Micropump with separate chamber

Abstract

A micropump and a disposable pump body thereof are disclosed. The micropump includes the pump body and an actuator device. The pump body includes a chamber, an inlet communicating with the chamber, an outlet communicating with the chamber and a covering membrane on top of the chamber. The actuator device includes an actuator and a transmitting post. One of the two ends of the transmitting post connects to the actuator. The other end of the transmitting post abuts against the membrane. Since the pump body is separated from the actuator device, the pump body is disposable and can be replaced after use to avoid cross-infection of disease, particularly useful for medical liquid delivery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A micropump comprising:
 a pump body, said pump body comprising a chamber therein, an inlet and an outlet both communicating with the chamber on the opposite sides, and a covering membrane on the top of the chamber; and
 an actuator device, said actuator device comprising an actuator and a transmitting post having a first end connected to the actuator and a second end abutting against the membrane; 
   wherein the actuator drives the transmitting post to swing downwardly and upwardly, so as to depress the membrane to compress the volume of the chamber when downwards, and to recover the membrane to resume the volume of the chamber when upwards.   
     
     
         2 . The micropump according to  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the transmitting post has a greater cross section area than that of the second end. 
     
     
         3 . The micropump according to  claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprising a first region and a second region surrounding the first region, wherein the first region has a top surface higher than that of the second region. 
     
     
         4 . The micropump according to  claim 3 , wherein the transmitting post abuts against the first region of the membrane. 
     
     
         5 . The micropump according to  claim 3 , wherein the area of the first region is greater than or equal to 50% of the area of a top opening of the chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The micropump according to  claim 3 , wherein the area of the first region is greater than or equal to 66.7% of the area of a top opening of the chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The micropump according to  claim 3 , wherein the area of the first region is between 66.7%˜80% of the area of a top opening of the chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The micropump according to  claim 3 , wherein the membrane is made from Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) material. 
     
     
         9 . The micropump according to  claim 3 , wherein the first region has a double thickness of that of the second region. 
     
     
         10 . The micropump according to  claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the second region is greater than 0.2 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The micropump according to  claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the second region is between 0.3-0.5 mm. 
     
     
         12 . A pump body, comprising:
 a chamber therein;   an inlet and an outlet both communicating with the chamber on the opposite sides; and   a covering membrane on the top of the chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The pump body according to  claim 12 , wherein the membrane comprising a first region and a second region surrounding the first region, wherein the first region has a top surface higher than that of the second region. 
     
     
         14 . The pump body according to  claim 13 , wherein the area of the first region is greater than or equal to 50% of the area of a top opening of the chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The pump body according to  claim 13 , wherein the area of the first region is greater than or equal to 66.7% of the area of a top opening of the chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The pump body according to  claim 13 , wherein the area of the first region is between 66.7˜80% of the area of a top opening of the chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The pump body according to  claim 12 , wherein the membrane is made from Polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) material. 
     
     
         18 . The pump body according to  claim 13 , wherein the first region has a double thickness of that of the second region. 
     
     
         19 . The pump body according to  claim 13 , wherein the thickness of the second region is greater than 0.2 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The pump body according to  claim 13 , wherein the thickness of the second region is between 0.3-0.5 mm.