Valve and fluid control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10350337-B2
Application number	US-201615345658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2016
Priority date	May 13, 2014
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A fluid control device includes a piezoelectric pump, a suction unit, and a valve. The piezoelectric pump has a suction hole for a gas and a discharge hole for the gas. The suction unit includes a container, a suction port, and a connection hole. The valve includes a first ventilation hole, a second ventilation hole, a third ventilation hole, a first valve housing, a second valve housing, and a diaphragm. The first ventilation hole of the valve is connected to the connection hole of the suction unit. The second ventilation hole of the valve is connected to the suction hole of the piezoelectric pump. The third ventilation hole of the valve is opened under atmospheric pressure. The diaphragm is clamped between the first valve housing and the second valve housing and forms a first region and a second region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve comprising:
a valve housing comprising a first ventilation hole, a second ventilation hole, and a third ventilation hole; and
a diaphragm dividing the valve housing into a first region and a second region, wherein the first region is in communication with the first ventilation hole, and the second region is in communication with the second ventilation hole,
wherein the diaphragm is fixed to the valve housing such that:
when a pressure in the first region is higher than a pressure in the second region, the diaphragm causes the first ventilation hole and the second ventilation hole to communicate with each other and interrupts a communication between the first ventilation hole and the third ventilation hole and a communication between the second ventilation hole and the third ventilation hole, and
when the pressure in the first region is lower than the pressure in the second region, the diaphragm causes the first ventilation hole and the third ventilation hole to communicate with each other through a first aperture in the diaphragm.

2. The valve according to claim 1 ,
wherein the diaphragm moves into and out of contact with a portion of the valve housing due to a pressure difference between the first region and the second region and performs switching of a communication state between the first ventilation hole and the third ventilation hole.

3. The valve according to claim 2 ,
wherein the portion of the valve housing comprises a first valve seat in the second region that projects toward the diaphragm,
and
wherein the diaphragm is fixed to the valve housing such that a portion of the diaphragm around a periphery of the first aperture is in contact with the first valve seat.

4. The valve according to claim 3 ,
wherein the portion of the valve housing comprises a second valve seat in the second region that projects toward the diaphragm,
wherein the second valve seat defines the third ventilation hole, and
wherein the diaphragm is fixed to the valve housing such that the diaphragm is in contact with the second valve seat.

5. The valve according to claim 3 ,
wherein the valve housing comprises a second valve seat in the first region that projects toward the diaphragm,
wherein the diaphragm comprises a second aperture, and
wherein the diaphragm is fixed to the valve housing such that a portion of the diaphragm around a periphery of the second aperture is in contact with the second valve seat.

6. The valve according to claim 3 , wherein the valve housing comprises a fourth ventilation hole being in communication with the first region.

7. A fluid control device comprising:
a pump having a suction hole for a gas and a discharge hole for the gas;
a suction unit having a suction port for sucking a fluid and a connecting portion; and
the valve according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first ventilation hole is connected to the connecting portion of the suction unit, and
wherein the second ventilation hole is connected to the suction hole of the pump.

8. The valve according to claim 2 ,
wherein the portion of the valve housing comprises a valve seat in the second region that projects toward the diaphragm,
wherein the valve seat defines the third ventilation hole, and
wherein the diaphragm is fixed to the valve housing such that the diaphragm is in contact with the valve seat.

9. The valve according to claim 8 ,
wherein the valve housing comprises a second valve seat in the first region that projects toward the diaphragm,
wherein the diaphragm comprises a second aperture, and
wherein the diaphragm is fixed to the valve housing such that a portion of the diaphragm around a periphery of the second aperture is in contact with the second valve seat.

10. The valve according to claim 8 , wherein the valve housing comprises a fourth ventilation hole being in communication with the first region.

11. A fluid control device comprising:
a pump having a suction hole for a gas and a discharge hole for the gas;
a suction unit having a suction port for sucking a fluid and a connecting portion; and
the valve according to claim 8 ,
wherein the first ventilation hole is connected to the connecting portion of the suction unit, and
wherein the second ventilation hole is connected to the suction hole of the pump.

12. The valve according to claim 2 ,
wherein the valve housing comprises a valve seat in the first region that projects toward the diaphragm,
wherein the diaphragm comprises a second aperture, and wherein the diaphragm is fixed to the valve housing such that a portion of the
diaphragm around a periphery of the second aperture is in contact with the valve seat.

13. The valve according to claim 2 , wherein the valve housing comprises a fourth ventilation hole being in communication with the first region.

14. A fluid control device comprising:
a pump having a suction hole for a gas and a discharge hole for the gas;
a suction unit having a suction port for sucking a fluid and a connecting portion; and
the valve according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first ventilation hole is connected to the connecting portion of the suction unit, and
wherein the second ventilation hole is connected to the suction hole of the pump.

15. The valve according to claim 1 ,
wherein the valve housing comprises a valve seat in the first region that projects toward the diaphragm,
wherein the diaphragm comprises a second aperture, and
wherein the diaphragm is fixed to the valve housing such that a portion of the diaphragm around a periphery of the second aperture is in contact with the valve seat.

16. The valve according to claim 15 , wherein the valve housing comprises a fourth ventilation hole being in communication with the first region.

17. A fluid control device comprising:
a pump having a suction hole for a gas and a discharge hole for the gas;
a suction unit having a suction port for sucking a fluid and a connecting portion; and
the valve according to claim 15 ,
wherein the first ventilation hole is connected to the connecting portion of the suction unit, and
wherein the second ventilation hole is connected to the suction hole of the pump.

18. The valve according to claim 1 , wherein the valve housing comprises a fourth ventilation hole being in communication with the first region.

19. A fluid control device comprising:
a pump having a suction hole for a gas and a discharge hole for the gas;
a suction unit having a suction port for sucking a fluid and a connecting portion; and
the valve according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first ventilation hole is connected to the connecting portion of the suction unit, and
wherein the second ventilation hole is connected to the suction hole of the pump.

20. The fluid control device according to claim 19 , wherein the suction unit includes
a first container connected to the suction port, wherein the first container stores a fluid sucked in through the suction port,
a second container connected to the first container, wherein the second container allows the gas to pass through the second container and hinders the fluid from passing through the second container, and
a third container connected to the second container and the suction hole of the pump, wherein the third container adjusts a drawing pressure of the gas drawn by the pump.

21. The valve according to claim 1 , wherein:
the valve housing comprises a first valve seat in the second region that projects toward the diaphragm,
the housin

Assignees

• Murata Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Kurihara Kiyoshi
• Takeuchi Susumu

Classifications

• A61M1/0001

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61M1/06

  Milking pumps · CPC title

• A61M1/0066

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61M1/0035 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61M27/00

  Drainage appliance for wounds or the like {, i.e. wound drains, implanted drains} ({negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90;} implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 {; middle ear drainage A61F11/202}) · CPC title