Fluid control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11067073-B2
Application number	US-201715640731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2017
Priority date	Sep 5, 2016
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A fluid control device includes a piezoelectric actuator and a deformable substrate. The piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element and a vibration plate. The piezoelectric element is attached on a first surface of the vibration plate and is subjected to deformation in response to an applied voltage. The vibration plate is subjected to a curvy vibration in response to the deformation of the piezoelectric element. A bulge is formed on a second surface of the vibration plate. The deformable substrate includes a flexible plate and a communication plate stacked on each other. A synchronously-deformed structure is defined by the flexible plate and the communication plate. The deformable substrate is bent in the direction toward the vibration plate. There is a specified depth maintained between the flexible plate and the bulge of the vibration plate. The flexible plate includes a movable part corresponding to the bulge of the vibration plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid control device, comprising: a piezoelectric actuator comprising a piezoelectric element and a vibration plate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the piezoelectric element is attached on the first surface of the vibration plate and is subjected to deformation in response to an applied voltage, and the vibration plate is subjected to a vibration in response to the deformation of the piezoelectric element, wherein a bulge is formed on the second surface of the vibration plate; and a deformable substrate comprising a flexible plate and a communication plate, wherein the flexible plate and the communication plate are stacked on each other and are subjected to a synchronous deformation to form a curvy synchronously-deformed structure collaboratively, wherein the flexible plate is divided into a fixed part and a movable part corresponding to the bulge of the vibration plate, wherein the communication plate is divided into a flat part and a deformed part, wherein the curvy synchronously-deformed structure is a permanently deformed structure formed of the movable part of the flexible plate and the deformed part of the communication plate corresponding to the movable part of the flexible plate, wherein the fixed part of the flexible plate is not deformed and the flat part of the communication plate is not deformed, and wherein the fixed part of the flexible plate is parallel to the piezoelectric actuator and the movable part is bent toward the bulge of the vibration plate, whereby the deformable substrate is combined with and positioned on the vibration plate of the piezoelectric actuator, and the curvy synchronously-deformed structure of the deformable substrate is bent in the direction toward the vibration plate, so that a specified depth is defined between the flexible plate of the deformable substrate and the huge of the vibration plate.

2. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein a synchronously-deformed region of the flexible plate for defining the synchronously-deformed structure includes the movable part of the flexible plate, the synchronously-deformed structure is a conical synchronously-deformed structure, and the specified depth is maintained between the conical synchronously-deformed structure and the bulge of the vibration plate.

3. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein a synchronously-deformed region of the flexible plate for defining the synchronously-deformed structure includes the movable part of the flexible plate, the synchronously-deformed structure is a convex synchronously-deformed structure, and the specified depth is maintained between the convex synchronously-deformed structure and the bulge of the vibration plate.

4. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein the synchronously-deformed structure of the deformable substrate is a curvy-surface synchronously-deformed structure composed of the communication plate and the flexible plate, the curvy-surface synchronously-deformed structure comprises plural curvy surfaces with different curvatures, and the specified depth is maintained between the curvy-surface synchronously-deformed structure and the bulge of the vibration plate.

5. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein the synchronously-deformed structure of the deformable substrate is a curvy-surface synchronously-deformed structure composed of the communication plate and the flexible plate, the curvy-surface synchronously-deformed structure comprises plural curvy surfaces with an identical curvature, and the specified depth is maintained between the curvy-surface synchronously-deformed structure and the bulge of the vibration plate.

6. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein the synchronously-deformed structure of the deformable substrate is an irregular synchronously-deformed structure composed of the communication plate and the flexible plate, and the specified depth is maintained between the irregular synchronously-deformed structure and the bulge of the vibration plate.

7. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration plate of the piezoelectric actuator has a square shape, and the piezoelectric actuator further comprises:
an outer frame arranged around the vibration plate; and
at least one bracket connected between the vibration plate and the outer frame for elastically supporting the vibration plate.

8. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein the deformable substrate and the vibration plate are connected with each other through a medium, and the medium is an adhesive.

9. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid control device further comprises a housing covering the piezoelectric actuator, and a temporary storage chamber is formed between the housing and the piezoelectric actuator, wherein the housing comprises at least one outlet, and the temporary storage chamber is in communication with an exterior of the housing through the at least one outlet.

10. The fluid control device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible plate comprises a central aperture, wherein the central aperture is located at or located near a center of the movable part of the flexible plate for allowing a fluid to go through.

11. The fluid control device according to claim 10 , wherein the communication plate comprises at least one inlet, at least one convergence channel and a central cavity, wherein the at least one inlet runs through the communication plate and is in communication with a first end of the at least one convergence channel, and a second end of the at least one convergence channel is in communication with the central cavity, wherein the central cavity is aligned with the movable part of the flexible plate, and the central cavity is in communication with the central aperture of the flexible plate.

Assignees

• Microjet Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Shih-Chang
• Huang Chi-Feng
• Han Yung-Lung
• Chen Shou-Hung
• Liao Hung-Hsin

Classifications

• F04B17/003

  driven by piezoelectric means (F04B43/046 and F04B43/095 take precedence) · CPC title

• F04B43/046 Primary

  with piezoelectric drive · CPC title