Patent ID: 9080564
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: F04B

Abstract:
1. A fluid circulator, comprising: a circulator body defining an internal circuit having at least one circulator inlet port, at least one circulator outlet port, and a plurality of propulsion chambers therebetween, each propulsion chamber of said plurality of propulsion chambers comprising a chamber inlet port and a chamber outlet port, said propulsion chambers of said plurality of propulsion chambers being connected in series; the inlet port of a first propulsion chamber of said plurality of propulsion chambers forming the circulator inlet port and the outlet port of a second propulsion chamber of said plurality of propulsion chambers forming said circulator outlet port; and each propulsion chamber having rigid walls delimited by rigid surfaces; the fluid circulator further comprising deformable diaphragms and in each propulsion chamber is placed one of the deformable diaphragms so that this deformable diaphragm extends between the rigid walls for facing the rigid surfaces of the propulsion chamber, each deformable diaphragm having a first edge forming an outer periphery of the diaphragm adjacent to the chamber inlet port of the chamber in which it is placed, a second edge adjacent to the chamber outlet port of the chamber in which it is placed, and a thickness that is progressively reduced from the first edge towards the second edge for increasing peak amplitude as amplitudes develop progressively from the first edge to the second edge; the fluid circulator further comprising a reciprocating mechanical excitation device comprising a stirrup fixedly attached to the first edges of the diaphragms for imparting to the first edges of the diaphragms an alternative motion so that each of the diaphragms forms a support of a plurality of ripples generated by said alternative motion; wherein, for each of said propulsion chambers, the rigid surfaces of the chamber extend between two envelope surfaces delimiting an amplitude of a free ripple of the diaphragm which is placed in the chamber would assume in absence of said rigid walls, so as to constrain said plurality of ripples of said diaphragm; and wherein, each of said diaphragms has at least one of its first and second edges associated with tension means for imparting some tension into this diaphragm at least when it ripples, the tension imparted into this diaphragm by the tension means being higher close to the corresponding chamber outlet port than close to the chamber inlet port of the chamber in which this diaphragm is placed.