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Fluid transportation device

Fluid transportation device description/claims

The present invention relates to a fluid transportation device, and more particularly to a fluid transportation device for use in a micro pump.

Nowadays, fluid transportation devices used in many sectors such as pharmaceutical industries, computer techniques, printing industries, energy industries are developed toward miniaturization. The fluid transportation devices used in for example micro pumps, micro atomizers, printheads or industrial printers are very important components. Consequently, it is critical to improve the fluid transportation devices.

FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a micro pump in a non-actuation status. The micro pump 10 principally comprises an inlet channel 13, a micro actuator 15, a transmission device 14, a diaphragm 12, a compression chamber 111, a substrate 11 and an outlet channel 16. The compression chamber 111 is defined between the diaphragm 12 and the substrate 11 and accommodates a fluid therein. Depending on the deformation amount of the diaphragm 12, the capacity of the compression chamber 111 is varied.

When a voltage is applied on both electrodes of the micro actuator 15, an electric field is generated. The electric field causes downward deformation of the micro actuator 15 such that the micro actuator 15 is moved toward the diaphragm 12 and the compression chamber 111. As such, a pushing force generated by the micro actuator 15 is exerted on the transmission device 14. Through the transmission device 14, the pushing force is transmitted to the diaphragm 12 and thus the diaphragm 12 is distorted. Since the diaphragm 12 is compressed and deformed as shown in FIG. 11B, the fluid within the compression chamber 111 will flow to a predetermined vessel (not shown) through the outlet channel 16 in the direction indicated as the arrow X. With continuous flow of the fluid, the fluid in the inlet channel 13 is supplied to the compression chamber 111.

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the micro pump shown in FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 2, the fluid is transported by the micro pump in the direction indicated as the arrow Y The micro pump 10 has an inlet flow amplifier 17 and an outlet flow amplifier 18. The inlet flow amplifier 17 and the outlet flow amplifier 18 are cone-shaped. The relatively larger end of the inlet flow amplifier 17 is connected to the inlet channel 191 and the relatively smaller end of the inlet flow amplifier 17 is connected to the compression chamber 111. The relatively larger end of the outlet flow amplifier 18 is connected to the compression chamber 111 and the relatively smaller end of the outlet flow amplifier 18 is connected to the outlet channel 192. In addition, the inlet flow amplifier 17 and the outlet flow amplifier 18 are arranged in the same direction. Due to the different flow resistances at both ends of the flow amplifiers and the volume expansion/compression of the compression chamber 111, a unidirectional net flow rate is rendered. That is, the fluid flows from the inlet channel 191 into the compression chamber 111 through the inlet flow amplifier 17 and then flows out of the outlet channel 192 through the outlet flow amplifier 18.

This valveless micro pump 10, however, still has some drawbacks. For example, some fluid may return back to the input channel when the micro pump is in the actuation status. For enhancing the net flow rate, the compression ratio of the compression chamber 111 should be increased to result in a sufficient chamber pressure. Under this circumstance, a costly micro actuator is required.

Therefore, there is a need of providing a fluid transportation device for use in a micro pump to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluid transportation device. A valve seat, a valve membrane, a valve cap, an actuating module and a cover plate are sequentially stacked from bottom to top, thereby assembling the fluid transportation device. The actuating module is activated to deform the vibrating film and thus the volume of the pressure cavity is changed to result in a positive or negative pressure difference. In addition, the inlet/outlet valve structures of the valve membrane are quickly opened or closed. At the moment when the volume of the pressure cavity is expanded or shrunken, suction or impulse is generated to flow the fluid. The fluid transportation device of the present invention can transport gases or liquids at excellent flow rate and output pressure. By using the fluid transportation device of the present invention, the problem of returning back the fluid during fluid transportation is avoided.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fluid transportation device for transporting a fluid. The fluid transportation device includes a valve seat, a valve cap, a valve membrane, multiple buffer chambers, a vibration film and an actuator. The valve seat has an inlet channel and an outlet channel. The valve cap is disposed on the valve seat. The valve membrane has substantially uniform thickness, is arranged between the valve seat and the valve cap, and includes several hollow-types valve switches, which includes at least a first valve switch and a second valve switch. The multiple buffer chambers include a first buffer chamber between the valve membrane and the valve cap and a second buffer chamber between the valve membrane and the valve seat. The vibration film has a periphery fixed on the valve cap. The vibration film has a periphery fixed on said valve cap, and is separated from the valve cap when the fluid transportation device is in a non-actuation status, thereby defining a pressure cavity. The actuator is connected to the vibration film. When the actuator is driven to be subject to deformation, the vibration film connected to the actuator is transmitted to render a volume change of the pressure cavity and result in a pressure difference for moving the fluid to be introduced from the inlet channel, flowed through the first valve switch, the first buffer chamber, the pressure cavity, the second buffer chamber and the second valve switch, and exhausted from the outlet channel.

The above contents of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a micro pump in a non-actuation status;

FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a micro pump in an actuation status;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the micro pump shown in FIG 1A;

FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded view of a fluid transportation device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the valve seat of the fluid transportation device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5A is a schematic backside view illustrating the valve cap of the fluid transportation device shown in FIG. 3;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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