1. A medical device for pumping a fluid, comprising:
an actuator being disposed adjacent a chamber, the chamber having a diaphragm, the actuator being in contact with the diaphragm and having reciprocal movement;
a shape memory alloy wire attached to the actuator to impart movement to the actuator;
a digital timing circuit for activating the shape memory alloy wire including an electrical energy storage device for providing electrical energy to the shape memory alloy wire; and
a reservoir containing insulin and being in fluid communication with the chamber so that as the shape memory wire imparts movement to the actuator, the diaphragm reacts to the movement of the actuator to expand and thereby draw a predetermined volume of insulin from the reservoir into the chamber.
2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the digital timing circuit is programmable.
3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the rate of insulin delivery is controlled by varying the period of time between actuations of the shape memory alloy wire.
4. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the pump is disposable with the exception of the electronics including the digital timing circuit and the shape memory alloy wire.
5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the battery provides electrical energy to the timing circuit.
6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the shape memory alloy wire is up to 40 mm long.
7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the shape memory alloy wire is 125 microns in diameter.
8. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the timing circuit generates an electrical pulse duration lasting about 0.15 seconds.
9. The medical device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the pump is disposable with the exception of the electronics including the digital timing circuit and the shape memory alloy wire.
10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the insulin reservoir is collapsible.
11. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm has a wetted surface and a non-wetted surface.
12. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the fluid does not contact the actuator.
13. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is isolated from an inlet check valve and an outlet check valve.
14. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is physically separated from an inlet check valve and an outlet check valve.
15. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm is attached to the actuator.
16. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is isolated from the fluid path.
17. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm forms a fluid tight seal between the actuator and the chamber.
18. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the timing circuit is a programmable digital timing circuit.
19. The medical device of claim 18, wherein the timing circuit includes a transistor switch.
20. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the plunger pumps 0.1 microliter of insulin into the patient per each pump cycle.
21. The medical device of claim 20, wherein the insulin pump has an effective maximum of 3000 cycles.
22. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy heats the shape memory alloy wire to a transitional temperature thereby causing the wire to shorten.
23. The medical device of claim 22, wherein the shape memory alloy wire cools and a biasing spring associated with the wire moves the actuator a predetermined amount corresponding to the minimum volume within the chamber.
24. The medical device of claim 22, wherein the actuator moves a predetermined amount corresponding to a maximum volume within the chamber.
25. The medical device of claim 24, wherein the shape memory alloy wire shortens thereby pulling the actuator away from the diaphragm, and wherein the diaphragm is biased toward an open position and remains in contact with the actuator as the actuator moves away from the diaphragm.
26. The medical device of claim 25, wherein the diaphragm forms the chamber when the diaphragm moves to the open position.
27. The medical device of claim 26, wherein the chamber is defined by the moveable diaphragm and a rigid substrate.
28. The medical device of claim 27, wherein as the biasing spring moves the actuator, the actuator pushes the diaphragm to a closed position into contact with the rigid substrate, thereby forcing insulin out of the chamber.
29. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the electrical energy storage device is a battery.
30. The medical device of claim 29, wherein a capacitor is electrically connected to the battery and the shape memory alloy wire.
31. The medical device of claim 30, wherein the capacitor is an electrochemical capacitor having a high capacitance and low-equivalent series resistance.
32. The medical device of claim 31, wherein the battery provides electrical energy to the capacitor.
33. The medical device of claim 32, wherein the capacitor is connected in parallel with the battery.
34. The medical device of claim 33, wherein electrical energy is supplied to the shape memory wire primarily from the capacitor due to the substantially lower equivalent series resistance as compared to the battery.
35. The medical device of claim 32, wherein the battery and the capacitor are connected to each other in parallel and are connected to the shape memory alloy wire through the transistor switch.
36. The medical device of claim 35, wherein the battery charges the capacitor with electrical energy when the transistor switch is open.
37. The medical device of claim 36, wherein the capacitor provides electrical energy to the shape memory alloy wire when the transistor switch is closed.
38. A medical device for pumping a fluid, comprising:
an actuator being disposed adjacent a chamber, the chamber having a diaphragm, the actuator being in contact with the diaphragm and having reciprocal movement;
a shape memory alloy wire attached to the actuator to impart movement to the actuator;
a digital timing circuit for activating the shape memory alloy wire including a capacitor for providing electrical energy to the shape memory alloy wire; and
a reservoir containing insulin and being in fluid communication with the chamber so that as the shape memory wire imparts movement to the actuator, the diaphragm reacts to the movement of the actuator to expand and thereby draw a predetermined volume of insulin from the reservoir into the chamber.
39. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the capacitor is an electrochemical capacitor having a high capacitance and low-equivalent series resistance.
40. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the digital timing circuit is programmable.
41. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the rate of fluid delivery is controlled by varying the period of time between actuations of the shape memory alloy wire.
42. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the pump is disposable with the exception of the electronics including the digital timing circuit and the shape memory alloy wire.
43. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the capacitor is electrically charged by a battery.
44. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the insulin does not contact the actuator.
45. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the diaphragm is isolated from an inlet check valve and an outlet check valve.
46. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the diaphragm is physically separated from an inlet check valve and an outlet check valve.
47. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the diaphragm is attached to the actuator.
48. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the actuator is isolated from the insulin flow.
49. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the diaphragm forms a fluid tight seal between the actuator and the chamber.
50. The medical device of claim 38, wherein the electrical energy heats the shape memory alloy wire to a transitional temperature thereby causing the wire to shorten.
51. The medical device of claim 50, wherein the actuator moves a predetermined amount corresponding to a maximum volume within the chamber.
52. The medical device of claim 50, wherein the shape memory alloy wire cools and a biasing spring associated with the wire moves the actuator a predetermined amount corresponding to the minimum volume within the chamber.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method comprising:
conducting a plurality of tests on process variables of a thermal process, with a test of the plurality of tests being associated with two combinations of process variables, the test having first values for a first combination of process variables at a first time and second values for a second combination of process variables at a second time, the test comprising:
locally heating a region of a structure, wherein the local heating results in formation of a thermal field in the structure;
assessing one or more thermal characteristics of the thermal field during a transition between the first combination of process variables and the second combination of process variables; and
based on results of the plurality of tests, generating a process map of a transient response of the one or more thermal characteristics of the thermal field, with the transient response based on a function of the first combination of process variables and the second combination of process variables.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the process variables of each of the first and second combinations are selected from a group comprising a power (P) variable associated with the thermal process, a translation speed (V) variable associated with the thermal process, a material feed rate (MFR) variable (or variable related to MFR) used in the thermal process, one or more structure geometry variables, and a structure temperature (T0) variable.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the first values for the first combination of process variables at the first time comprises a first value for a first process variable at the first time and a first value for a second process variable at the first time;
the second values for the second combination of process variables at the second time comprises a second value for the first process variable at the second time and a second value for the second process variable at the second time; and
assessing the one or more thermal characteristics comprises assessing the one or more thermal characteristics during a transition between the first values and the second values of the first process variable and the second process variable while values of other process variables are held constant.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein:
the first values for the first combination of process variables at the first time comprises a first value for a first process variable;
the second values for the second combination of process variables at the second time comprises a second value for the first process variable at the second time; and
assessing the one or more thermal characteristics comprises assessing the one or more thermal characteristics during a transition between the first value and the second value of the first process variable while values of other process variables are held constant.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more thermal characteristics of the thermal field comprises a dimension of the thermal field, a temperature derivative, a thermal gradient, a cooling rate, an average temperature, or a temperature integral.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the one or more thermal characteristics comprises tracking values of the one or more thermal characteristics over a time or a distance needed to transition from an initial steady-state value of the one or more thermal characteristics to a final steady-state value of the one or more thermal characteristics.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transient response is further based on a function of at least one of a rate of change between the first combination of process variables and the second combination of process variables, and a path through process variable space between the first combination of process variables and the second combination of process variables.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transient response is further based on a change in geometry of the structure.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the rate of change is a variable rate of change between the first combination of process variables and the second combination of process variables.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein locally heating the region comprises depositing a bead of material onto a surface of the structure, and wherein the thermal field comprises a melt pool.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein depositing the bead of material comprises melting a material source with a heat source.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein locally heating the region comprises forming a melt pool on a surface of the structure, and wherein the thermal field comprises the melt pool.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal process comprises an additive manufacturing (AM) process.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the tests comprise one or more experimental tests.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the tests comprise one or more simulations.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
using the process map to select process variable values for the two combinations of process variables to yield a selected response time of the one or more thermal characteristics.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating a plurality of process maps characterizing the thermal process for forming the structure, each process map corresponding to at least one of a geometry of the structure and a temperature of the structure.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
decomposing a fabrication of a complex structure into a combination of one or more geometries; and
controlling the fabrication of the complex structure based on the process maps for forming each of the one or more geometries.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein a geometry of the complex structure includes at least one of a height of the geometry and a width of the geometry.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a part that is fabricated in the thermal process.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein the actions of conducting and generating are implemented by one or more processing devices.