surfaces 110a and 110b.

[0045] The first balloon 111 and the second balloon 112 are formed in a flat plate shape so as to closely contact the surfaces 110a and 110b of the support plate 110 when not inflated. When fluid is injected through the flow path 110e and the branch path 110f, the first balloon 111 and the second balloon 112 are configured to expand in directions away from the surfaces 110a and 110b of the support plate 110, respectively, as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 7, the case 115 is provided so as to define the expansion ranges of the first balloon 111 and the second balloon 112, and the expanded first balloon 111 and second balloon 112 are configured to closely contact the inner surfaces of the cases 115 and 115, respectively, thereby restricting their expansion.

[0046] Inflation of the first balloon 111 and the second balloon 112 will be described below. When the first balloon 111 and the second balloon 112 are actually inflated, the first balloon 111 starts to inflate first, and the first balloon 111 comes into contact with the inner surface of the case 115 .

[0047] When the first balloon 111 abuts against the inner surface of the case 115, the second balloon 112 then starts to expand, and when the second balloon 112 abuts against the inner surface of the case 115, the expansion stops.

[0048] (Third embodiment) Fig. 8 shows a front view of a fluid supply device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a balloon unit. In the third embodiment, differences from the second embodiment will be described, and the same reference numerals will be used for components that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 8, the fluid supply device 300 according to this embodiment includes a first balloon unit 50a containing a first balloon 111 (see FIG. 9), a second balloon unit 50b containing a second balloon having a contractile force greater than that of the first balloon 111, and a third balloon unit 50c containing a third balloon having a contractile force greater than that of the second balloon. The balloons of the first balloon unit 50a, the second balloon unit 50b, and the third balloon unit 50c are connected in parallel via a pipe 316. The first balloon unit 50a, the second balloon unit 50b, and the third balloon unit 50c have substantially the same configuration, differing only in the contractile force of the balloons. Therefore, the following description will be given using the first balloon unit 50a.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 9, the first balloon unit 50a, the second balloon unit 50b, and the third balloon unit 50c differ from the second embodiment in that each contains only one balloon 111.

[0051] When fluid is injected into the pipe 316 and the balloons 111 of the first balloon unit 50a, the second balloon unit 50b, and the third balloon unit 50c are inflated, the balloon 111 of the first balloon unit 50a first inflates until it abuts the inner surface of the case 115. After the balloon 111 of the first balloon unit 50a finishes inflating, the balloon 111 of the second balloon unit 50b next inflates until it abuts the inner surface of the case 115. After the balloon 111 of the second balloon unit 50b finishes inflating, the balloon 111 of the third balloon unit 50c next inflates until it abuts the inner surface of the case 115, completing the injection of fluid into the fluid supply device 300.

[0052] When a fluid is discharged from the fluid supply device 300, the balloon 111 of the third balloon unit 50c first deflates, discharging the fluid into the pipe 316. When the deflation of the balloon 111 of the third balloon unit 50c is completed, the balloon 111 of the second balloon unit 50b then deflates, discharging the fluid into the pipe 316. When the deflation of the balloon 111 of the second balloon unit 50b is completed, the balloon 111 of the first balloon unit 50a then deflates, discharging the fluid into the pipe 316.

[0053] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these. For example, in the above embodiments, the cases 15 and 115 are formed of a transparent resin material, but as long as the case has sufficient rigidity to withstand the pressure applied by the inflated balloon, for example, only a portion of the case may be made of a transparent material, or the entire case may be made of a non-transparent material. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] P1...first peak P2: Second peak S1…Corner 10...Shaft (support member) 10a…Inlet 10b…Discharge port 10c...first communication hole 10d...Second communication hole 10e...flow path 10f...Connection 11...First balloon 11a...First hole 11b...Second hole 11c...Shaft member 11d...Shaft member 12...Second balloon 12a...First hole 12b...Second hole 12c...Shaft member 12d...Shaft member 13...First Cap 14...Second cap 15...Case (housing) 33...First pressure sensor 34...Second pressure sensor 35...Third pressure sensor 40...One-way valve 50a...First balloon unit 50b...Second balloon unit 50c…3rd balloon unit 100...Fluid supply device 110...Support plate 110a...side 110b...side 110e...flow path 110f...Fork in the road 111...First balloon 112...Second balloon 115...Case (housing) 200…Fluid supply device 300...Fluid supply device 316...Plumbing

Claims

1. A fluid supply device that supplies a stored fluid to the outside, a first balloon formed of an elastic material so as to be able to store the fluid; a second balloon formed of an elastic material capable of storing the fluid and having a contractile force greater than that of the first balloon; a support member that supports both the first balloon and the second balloon; a housing that houses the first balloon and the second balloon and defines an inflation range of the first balloon and the second balloon; A fluid supply device, wherein the support member has a flow path formed therein that fluidly connects the interior of the first balloon and the interior of the second balloon.

2. 2. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the support member has a connecting portion that connects adjacent ends of the first balloon and the second balloon, and the flow path is formed within the connecting portion.

3. 2. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is a tubular member that passes through the first balloon and the second balloon.

4. 2. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the support member extends from one end of the housing to the other end of the housing.

5. 2. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the support member has a plate shape, the first balloon is attached to one surface, and the second balloon is attached to the other surface.

6. 2. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a sensor for detecting that at least one of the first balloon and the second balloon has come into contact with the housing.

7. A fluid supply device that supplies a stored fluid to the outside, a first unit including a first balloon formed of an elastic body capable of storing the fluid, a first support member supporting the first balloon, and a first housing accommodating the first balloon and defining an inflation range of the first balloon; a second unit including a second balloon formed of an elastic body capable of storing the fluid and having a contractile force greater than that of the first balloon, a second support member supporting the second balloon, and a second housing accommodating the second balloon and defining an inflation range of the second balloon; A fluid supply device, characterized in that the first support member and the second support member have a flow path formed therein for fluidly connecting the interior of the first balloon and the interior of the second balloon.

8. 8. The fluid supply device according to claim 7, wherein the first housing is provided with a sensor for detecting that the first balloon has come into contact with the first housing.

9. 8. The fluid supply device according to claim 7, wherein the second housing is provided with a sensor for detecting that the second balloon has come into contact with the second housing.

10. 8. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the first balloon and the second balloon have different wall thicknesses.

11. 8. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the first balloon and the second balloon have different inner diameters.

12. 8. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the first balloon and the second balloon have different lengths.

Images