US 12,392,334 B1
Electromagnetically actuated 3D printed micropump
Mohamed Yousef Serry, New Cairo (EG); and Mostafa Sedky, New Cairo (EG)
Assigned to The American University in Cairo, New York, NY (US)
Filed by The American University in Cairo, New York, NY (US)
Filed on Aug. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/234,527.
Application 18/234,527 is a continuation of application No. 18/130,039, filed on Apr. 3, 2023, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/331,310, filed on Apr. 15, 2022.
Int. Cl. F04B 43/04 (2006.01); F04B 49/22 (2006.01); F04B 51/00 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC F04B 43/043 (2013.01) [F04B 49/22 (2013.01); F04B 51/00 (2013.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for electromagnetically actuating a micropump, comprising:
(a) having a micropump, wherein the micropump comprises a pump chamber, a valve chamber, a reservoir, a pump chamber inlet channel with an input orifice and a micropump outlet channel with an output orifice, wherein the input orifice has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of the output orifice, wherein the pump chamber has a pump coil, a pump magnet, a pump membrane, and a pump snap ring, wherein the valve chamber has a valve coil, a valve magnet, a valve membrane with a conical protrusion, and a valve snap ring, and wherein a fluidic connect exists between the reservoir, the pump chamber, the valve chamber and the micropump outlet; and
(b) synchronizing operation of the micropump to control a liquid flow inside the reservoir to be pumped from the pump chamber to the valve chamber and to the micropump outlet, wherein the synchronizing distinguishes three stages of pump membrane and valve membrane synchronization, wherein:
(i) a first stage comprises simultaneously (j) energizing the pump coil resulting in downward movement of the pump membrane and (jj) energizing the valve coil resulting in upward movement of the valve membrane, resulting in the liquid being pumped from the pump chamber into the valve chamber;
(ii) a second stage comprises simultaneously (k) de-energizing the pump coil resulting in the pump membrane to move to a neutral position and (kk) energizing the valve coil with an opposite polarity resulting in a downward movement of the valve membrane, resulting is fluid movement from the valve chamber to the micropump outlet, and
(iii) a third stage comprises de-energizing both the pump coil and the valve coil resulting in both the pump coil to remain in its neutral position and the valve coil moving to its neutral position.