Micro-fluidic pump

Abstract

According to the present invention, there is provided a pulsating micro chamber including a walled chamber. The walled chamber further includes at least one pulsating portion actuable to pulse and change an interior volume of the walled chamber. The present invention further provides for a micro-fluidic pump including a micro conduit for carrying fluid therethrough and at least one actuating mechanism for peristaltically moving fluids through the micro conduit. The actuating mechanism includes a closed pocket adjacent to the conduit, a flexible mechanism defining a portion of a wall of the micro conduit, and an expanding mechanism disposed within the pocket for expanding a volume of the pocket and thereby flexing the flexible mechanism into the micro conduit thereby changing the volume of the conduit.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A pulsating micro chamber comprising wall means for defining said chamber, said wall means including at least one pulsating portion actuable to pulse and change an interior volume of said chamber defined by said wall means.  
     
     
         2 . The chamber according to  claim 1  selected from the group consisting essentially of a tube, pipe, planar channel, and conduit.  
     
     
         3 . The chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein said wall means is made from material selected from the group consisting essentially of glass, silicon, rubber, silicone, plastics, metal, ceramics, polymers, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The, chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein said pulsating portion is made from materials selected from the group consisting essentially of rubber, silicone, plastics, and polymers.  
     
     
         5 . The chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein said pulsating portion includes entire said wall means, or portion thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The chamber according to  claim 1 , wherein said pulsating portion is made from materials different from materials of said wall means.  
     
     
         7 . A micro-fluidic pump comprising: 
 a micro conduit for carrying fluid therethrough; and    at least one actuating means for peristaltically moving fluids through said micro conduit, said actuating means includes a closed pocket adjacent to said conduit, flexible means defining a portion of a wall of said micro conduit, and expanding means disposed within said pocket for expanding a volume of said pocket and thereby flexing said flexible means into said micro conduit thereby changing the volume of said conduit.    
     
     
         8 . The micro-fluidic pump according to  claim 7 , wherein said flexible means is made from material selected from the group consisting essentially of silicon rubber, rubber, PVC, polyurethane, polymers, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The micro-fluidic pump according to  claim 7 , wherein said expanding means includes vaporizable fluid selected from the group consisting essentially of water, wax, hydrogel, and hydrocarbon.  
     
     
         10 . The micro-fluidic pump according to  claim 7 , further including a series of said actuating means working in tandem to peristaltically move fluids.  
     
     
         11 . The micro-fluidic pump according to  claim 10 , wherein said series of actuating means are operatively connected by said micro conduit.  
     
     
         12 . The micro-fluidic pump according to  claim 7 , wherein said actuating means further includes heating means for inducing expansion of said expanding means into said micro conduit.  
     
     
         13 . The micro-fluidic pump according to  claim 7 , that is fabricated using techniques compatible with low temperature, planar fabrication techniques.  
     
     
         14 . The micro-fluidic pump according to  claim 7  further including integrated circuitry for controlling said actuating means.