Air pump/release in intervals

Projects General Guidance
1

Hey guys!

First post here! Just recently learned basics of arduino and now im undertaking a proper project.

so, to illustrate basically what I am planning to do:

I want to inflate then slowly deflate a small plastic inflatable in timed intervals. The way I can imagine it is like how blood pressure monitors and valves work. Inflate > stay for a variable amount of time > release air very slowly > back to 'deflated' state > inflate again. repeat.

I'm not sure how to go about this. I was thinking maybe buying an old air pressure monitor, but how hard is it to hack one taking the pump and the valve and making it behave the way I want to?

Or maybe it is better to build it from scratch? If so, then what kind of air pump/valve is best to use. Really I just need a starting point of perhaps similar projects. :slight_smile:

I thank you in advance for dropping by and would really appreciate your response!

2

The little wrist-mounted blood pressure meter I got at a yard sale has a DC motor air pump, solenoid bleed valve, over-pressure relief valve, and Metrodyne MPS2000 digital pressure sensor. Sounds like just the sort of stuff you need. You can sometimes find automatic blood pressure cuffs at thrift stores for a few dollars.

3

Any air pump will do as you wish if connected with a bleed air hole. As long as the pump pushes more air than it bleeds, it will inflate then go flat.

Weedpharma