Patent ID: 9610600
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: A47K,B05B,B65D,F04B

Claim:
1. A pump for dispensing fluid from a fluid reservoir of a dispenser, comprising: a pump inlet through which the fluid is received from the fluid reservoir, the pump inlet extending along a first axis; a pumping chamber for storing the fluid received through the pump inlet; a flexible membrane for selectively compressing the pumping chamber, the flexible membrane having a first pliability when a first voltage is applied to the flexible membrane and having a second pliability when a second voltage is applied to the flexible membrane; a mechanical biasing device for applying a pressure to the flexible membrane, the pressure flexing the flexible membrane, when the flexible membrane has the first pliability, to compress the pumping chamber; a second mechanical biasing device for applying a second pressure to the flexible membrane along a second axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis, the second mechanical biasing device disposed diametrically opposite the pump inlet relative to the flexible membrane, the second pressure flexing the flexible membrane, when the flexible membrane has the first pliability, to seal the pump inlet; a pump outlet through which the fluid is dispensed when the pumping chamber is compressed; and a third mechanical biasing device for applying a third pressure to the flexible membrane, the third mechanical biasing device disposed adjacent to the pump outlet relative to the flexible membrane, the third pressure flexing the flexible membrane, when the flexible membrane has the first pliability, to open the pump outlet; wherein the flexible membrane has a first side, to which the mechanical biasing device applies the pressure and to which the second mechanical biasing device applies the second pressure, and a second side, on which the pump inlet, the pumping chamber, and the pump outlet are located and to which the third mechanical biasing device applies the third pressure.