Hemi-Toroidal Pump With Membrane Sealing for Precise Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for dispensing fluids lack precision and are prone to spilling, making it difficult to accurately deliver specific amounts of various fluids in industrial and other applications.
Innovation Solution
A pump apparatus with a rotatable portion and a flexible membrane, combined with rollers, that forms a fluid-tight seal, allowing for precise control of fluid dispensing through manual or motorized operation, enabling accurate measurement and reduction of leaks and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional manual pouring or mechanical pouring methods are used to dispense fluids, then the operation is simple and device complexity is low, but the dispensing precision and accuracy are poor and spilling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The pump channel is divided into multiple sealed segments by rollers that move along the channel. Each roller creates a discrete fluid chamber, segmenting the fluid path into controlled portions that can be precisely measured and dispensed without mixing or spilling
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible membrane lines the pump channel and works with the rollers to create fluid-tight seals. The membrane deforms elastically under roller pressure to form sealed chambers, providing precise fluid containment while maintaining a relatively simple channel structure
2Measurement precision
If a pump mechanism with rollers and flexible membrane is used to achieve precise dispensing, then dispensing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged into the channel structure itself through a flexible membrane lining, rather than using separate sealing components. The rollers serve dual purposes: driving the fluid forward and creating sealed chambers through their interaction with the membrane, reducing the need for additional sealing elements
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane provides dynamic sealing that adapts to roller position and pressure. As rollers move along the channel, the membrane deforms and recoils to maintain fluid-tight seals throughout the pumping cycle, enabling precise dispensing without rigid or complex sealing mechanisms
3Reliability
If conventional pouring methods are used, then the device is simple to operate, but spilling and contamination risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane creates continuous fluid-tight seals along the entire pump channel, completely enclosing the fluid path. This prevents spilling and contamination while maintaining a simple rotary operation that requires minimal user intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The pump mechanism automatically maintains fluid containment through the self-sealing action of the flexible membrane as rollers move through the channel. The system self-regulates fluid containment without requiring additional operational steps or user attention, combining reliability with ease of use
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise dispensing of fluids in controlled amounts, reducing spills and contamination risks, and can be used with a variety of fluids, including chemicals and medical solutions, with the option for manual or motorized operation and integration with containers for single-use applications.
Implementation Method 1
A flexible membrane that provides a seal between the roller components and the fluid channel
Implementation Method 2
rotation of the rotatable portion causes the one or more roller components to traverse the fluid channel pushing fluid trapped within the fluid channel and the membrane in the direction of rotation
Data Source
AI summary
This specification describes technologies relating to a pump for dispensing precise quantities of fluids. In some implementations, a pump includes a rotatable portion including one or more recesses configured to receive one or more corresponding roller components; and a base portion including a fluid channel including an input aperture and an output aperture, the fluid channel being configured to receive the one or more roller components, and a flexible membrane that provides a seal between the roller components and the fluid channel, wherein, the rotatable portion is rotatably coupled to the base portion such that the fluid channel includes one or more portions sealed by the flexible membrane and one or more roller components and wherein rotation of the rotatable portion causes the one or more roller components to traverse the fluid channel pushing fluid trapped within the fluid channel and the membrane in the direction of rotation.