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Micro flow rate generator, pump and pump systemRelated Patent Categories: Pumps, Electrical Or Getter TypeMicro flow rate generator, pump and pump system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070201987, Micro flow rate generator, pump and pump system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present relates to a method by which micro flow rates of liquid can be controlled, a pump using it and a pump system using it, and more particularly to a micro flow rate generator and a pump which can be suitably used for analyzing living substances, chemicals and foods, and a pump system using it. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Control of the flow rate of liquid passing within a tube has been accomplished by a method of varying the opening or adjusting the pressure by the use of a mechanical valve. For instance, Patent Document 1 discloses a medical fluid feed device equipped with a medical fluid feed pump, which is a diaphragm pump for vibratory feeding of medical fluid from a medical fluid storage tank. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a washing water delivery device which, equipped with bubble mixing unit for mixing bubbles into washing water, delivers a bubble flow in which a large quantity of micro bubbles are dispersed in washing water. [0003] However, these methods are not suitable for applications in which a micro flow rate needs to be accurately controlled because they give rise to a pulsating current. [0004] On the other hand, Patent Document 3 discloses a fluid feed device equipped with a fluid storage unit, a pressure transfer unit and an electrochemical cell unit using for its cathode an anion exchange resin as a medium of anion movement and a metal oxide, to which an electric conductor is added. [0005] Further, Patent Document 4 discloses a method by which a micro flow rate is generated by utilizing an electro-osmotic flow or electrophoresis with a thin and long capillary tube in order to obtain a pulsation-free or low-pulsation and low-flow rate pump. For instance in FIG. 1 thereof, a case in which electrophoresis, is generated by applying, after letting in a sample solution into a quartz capillary tube through one end, a high voltage to both ends of the capillary, and the electrophoretically separated component is moved. [0006] Further, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses an invention to generate or control the micro flow rate of a solution with a porous thin film by using a relatively low voltage from a battery or the like, instead of applying a high voltage, as a fruit of research by the inventors pertaining to the present application. [0007] It is stated in Non-Patent Document 1 that the micro flow rate can appropriately controlled if an aqueous solution of sodium or an aqueous solution of potassium, whose level of ionization is relatively high, is used as the solution. [0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-265945 [0009] Patent Document 2: International Publication WO99/09265 [0010] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H09-192213 [0011] Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H09-281077 [0012] Non-Patent Document 1: Sugitani, Hasegawa and Narumi, "Fluid characteristics of fluid passing a porous thin film when a voltage is applied", Transactions of Lectures [No. 027-1] at the 39th General Meeting of the Hokuriku-Shinetsu Branch of The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, pp. 93-94, (Mar. 8, 2002) DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention [0013] As attempts to control a micro flow rate, for instance, a solution containing blood, DNA, cells or the like is let flow in a microchannel, and the object is observed as enlarged by a microscope. In this case, if the flow rate of the pump fluctuates or pulsates, the enlarged image of the object will move to make accurate observation impossible. For this reason, pumps free from pulsation and fluctuation are craved for. They are also required to be free from clogging, capable of securing a stable flow rate, moreover easy to handle and inexpensive. [0014] However, at the moment there is no pump that can fully satisfy these requirements. Especially, no conventional pump permits easy reversal of the flow direction. [0015] For instance the method described in Patent Document 4 above to generate a micro flow rate by utilizing an electro-osmotic flow or electrophoresis with a thin tube such as a capillary tube requires a high voltage of 100 V or above, and as the flow rate that is obtained is low, the micro flow rate is difficult to control. [0016] On the other hand, the invention described in Non-Patent Document 1 above regarding the control of the micro flow rate using a porous thin film is an invention still in an R&D stage, and involves a number of problems to be solved in making it available for practical application. One of the problems is, as an aqueous solution containing sodium or potassium is used as the working fluid, the fluctuation of flow rate characteristics due to the generation of hydrogen and bubbles when a voltage is applied. [0017] An object of the present invention is to solve the problems noted above and provide a pulsation-free or low-pulsation micro flow rate generator, pump and pump system in whose fluid neither hydrogen nor bubbles are generated. [0018] Another object of the invention is to provide a pulsation-free or low-pulsation micro flow rate generator, pump and pump system which can work on a relatively low voltage and permits easy flow rate control. [0019] Still another object of the invention is to provide a micro flow rate generator, a pump and a pump system which are free from clogging, capable of securing a stable flow rate, moreover easy to handle and inexpensive. MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS Continue reading about Micro flow rate generator, pump and pump system... Full patent description for Micro flow rate generator, pump and pump system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Micro flow rate generator, pump and pump system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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