| 摘要 |
<p>A peristaltic pump comprises a flexible fluid conduit (2). A series of mutually opposed pairs of compression elements (10) are disposed externally along the length of the conduit (2). Progressive electrical stimulation of the pairs of elements, which may be flexible cells filled with polymer gel having piezoelectric properties, induces peristaltic compression (13) along the conduit. Radial expansion means in the form of a spiral tube (6) filled with a gas or a suitable polymer gel are operable to selectively expand the conduit (2) after passage of a compression wave. The spiral tube is divided, e.g., every four turns, into segments to optimise expansion characteristics. The conduit (2) has an elliptical cross section when in a relaxed state and this corresponds to the configuration of the conduit midway through a compression phase.</p> |
