Precessing Conical Fluid Pump Eliminates Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid pumps face issues such as noise, reduced motor lifespan due to lateral stresses, clogging of one-way valves by contaminated fluids, and increased costs, as well as limitations in pumping force and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fluid pump design featuring a conical body with a flexible membrane attached to its lateral surface, driven by an inclined drive plate, which precesses to create a rotating pump chamber without the need for one-way valves, allowing self-priming and reversible operation while minimizing motor stress and friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a conical element with a shaft mounted at an angle within a carrier disc is used, then the pump can generate pumping force, but lateral stresses are placed on the drive shaft of the motor which significantly shortens the life span of the motor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a precessing conical element that rotates about its apex rather than a fixed angular mounting. This dynamic motion allows the conical element to maintain contact with the membrane while distributing forces more evenly, eliminating the lateral stresses that would otherwise be placed on the drive shaft and extending motor life span.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional angular mounting within a carrier disc to a three-dimensional precessing motion about the apex. This dimensional change allows the conical element to move freely in space, eliminating constraints that cause lateral stresses on the drive shaft while maintaining effective pumping force.
2Ease of operation
If one-way valves are used to control fluid flow, then flow control is achieved, but the valves can get clogged by contaminated or viscous fluid and add to the overall cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the one-way valves from the pump system entirely. By using the precessing conical element to directly create a rotating pump chamber that naturally controls fluid flow direction, the design removes the need for separate valve components that would be susceptible to clogging and cost increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The precessing conical element performs multiple functions: it drives the pump chamber rotation, controls fluid flow direction, and eliminates the need for separate one-way valves. This multi-functionality integrates flow control into the main pumping mechanism, improving reliability by removing vulnerable valve components.
3Productivity
If the membrane is not attached to the conical member, then the elastic nature of the membrane can draw in fluid, but the membrane cannot effectively define a sealed pump chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The invention attaches the membrane to the conical element and uses dynamic precession to create the pump chamber. The membrane remains attached throughout the rotation, maintaining continuous sealing while the precessing motion creates the necessary pressure differential for fluid intake, resolving the conflict between sealing and fluid intake.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is pre-attached to the conical element before operation begins. This preliminary attachment ensures that the sealing surface is already in place before the precessing motion starts, allowing the membrane to effectively define the pump chamber from the first moment of operation while maintaining reliable sealing throughout the cycle.
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
The design results in a quiet, high-pressure pump that is self-priming, reversible, and resistant to contamination, with reduced motor wear and increased operational life, eliminating the need for costly one-way valves and improving pumping efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a driver adapted to drive the conical body; wherein the mating surface includes a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port... the driver includes a drive shaft and a drive plate carried by the distal end of the drive shaft, wherein the drive plate is inclined (i.e. angled) with respect to a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft such that the drive plate drives the conical body to precess about its apex in use
Implementation Method 2
As the flexible membrane is pulled away from the mating surface by the conical body, it generates a low pressure within the pump chamber, which draws fluid from the inlet port as it passes the inlet port
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid pump comprising a conical body having an apex, a base and defining a lateral surface between the apex and base; a mating surface defined by a pump plate; a flexible membrane having a first face comprising a first part which is attached to at least a portion of the lateral surface of the conical body and a second part which is free, and having a second, opposite face secured around its periphery to the mating surface; and a driver adapted to drive the conical body; wherein the mating surface includes a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port, the fluid inlet port being spaced from the fluid outlet port; the driver includes a drive shaft and a drive plate carried by the distal end of the drive shaft, wherein the drive plate is inclined with respect to a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft such that the drive plate drives the conical body to precess about its apex in use such that at any given time the flexible membrane defines a contact portion in contact with the mating surface where the lateral surface of the conical body is adjacent to the mating surface, and defines a non-contact portion which is spaced from the mating surface; a pump chamber is defined by a cavity formed between the non-contact portion of the flexible membrane and the mating surface; the pump chamber rotates about an axis of the mating surface as the conical body precesses about its apex; and fluid is drawn into the pump chamber as it passes the fluid inlet port and the fluid is urged out of the pump chamber as it passes the fluid outlet port.