USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Gregory Raymond Jokela

Auldin James Massey

Roman V Kruchowy

Stanley A Black

James A Massey

A magnetotrictive peristaltic pump transfers a fluid from a supply chamber o a receiving chamber. The pump has a housing and a core section mounted within the housing. The core section is fabricated from a magnetostrictive material such as Terfenol-D, which can be made to expand directionally in the presence of a magnetic field. There is a fluid tight seal between the inner surface of the housing and the outer surface of the core section. Wrapped around the outer surface of the housing are a plurality of electrical coils. The positive terminal and the negative terminal of each coil are connected to a signal generator which generates direct current electrical signals to sequentially energize each coil. Energizing any one of the coils creates a magnetic field in the general area of the coil. In the presence of this magnetic field, the core section expands longitudinally resulting in lateral/radial shrinkage of the core section which creates a cavity in the general area of the magnetic field. The signal generator sequentially energizes the coils to move the cavity and the fluid contained therein from the supply chamber to the receiving chamber.

Magnetostrictive peristaltic pump

A driver circuit having logic circuitry which controls the coil and assoced contacts of a four pole double throw relay. The four pole double throw relay is toggled such that a large latching current flows through a first of a pair of solenoid coils of the magnetic-latching solenoid, while a relatively small current flows in the second solenoid coil of the magnetic latching solenoid in an opposite direction. Toggling the relay's coil causes the latching current to now flow through the second solenoid coil of the valve, while the relatively small current flows in the first solenoid coil of the magnetic latching solenoid again in the opposite direction. This reverse current drives residual magnetism in the magnetic latching valve to about zero eliminating any holding forces so that the pulling force for moving the solenoid's actuator does not have to overcome a holding force which allows for greater holding forces at greater displacements; a simplified solenoid design and the use of magnetic materials with high magnetic permeability.

Solenoid driver circuit for use with digital magnetic latching valves

A solenoid driver circuit adapted for use with a digital magnetic latching olenoid which has first and second solenoid coils. The solenoid driver circuit includes a bridge circuit which receives a logic signal and first and second pulse signals. The solenoid driver circuit also includes a voltage source which provides a direct current and first and second resistors respectively connected to the first and second solenoid coils. The bridge circuit, responsive to the logic signal and the first pulse signal, provides a first current path from the voltage source through the first solenoid coil and the first resistor to ground and a second current path from the direct current voltage source through the second solenoid coil to ground. The bridge circuit, responsive to the logic signal and the second pulse signal, provides a third current path from the direct current voltage source through the first solenoid coil to ground and a fourth current path from the direct current voltage source through the second solenoid coil and the second resistor to ground. The current flow through the current paths which include a solenoid coil and a resistor is approximately one amp, while the current flow through the currents paths which include only a solenoid coil is approximately twenty six amps. This allows for high speed control of the forces acting on the actuator of the solenoid.

Solenoid driver circuit for use with digital magnetic latching solenoids

A multi-piston pump is provided which uses microprocessor controlled check all valves to control flow rate of a fluid at the pump's outlet port. The pump includes nine cylindrical shaped chambers and associated reciprocating pistons which are driven by a cam attached to a shaft. The pump's shaft is coupled to the shaft of a motor which, in turn, drives the pump's shaft and cam resulting in a fluid, such as seawater, filling each of the nine chambers and then having the fluid forced from the chamber by the movement of its associated piston from bottom dead center to top dead center. A pressure transducer which monitors the pressure at the pump's outlet port and a shaft encoder which monitors the angular position of the pump's shaft respectively provide analog signals indicative of the pump's outlet port's pressure and the shaft's angular position. A microprocessor receives these analog signals in a digital form, processes the signals and provides digital pulse signals to either extend or retract the rod of nine solenoids depending upon the pressure at the pump's outlet port. Each of the nine solenoid rods when extended engage a check ball valve within one of the pumps nine inlet passageways allowing the passageway to remain open when the associated reciprocating piston is in a pumping stroke. This allows seawater to be discharged through the inlet passageway maintaining fluid flow at the outlet port at a pressure level which is commensurate with the intended use of the pump.

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Ojai, CA, United States of America

Gregory Raymond Jokela