Rotary-Oscillating Pump Seal Segmentation for Friction Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current volumetric pumping devices, such as syringe pumps, peristaltic pumps, and diaphragm pumps, face challenges including laborious manual filling, instability of fluid molecules, limited pressure capabilities, dosing precision issues, air bubble formation, and rapid mechanical degradation, making them unsuitable for precise and high-pressure fluid transfer, especially in medical and veterinary applications.
Innovation Solution
An oscillating-rotating subassembly with a piston and seal design featuring a torus, half-torus, and sealing tongues, which ensures effective sealing while minimizing friction, allowing for precise and efficient fluid transfer at high pressures, and is reversible and cost-effective to manufacture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is used to ensure fluid sealing between the piston and cavity, then fluid sealing is improved, but friction increases penalizing energy efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple independent sealing elements (first seal, second seal, third seal) arranged at different angular positions around the piston circumference. Each sealing element contacts the cavity wall at a specific location, creating multiple discrete sealing zones rather than a continuous seal ring. This segmentation reduces the total contact area and friction while maintaining effective fluid sealing between the piston and cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing elements are positioned at specific angular locations around the piston circumference rather than forming a continuous 360-degree seal. The first sealing element is positioned to seal during the admission phase, the second during the discharge phase, and the third during switching phases. This local positioning ensures sealing is provided only where and when needed for each phase of operation, reducing overall friction while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If strict manufacturing tolerances are applied to ensure proper sealing, then fluid sealing is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple independent sealing elements (first seal, second seal, third seal) arranged at different angular positions around the piston circumference. Each sealing element contacts the cavity wall at a specific location, creating multiple discrete sealing zones rather than a continuous seal ring. This segmentation reduces the total contact area and friction while maintaining effective fluid sealing between the piston and cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing elements are positioned at specific angular locations around the piston circumference rather than forming a continuous 360-degree seal. The first sealing element is positioned to seal during the admission phase, the second during the discharge phase, and the third during switching phases. This local positioning ensures sealing is provided only where and when needed for each phase of operation, reducing overall friction while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If a continuous seal is used around the piston, then fluid sealing is improved, but friction and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple independent sealing elements (first seal, second seal, third seal) arranged at different angular positions around the piston circumference. Each sealing element contacts the cavity wall at a specific location, creating multiple discrete sealing zones rather than a continuous seal ring. This segmentation reduces the total contact area and friction while maintaining effective fluid sealing between the piston and cavity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing elements are positioned at specific angular locations around the piston circumference rather than forming a continuous 360-degree seal. The first sealing element is positioned to seal during the admission phase, the second during the discharge phase, and the third during switching phases. This local positioning ensures sealing is provided only where and when needed for each phase of operation, reducing overall friction while maintaining reliability.
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 oscillating-rotating subassembly achieves precise and efficient fluid transfer, is reversible, and has improved energy efficiency, enabling the handling of viscous liquids at high pressures with reduced manufacturing costs and minimal friction, thus addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a seal made of a material having a modulus of elasticity lower than those of the piston and of the body and carried by the piston, running along the groove to ensure fluid sealing between the piston and the cavity
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6~11
Figure 12~14
AI summary
The invention relates to a rotary-oscillating subassembly (1) for volumetrically pumping a fluid, comprising a hollow body (2) defining a cavity (10) through the wall of which two pipes (11, 12) pass, a piston (3) defining, together with said cavity (10), a work chamber (31) and comprising a groove (22) leading longitudinally into said work chamber (31), said piston (3) being angularly movable such as to put said work chamber (31; 131) in fluid communication with one, then neither, then the other one of said pipes (11, 12; 111, 112), and alternately movable in longitudinal translation so as to cause the volume of said work chamber (31) to vary, and consecutively to then deliver said fluid, said piston (3) having a seal (32, 33, 34) formed by at least one sealing bead (32), a sealing half-bead (33), and at least one sealing tab (34) longitudinally connecting said sealing bead (32) to said sealing half-bead (33).