Fluid control apparatus and electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12135022-B2
Application number	US-202017616381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

[Object] To provide a fluid control apparatus having a diaphragm structure and small flow path resistance.
[Solving Means] A fluid control apparatus according to the present technology includes a first space, two flat plate members, a drive mechanism, a second space, a first check valve, and a second check valve. The first space has an inlet and an outlet. The two flat plate members face each other via the first space, and at least one of the flat plate members is an elastic body having flexibility. The drive mechanism bends the elastic body. The second space adjoins the first space, communicates with the first space via the inlet, and has a suction port. The first check valve allows fluid to flow from the suction port to the first space via the inlet. The third space adjoins the first space, communicates with the first space via the outlet, and has a discharge port. The second check valve allows the fluid to flow from the first space to the discharge port via the outlet. At least one of the suction port and the discharge port is positioned on an extension surface of at least one of the two flat plate members.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid control apparatus, comprising:
a first space having an inlet and an outlet,
two fiat plate members facing each other via the first space, at least one of the fiat plate members being an elastic body having flexibility,
a drive mechanism that bends the elastic body,
a second space that adjoins the first space, communicates with the first space via the inlet, and has a suction port,
a first check valve that allows fluid to flow from the suction port to the first space via the inlet, and
a third space that adjoins the first space, communicates with the first space via the outlet, and has a discharge port,
wherein at least one of the suction port and the discharge port is positioned on an extension surface of at least one of the two flat plate members,
wherein a flow path is connected from the second space to the first space via the inlet and from the first space to the third space via the outlet,
wherein the second space has cross-sectional areas of the flow path continuously changing from the suction port to the inlet, and
wherein the third space has cross-sectional areas of the flow path continuously changing from the outlet to the discharge port.

2. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a volume of the first area is varied by bending the elastic body.

3. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the drive mechanism is a piezoelectric element, and the piezoelectric element is laminated on the elastic body.

4. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , having a laminated structure in which a plurality of plate-shaped members are bonded.

5. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a housing of the fluid control apparatus has a polygon shape viewed from a direction perpendicular to the two flat plate members,
the first space has a circular shape Viewed from the direction perpendicular to the two flat plate members, and
at least one of the suction port and the discharge port is arranged at a corner of the housing.

6. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the second space forms a flow path using a curved surface extending from the suction port to the inlet from in a direction perpendicular to the extension surface of the two flat plate members to in a direction parallel to the extension surface, and
the third space forms a flow path using a curved surface extending from the outlet to the discharge port from in the direction parallel to the extension surface to in the direction perpendicular to the extension surface.

7. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when an area of the inlet is denoted as S A and an area of the outlet is denoted as S B , S A <S B .

8. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the fluid is air, and S A /S B <0.3.

9. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
a part of the second space and a part of the third space are provided between the two flat plate members.

10. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , including a plurality of the second spaces, a plurality of the third spaces, a plurality of the inlets, and a plurality of the outlets, wherein
a total area of the plurality of the inlets is smaller than a total area of the plurality of the outlets .

11. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the largest area of the inlet among the plurality of the inlets is smaller than the smallest area of the outlet among the plurality of the outlets.

12. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the first space is formed such that the cross-sectional areas of the flow path continuously increase from the inlet to the outlet.

13. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic body has a movable portion and a spring portion that has rigidity different from the movable portion and connects the movable portion to an outer periphery.

14. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
the movable portion and the spring portion are made of materials being different each other in rigidity.

15. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the spring portion has a concavo-convex structure.

16. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
the movable portion is formed integrally with the drive mechanism.

17. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
the movable portion is bent by the drive mechanism connected to the movable portion.

18. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
the spring portion has at least one gap and at least one spring, and a total area of the gap is equal to or less than a total area of the spring viewed from the direction perpendicular to the two flat plate members.

19. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second check valve that allows the fluid to flow from the first space to the discharge port via the outlet.

20. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a second check valve that allows the fluid to flow from the first space to the discharge port via the outlet, wherein the second check valve has a swing type structure and is in close contact to the curved surface of the third space when the valve is opened.

21. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a fluid control apparatus, including
a first space having an inlet and an outlet;
two flat plate members facing each other via the first space, at least one of the flat plate members being an elastic body having flexibility,
a drive mechanism that bends the elastic body,
a second space that adjoins the first space, communicates with the first space via the inlet, and has a suction port,
a first check valve that allows fluid to flow from the suction port to the first space via the inlet, and
a third space that adjoins the first space, communicates with the first space via the outlet, and has a discharge port,

wherein at least one of the suction port and the discharge port is positioned on an extension surface of at least one of the two flat plate members,
wherein a flow path is connected from the second space to the first space via the inlet and from the first space to the third space via the outlet,
wherein the second space has cross-sectional areas of the flow path continuously changing from the suction port to the inlet, and
wherein the third space has cross-sectional areas of the flow path continuously changing from the outlet to the discharge port.

22. The electronic apparatus according to claim 21 , further comprising a second check valve that allows the fluid to flow from the first space to the discharge port via the outlet.

23. A fluid control apparatus, comprising:
a first space having an inlet and an outlet;
two flat plate members facing each other via the first space, at least one of the flat plate members being an elastic body having flexibility;
a drive mechanism that bends the elastic body;
a second space that adjoins the first space, communicates with the first space via the inlet, and has a suction port;
a first check valve that allows fluid to flow from the suction port to the first space via the inlet; and
a third space that adjoins the first space, communicates with the first space via the outlet, and has a discharge port, wherein
at least one of the suction port and the discharge port is positioned on an extension surf

Assignees

• Sony Group Corp

Inventors

• Suzuki Hiroshi
• Sato Masahiro
• Fukumoto Koji
• Horiuchi Yuya
• Abe Hironobu
• Kawaguchi Hiroto
• Hongo Kazuhiro
• Matsushita Takuma
• Mizuta Daisuke
• Yoshida Kentaro

Classifications

• F04B45/045

  with in- or outlet valve arranged in the plate-like pumping flexible members · CPC title

• F04B45/047

  Pumps having electric drive · CPC title

• F04B43/028

  with in- or outlet valve arranged in the plate-like flexible member (valve arranged in the piston F04B53/12) · CPC title

• F04B43/046 Primary

  with piezoelectric drive · CPC title