ELECTROMAGNET MEMBRANE PUMP/TRANSDUCER SYSTEM AND METHODS TO MAKE AND USE SAME

Abstract

Electromagnet venturi pump/transducer systems and methods to make and use same. The membrane is made from a material that can be, for example, a steel membrane, having a ferrite disk that is pulled by the electromagnet to a set point and then the stiff membrane is oscillated about that set point.

Claims

1. An electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer that is operable to produce a flow of fluid, wherein the electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer comprises: (a) a membrane having a first side and a second side, wherein the membrane is operable to move along an axis; (b) a ferromagnetic material, wherein (i) the membrane comprises the ferromagnetic material, (ii) the ferromagnetic material is attached to the membrane, or (iii) both; (c) a perforated structure having a first side facing the first side of the membrane, wherein the perforated structure has perforations to provide for the flow of the fluid through the perforated structure; (d) an electromagnet on the first side of the perforated structure such that the electromagnet is facing the ferromagnetic material; and (e) a venturi plate positioned on the second side of the membrane, wherein (i) the electromagnet is operable to pull the membrane to a set point and then oscillate the membrane about this point, and (ii) the oscillation of the membrane produces the flow of the fluid.

2. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic material is attached to the membrane.

3. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 2, wherein the ferromagnetic material is a ceramic compound.

4. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 3, wherein the ceramic compound is ferrite.

5. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 4, wherein the ferrite is Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 or BaFe.sub.12O.sub.19.

6. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises the ferromagnetic material.

7. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 6, wherein the membrane is comprised of ferromagnetic steel.

8. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the electromagnet comprises a metal coil surrounded by a ferromagnetic material.

9. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 8, wherein the metal coil is a copper coil.

10. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic material is ferrite or steel.

11. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the electromagnet is connected to an electronic circuit that controls the oscillation of the membrane.

12. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 11, wherein the electronic circuit provides electronic current having a DC component and an AC component.

13. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the oscillation of the membrane has a mechanical resonance of around 20 kHz.

14. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the oscillation of the membrane has a non-resonant mode.

15. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the oscillation of the membrane produces sound waves.

16. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the oscillation of the membrane produces ultrasonic waves.

17. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the oscillation of the membrane modulates deflection of the membrane at audio frequencies to produce an audio signal.

18. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the fluid is air.

19. The electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducer of claim 1, wherein the fluid is water.

20. A system comprising a plurality of the electromagnet venturi membrane-based pump/transducers of claim 1.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the system is an audio system.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the system is a pump.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the system is a fan.

24-46. (canceled)

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0075] FIG. 1 depicts an illustration from FIG. 26 of the Pinkerton '426 Patent, which is a side view of an enhanced and improved version of an electrostatic membrane-based venturi pump system (and audio speaker) that includes twelve electrostatic membrane pump transducers (arranged in four column and three rows).

[0076] FIG. 2 depicts an illustration from FIG. 27 of the Pinkerton '426 Patent, which is an overhead view of the illustration of the electrostatic membrane-based venturi pump system shown in FIG. 1.

[0077] FIGS. 3A-3F depict illustrations from FIGS. 28A-28F, respectively, of the Pinkerton '426 Patent, which are overhead views of the electrostatic membrane pump transducer shown in FIG. 1 at various levels.

[0078] FIG. 4 illustrates an electromagnet membrane-based venturi pump/transducer (EVP) of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0079] The present invention relates to electromagnet membrane-based venturi pump/transducer (EVP), systems that include such EVPs, and methods of use thereof.

[0080] In embodiments of the present invention, a small electromagnet is used to deflect a stiff (preferably steel) membrane at about 20 kHz and modulate this deflection at audio frequencies to produce an audio signal. The stiff membrane can have a ferrite (a ceramic compound that includes a mixed oxide of iron and one or more other metals) disk mounted to its surface. The ferrite disk has ferromagnetic properties such that it can be used in high-frequency electrical components. In some forms, the ferrite can be Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 or BaFe.sub.12O.sub.19, which are ferromagnetic materials used in magnetic applications.

