Piezoelectric pump with annular valve arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11867166-B2
Application number	US-202117365323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A piezoelectric pump includes a first top board, a second top board, a diaphragm, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first valve, and a second valve. The first valve has an annular shape to surround the first aperture while being spaced apart from the first aperture and the second aperture, and is disposed in the first pump chamber between the first aperture and the second aperture when viewed in a plan. The second valve has an annular shape to surround the third aperture while being spaced apart from the third aperture and the fourth aperture, and is disposed in the second pump chamber between the third aperture and the fourth aperture when viewed in a plan.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A piezoelectric pump, comprising:
a first top board having a first aperture and a second aperture;
a second top board spaced apart from the first top board and having a third aperture and a fourth aperture;
a diaphragm disposed between the first top board and the second top board, and having a piezoelectric element attached thereto;
a first side wall coupling the first top board and the diaphragm to define a first pump chamber between the first top board and the diaphragm;
a second side wall coupling the second top board and the diaphragm to define a second pump chamber between the second top board and the diaphragm;
a first valve having an annular shape to surround the first aperture while being spaced apart from the first aperture and the second aperture, and disposed in the first pump chamber between the first aperture and the second aperture when viewed in a plan view from a main surface of the first top board toward a main surface of the second top board; and
a second valve having an annular shape to surround the third aperture while being spaced apart from the third aperture and the fourth aperture, and disposed in the second pump chamber between the third aperture and the fourth aperture when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the second top board toward the main surface of the first top board.

2. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first valve includes a first fixed portion fixed to the first top board, and a first movable portion extending from the first fixed portion, and
wherein the second valve includes a second fixed portion fixed to the second top board, and a second movable portion extending from the second fixed portion.

3. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first valve includes a third fixed portion fixed to the diaphragm, and a third movable portion extending from the third fixed portion, and
wherein the second valve includes a fourth fixed portion fixed to the diaphragm, and a fourth movable portion extending from the fourth fixed portion.

4. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first movable portion of the first valve is disposed on an inner side of the first fixed portion of the first valve when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the first top board toward the main surface of the second top board, and
wherein the second movable portion of the second valve is disposed on an inner side of the second fixed portion of the second valve when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the second top board toward the main surface of the first top board.

5. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 3 ,
wherein the third movable portion of the first valve is disposed on an inner side of the third fixed portion of the first valve when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the first top board toward the main surface of the second top board, and
wherein the fourth movable portion of the second valve is disposed on an inner side of the fourth fixed portion of the second valve when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the second top board toward the main surface of the first top board.

6. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first movable portion of the first valve is disposed on an outer side of the first fixed portion of the first valve when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the first top board toward the main surface of the second top board, and
wherein the second movable portion of the second valve is disposed on an outer side of the second fixed portion of the second valve when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the second top board toward the main surface of the first top board.

7. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 3 ,
wherein the third movable portion of the first valve is disposed on an outer side of the third fixed portion of the first valve when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the first top board toward the main surface of the second top board, and
wherein the fourth movable portion of the second valve is disposed on an outer side of the fourth fixed portion of the second valve when viewed in a plan view from the main surface of the second top board toward the main surface of the first top board.

8. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm separates the first pump chamber from the second pump chamber to disable connection between the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

9. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 1 ,
wherein the diaphragm includes
a supporter including a first main surface having the piezoelectric element attached thereto, and the supporter supporting the piezoelectric element,
a vibrator attached to a second main surface of the supporter at a position across from the piezoelectric element, and
a frame attached to the second main surface of the supporter at a position between the first side wall and the second side wall while being spaced apart from the vibrator.

10. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 9 , wherein an outer peripheral edge of the vibrator is disposed at a position different from a position serving as a vibration node of the vibrator.

11. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 9 , wherein the supporter comprises a material having a lower modulus of elasticity than the vibrator.

12. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 11 , wherein the supporter is thinner than the vibrator.

13. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 2 , wherein the diaphragm separates the first pump chamber from the second pump chamber to disable connection between the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

14. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 3 , wherein the diaphragm separates the first pump chamber from the second pump chamber to disable connection between the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

15. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 4 , wherein the diaphragm separates the first pump chamber from the second pump chamber to disable connection between the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

16. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 5 , wherein the diaphragm separates the first pump chamber from the second pump chamber to disable connection between the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

17. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 6 , wherein the diaphragm separates the first pump chamber from the second pump chamber to disable connection between the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

18. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 7 , wherein the diaphragm separates the first pump chamber from the second pump chamber to disable connection between the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

19. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 2 ,
wherein the diaphragm includes
a supporter including a first main surface having the piezoelectric element attached thereto, and the supporter supporting the piezoelectric element,
a vibrator attached to a second main surface of the supporter at a position across from the piezoelectric element, and
a frame attached to the second main surface of the supporter at a position between the first side wall and the second side wall while being spaced apart from the vibrator.

20. The piezoelectric pump according to claim 3 ,
wherein the diaphragm includes
a supporter including a first main surface having the piezoelectric element attached thereto, and the supporter supporting the piezoelectr

Assignees

• Murata Manufacturing Co

Inventors

• Tanaka Nobuhira
• Fujisaki Masaaki

Classifications

• F04B43/046 Primary

  with piezoelectric drive · CPC title

• F04B45/041 Primary

  double acting plate-like flexible pumping member · CPC title

• F04B45/047 Primary

  Pumps having electric drive · CPC title

• F04B53/10

  Valves; Arrangement of valves · CPC title