Active valve and active valving for pump

Abstract

A pump ( 20, 120, 320, 420 ) comprises a pump body ( 22 ); an actuator ( 26 ); and, one or more active valves ( 30, 32 ). The pump body at least partially defines a pumping chamber ( 28 ) which has an inlet port ( 29 ) and an outlet port ( 31 ). The actuator ( 26 ) is situated at least partially in the pumping chamber for acting upon a fluid in the pumping chamber. The active valve ( 30, 32 ) selectively opens and closes a port with which it is aligned, e.g., either the inlet port ( 20 ) or the outlet port ( 31 ). In some embodiments, the active valve ( 30, 32 ) comprises a piezoelectric element ( 40 ) which responds to voltage for the selective opening and closing of its aligned port. In an illustrated embodiment, the piezoelectric element is a piezoceramic film ( 42 ). In one implementation of the pump, both the inlet valve ( 30 ) and the outlet valves ( 32 ) are active valves. In another implementation of the pump, the inlet valve ( 30 ) is an active valve but the outlet valve ( 323 ) is a passive valve (e.g., is influenced by flow of fluid in the pump). In other embodiments, active valves operate in accordance with magnetic forces and have electric conductors ( 64 ) or wiring embedded or otherwise formed therein in a coil shape to form a magnetic field. In addition, the ports which host the magnetically activated active valves have a magnet ( 60 ) formed therearound. In some embodiments, when an electric current is applied to the circuit in the valve, the direction of electric flow in the conductors in the flexible valve is such that the magnetic field created thereby attracts the magnetic field extant at the port opening to close the valve.

1 . A pump comprising: 
 a pump body for at least partially defining a pumping chamber, the pump body having an inlet port and an outlet port;    an actuator situated at least partially in the pumping chamber for acting upon a fluid in the pumping chamber;    a valve for selectively opening and closing an aligned one of the ports, the valve comprising a piezoelectric element which responds to a voltage for the selective opening and closing of the aligned port.    
   
   
       2 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric element is a piezoceramic film.  
   
   
       3 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is an inlet valve for admitting the fluid into the pumping chamber.  
   
   
       4 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is an outlet valve for discharging the fluid into the pumping chamber.  
   
   
       5 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is an inlet valve aligned with the inlet port; and further comprising an outlet valve for selectively opening and closing the outlet port, the outlet valve comprising a piezoelectric element which responds to a voltage for the selective opening and closing of the outlet port.  
   
   
       6 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is an inlet valve aligned with the inlet port; and further comprising an outlet valve for selectively opening and closing the outlet port, the outlet valve being a passive valve having motion primarily influenced by flow of fluid in the pump.  
   
   
       7 . A pump comprising: 
 a pump body for at least partially defining a pumping chamber, the pump body having an inlet port and an outlet port, at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port having a magnet positioned proximate thereto;    an actuator situated at least partially in the pumping chamber for acting upon a fluid in the pumping chamber;    a valve for selectively opening and closing an aligned one of the ports, the valve which selectively opens and closes the port having the magnet proximate thereto comprising a flexible member through which an electrical conductor is configured for creating a magnetic field which either causes the valve to attract or to repulse the magnet for respectively either closing or opening the port having the magnet proximate thereto.    
   
   
       8 . The pump of  claim 7 , wherein the valve which comprises the flexible member having the electrical conductor is an inlet valve for admitting the fluid into the pumping chamber.  
   
   
       9 . The pump of  claim 7 , wherein the valve which comprises the flexible member having the electrical conductor is an outlet valve for discharging the fluid into the pumping chamber.  
   
   
       10 . The pump of  claim 7 , wherein both the inlet port and the outlet port have a magnet proximate thereto, and wherein both an inlet valve which is aligned with the inlet port and an outlet valve which is aligned with the outlet port comprise the flexible member having the electrical conductor.  
   
   
       11 . The pump of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible member comprises a flex circuit.  
   