[0081] In addition to its use in audio systems, the EVP and system having EVPs can also be used as a pump, fan, etc.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows an EVP 400 having an electromagnet 401 that includes a copper coil 402 and surrounding ferromagnetic material such as ferrite or steel 403. The EVP 400 further includes a stiff membrane 404 (such as a steel) having ferrite disk 405 disposed on the side facing electromagnet 401. Dotted line 406 is a support structure for electromagnet that is perforated to allow air to flow through it and into the EVP inlet.

[0083] Electromagnet 401 can just pull (not push), so generally it will pull the stiff membrane 404 having ferrite disk 405 toward it to some set point and then make stiff membrane 404 oscillate about this set point. (This can be accomplished with an electromagnet current having both a DC component and an AC component). The system of EVP 400 can be designed to mechanically resonate at around 20 kHz and can also be operated in a non-resonant mode. The ferromagnetic steel can be made of ferrite (which will reduce the eddy-current losses when operating at around 20 kHz).

[0084] The other features and components of the EVP of the present invention can be similar to those as disclosed and taught in the EVMPs of the Pinkerton '426 Patent and the Pinkerton '073 Application.

[0085] One advantage of the system and method of the present invention is that the magnetic force can be about 10-100 higher than the electrostatic force of the EVMPs, such as those disclosed and taught in the Pinkerton '426 Patent and the Pinkerton '073 Application. This results in higher pumping rates and also the ability to pressurize an enclosure to much higher pressures.

[0086] In an embodiment of the present invention, the EVP (or EVPs) can be mounted on the surface of a sealed air chamber, which allows for the EVPs to be utilized in a method of pressurizing and depressurizing the small sealed air chamber at audio frequencies to produce a large audio signal (much larger for a given size chamber than conventional cone speakers).

[0087] Another advantage of the electromagnet venturi pump/transducer (EVP) is it can operate at 5-30 volts and thus can use inexpensive off the shelf audio amplifiers.

[0088] Another advantage is high efficiency since the EVP can produce a given force with much lower power consumption than a voice-coil actuator (like those used in typical cone drivers). It is believed that the EVP is more efficient than the electrostatic venturi membrane pumps/transducers (EVMPs) disclosed and taught in the embodiments disclosed in the Pinkerton '426 Patent and the Pinkerton '073 Application.

[0089] While embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and teachings of the invention. The embodiments described and the examples provided herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations and modifications of the invention disclosed herein are possible and are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. The scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above, but is only limited by the claims which follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims.

[0090] The disclosures of all patents, patent applications, and publications cited herein are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, to the extent that they provide exemplary, procedural, or other details supplementary to those set forth herein.

[0091] Amounts and other numerical data may be presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. For example, a numerical range of approximately 1 to approximately 4.5 should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited limits of 1 to approximately 4.5, but also to include individual numerals such as 2, 3, 4, and sub-ranges such as 1 to 3, 2 to 4, etc. The same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value, such as less than approximately 4.5, which should be interpreted to include all of the above-recited values and ranges. Further, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristic being described.

[0092] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presently disclosed subject matter belongs. Although any methods, devices, and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the presently disclosed subject matter, representative methods, devices, and materials are now described.

[0093] Following long-standing patent law convention, the terms a and an mean one or more when used in this application, including the claims.

[0094] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term about. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in this specification and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the presently disclosed subject matter.

[0095] As used herein, the term about and substantially when referring to a value or to an amount of mass, weight, time, volume, concentration or percentage is meant to encompass variations of in some embodiments 20%, in some embodiments 10%, in some embodiments 5%, in some embodiments 1%, in some embodiments 0.5%, and in some embodiments 0.1% from the specified amount, as such variations are appropriate to perform the disclosed method.

[0096] As used herein, the term substantially perpendicular and substantially parallel is meant to encompass variations of in some embodiments within 10 of the perpendicular and parallel directions, respectively, in some embodiments within 5 of the perpendicular and parallel directions, respectively, in some embodiments within 1 of the perpendicular and parallel directions, respectively, and in some embodiments within 0.5 of the perpendicular and parallel directions, respectively.

[0097] As used herein, the term and/or when used in the context of a listing of entities, refers to the entities being present singly or in combination. Thus, for example, the phrase A, B, C, and/or D includes A, B, C, and D individually, but also includes any and all combinations and subcombinations of A, B, C, and D.