Micro-volume Dispense Pump with Ball Slide Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid dispense pumps face challenges in delivering precise and consistent micro-volumes of fluid materials due to inconsistent material flow and clogging issues, particularly with small circular inlet necks and spool valves, which require substantial pressure and can lead to inaccurate dispensing of high viscosity fluids.
Innovation Solution
A fluid dispense pump system featuring a cartridge assembly with a fluid shaft and motor-driven position control, utilizing shaft seals and o-rings to manage fluid flow, and a ball slide assembly for precise linear and radial movement, allowing controlled exposure of the inlet port to the feed aperture to regulate fluid dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If small circular inlet necks and spool valves are used in conventional dispense pumps, then the pump structure is compact, but substantial pressure is required leading to clogging and inaccurate dispensing of high viscosity fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is divided into distinct functional modules: a cartridge assembly containing the fluid path and inlet port, a separate fluid shaft with outlet port, and a ball slide assembly for actuation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, eliminating the need for high-pressure spool valves while maintaining compactness and reliability.
2Productivity
If the inlet port is continuously exposed to the feed aperture, then fluid flow is continuous, but material flow becomes inconsistent and clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The ball slide assembly periodically moves the fluid shaft to expose and cover the inlet port in a controlled manner. This periodic exposure allows consistent material flow by preventing continuous exposure that leads to clogging, while maintaining adequate dispensing speed through optimized actuation timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static inlet port configuration to a dynamic one where the ball slide assembly actively controls the exposure of the inlet port. This dynamic control enables adaptive regulation of fluid flow, ensuring consistency while preventing clogging through controlled intermittent exposure.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise position control of the fluid shaft is implemented, then dispensing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball slide assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism that translates simple linear motion into precise control of the fluid shaft position. This intermediary structure achieves accurate dispensing control without requiring complex electronic or mechanical control systems, maintaining simplicity while improving precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a fluid dispense pump comprising a pump housing and a cartridge body positioned along an axis. The cartridge body comprises a chamber and a feed aperture extending through a surface of the cartridge body to the chamber. A fluid shaft extends through the cartridge body along the axis. The fluid shaft has an inlet port positioned in the chamber of the cartridge body. One of the cartridge body and the fluid shaft is attached to the pump housing and is fixed relative to the pump housing. The other of the cartridge body and the fluid shaft moves relative to the one of the cartridge body and the fluid shaft to change a position of the inlet port relative to the feed aperture during a dispensing operation.