Actuator, valve device, and fluid control apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11231121-B2
Application number	US-202117162489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2021
Priority date	Jul 31, 2018
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A first lever portion includes a first point-of-effort portion, a first fulcrum portion, and a first point-of-load portion. A second lever portion has a second point-of-effort portion, a second fulcrum portion, and a second point-of-load portion. A first point-of-effort portion is located between a first fulcrum portion and a first point-of-load portion in a direction orthogonal to an axis of a stem. A second fulcrum portion is located between a second point-of-effort portion and a second point-of-load portion in the direction orthogonal to the axis. A distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-load portion is configured longer than a distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-effort portion. The second point-of-load portion of the second lever portion is displaced toward the stem and moves the stem toward the piezoelectric element by means of displacement of the intermediate member to the second lever portion side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator, comprising:
a casing;
a stem provided in the casing;
a piezoelectric element supported by the casing to be displaced toward the stem; and
a displacement amplification mechanism configured to amplify displacement of the piezoelectric element, wherein
the displacement amplification mechanism includes a first lever portion, an intermediate member, and a second lever portion;
the first lever portion is located between the piezoelectric element and the intermediate member and includes a first point-of-effort portion configured to receive displacement from the piezoelectric element, a first fulcrum portion which is in contact with the casing and becomes a center of rotational movement of the first lever portion, and a first point-of-load portion configured to transmit displacement to the intermediate member;
the intermediate member is located between the first lever portion and the second lever portion and is configured to be displaced toward the second lever portion upon receipt of displacement from the first lever portion; and
the second lever portion has a second point-of-effort portion configured to receive displacement from the intermediate member, a second fulcrum portion which is in contact with the casing and becomes the center of rotational movement of the second lever portion, and a second point-of-load portion configured to transmit the displacement to the stem;

the first point-of-effort portion is located between the first fulcrum portion and the first point-of-load portion in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the stem;
the second fulcrum portion is located between the second point-of-effort portion and the second point-of-load portion in the direction orthogonal to the axis of the stem;
a distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-load portion is configured longer than a distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-effort portion; and
the second point-of-load portion of the second lever portion is displaced toward the stem and moves the stem toward the piezoelectric element by means of displacement of the intermediate member to the second lever portion side.

2. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein
the first lever portion has a plurality of first levers disposed along a circumferential direction of the stem; and
the second lever portion has a plurality of second levers disposed along the circumferential direction of the stem.

3. The actuator according to claim 2 , wherein
the displacement amplification mechanism includes a first retainer configured to hold the plurality of first levers and a second retainer configured to hold the plurality of second levers.

4. A valve device, comprising:
a body in which a fluid passage is formed;
a valve body configured to open and close the fluid passage; and
the actuator according to claim 1 .

5. A fluid control apparatus, comprising a plurality of fluid control devices, wherein
at least one of the plurality of fluid control devices is the valve device according to claim 4 .

Assignees

• Fujikin Kk

Inventors

• Hirose Takashi
• Nakazawa Masahiko
• Nakamura Nobuo
• YUHARA Tomoko

Classifications

• H02N2/04

  Constructional details · CPC title

• F16K31/004 Primary

  actuated by piezoelectric means · CPC title

• F16K31/006 Primary

  having a free end · CPC title

• F16K31/007 Primary

  Piezoelectric stacks · CPC title

• F16K31/047

  characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means (F16K31/043 takes precedence) · CPC title