   
       12 . The pump of  claim 7 , wherein the valve which selectively opens and closes the port having the magnet proximate thereto is connected so that, in a first stroke of pump operation electrical current runs through the conductor to create a magnetic field which attracts the valve to the magnet, and so that, in a second stroke of pump operation electrical current runs through the conductor to create a magnetic field which causes the valve to repel the magnet.  
   
   
       13 . A pump comprising: 
 a pump body for at least partially defining a pumping chamber, the pump body having an inlet port and an outlet port, at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port having means for generating a first magnetic field positioned proximate thereto;    an actuator situated at least partially in the pumping chamber for acting upon a fluid in the pumping chamber;    a valve for selectively opening and closing an aligned one of the ports, the valve which selectively opens and closes the port having the means for generating the first magnetic field proximate thereto comprising a flexible member which carries means for generating a second magnetic field, and wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field serve to attract or to repulse the valve for respectively either closing or opening the port having the means for generating the first magnetic field proximate thereto.    
   
   
       14 . The pump of  claim 13 , wherein the means for generating the second magnetic field comprises an electrical conductor carried by the flexible member.  
   
   
       15 . The pump of  claim 14 , wherein the valve which selectively opens and closes the port having the means for generating the first magnetic field proximate thereto is connected so that, in a first stroke of pump operation electrical current runs through the conductor to generate the second magnetic field to cause attraction of the valve to the magnet, and so that, in a second stroke of pump operation electrical current runs through the conductor to generate the second magnetic field to cause the valve to repel the magnet.  
   
   
       16 . The pump of  claim 13 , wherein the means for generating the first magnetic field comprises a permanent magnet.  
   
   
       17 . The pump of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible member comprises a flex circuit.  
   
   
       18 . A method of operating a pump, the pump comprising a pump body for at least partially defining a pumping chamber, the pump body having an inlet port and an outlet port, and an actuator situated at least partially in the pumping chamber for acting upon a fluid in the pumping chamber, the method comprising: 
 providing an active valve for selectively closing and opening an aligned one of the ports;    applying a signal to a piezoelectric member which comprises the active valve for suitably orienting the active valve for the selective opening and closing of the aligned port.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising controlling duration of application of the signal to the active valve.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the active valve is an inlet valve aligned with the inlet port, wherein the pump further comprises a passive outlet valve aligned with the outlet port, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 applying the signal to a piezoelectric member which comprises the active valve for suitably orienting the active valve for the opening of the inlet port; and, once the pump chamber is self-primed,    maintaining the inlet port essentially open while allowing the outlet valve to move in response to phenomena occurring in the pump chamber.    
   
   
       21 . A method of operating a pump, the pump comprising a pump body for at least partially defining a pumping chamber, the pump body having an inlet port and an outlet port, and an actuator situated at least partially in the pumping chamber for acting upon a fluid in the pumping chamber, the method comprising: 
 providing a magnet proximate at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port;    providing an active valve for selectively closing and opening the magnet-proximate port;    applying a signal to an electrical conductor provided in a flexible member of the active valve for creating a magnetic field at the active valve, the magnetic field at the active valve either causing the active valve to attract the magnet and thereby close the magnet-proximate port, or causing the active valve to repel the magnet and thereby open the magnet-proximate port.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 applying electrical current in a manner so that, in a first stroke of pump operation, the electrical current runs through the conductor to create a magnetic field which attracts the valve to the magnet to close the magnet-proximate port; and    applying electrical current in a manner so that, in a second stroke of pump operation, the electrical current runs through the conductor to create a magnetic field which repels the valve relative to the magnet to open the magnet-proximate port.    
   
   
       23 . A method of operating a pump, the pump comprising a pump body for at least partially defining a pumping chamber, the pump body having an inlet port and an outlet port, and an actuator situated at least partially in the pumping chamber for acting upon a fluid in the pumping chamber, the method comprising: 
 providing a first magnetic field proximate at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port;    providing an active valve having a flexible member for selectively closing and opening the port which is proximate the means for generating the first magnetic field;    providing a second magnetic field by means carried at the active valve, the second magnetic field either causing the active valve to attract the first magnetic field and thereby close the port, or causing the active valve to repel the first magnetic field and thereby open the port.