Fluid transport apparatus, method for controlling the same, and chemical synthesis apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339408-A1
Application number	US-201615155362-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fluid transport apparatus includes a pressure chamber to which a fluid is supplied, N drive elements that deliver the fluid to a channel by changing pressure of the fluid within the pressure chamber, and a control section that supplies a drive signal to each of the drive elements. The control section controls the N (N≧2) drive elements such that phases of drive signals which are supplied to each of the drive elements are different from each other. Therefore, by changing the pressure of the fluid within the pressure chamber while suppressing an amplitude of the drive elements as a whole, pulsation of the fluid is effectively suppressed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fluid transport apparatus comprising:
a pressure chamber to which a fluid is supplied; a plurality of drive elements that deliver the fluid to a channel by changing pressure of the fluid within the pressure chamber; and a control section that supplies a drive signal to each of the plurality of drive elements, wherein phases of drive signals which are supplied to each of N (N≧2) drive elements among the plurality of drive elements are different from each other.

2 . The fluid transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a phase difference between the drive signals which are supplied to each of the N drive elements is a half cycle or less in cycles that are equal to each other.

3 . The fluid transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein phases of the drive signals which are supplied to each of three or more drive elements among the plurality of drive elements are different from each other by the same phase differences.

4 . The fluid transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control section controls a flow rate of the fluid which is delivered to the channel from the pressure chamber by changing an amplitude of the drive signal.

5 . The fluid transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the number of drive elements which are included in the plurality of drive elements is more than N, and two or more drive elements to which a common drive signal is supplied are present among the plurality of drive elements.

6 . The fluid transport apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first substrate where the channel is formed; and a second substrate where the pressure chamber is formed, wherein the channel and the pressure chamber communicate with each other by superimposing the first substrate and the second substrate.

7 . The fluid transport apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the channel is extended in one direction, and the plurality of drive elements are arrayed along a direction of the channel on the pressure chamber, and are extended in a direction intersecting with the channel.

8 . A chemical synthesis apparatus comprising:
a plurality of fluid passage sections that include a pressure chamber to which a fluid is supplied, and a plurality of drive elements which deliver the fluid to a channel by changing pressure of the fluid within the pressure chamber; a synthesis channel where the channels of the plurality of fluid passage sections join with each other; and a control section that supplies a drive signal to the plurality of drive elements in each of the plurality of fluid passage sections, wherein in each of the plurality of fluid passage sections, phases of drive signals which are supplied to each of N (N≧2) drive elements among the plurality of drive elements are different from each other.

9 . A method for controlling a fluid transport apparatus including a channel through which a fluid is transported,
wherein the fluid transport apparatus includes a pressure chamber to which a fluid is supplied, and a plurality of drive elements that deliver the fluid to the channel by changing pressure of the fluid within the pressure chamber, the method comprising: supplying a drive signal to each of the drive elements such that phases of drive signals which are supplied to each of N (N≧2) drive elements among the plurality of drive elements are different from each other.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Sera Hiroshi

Classifications

• F15D1/02 Primary

  in pipes or conduits · CPC title

• B01J2219/00817

  Support structures · CPC title

• B01J2219/00813

  Fluidic connections · CPC title

• B01J2219/00891

  Feeding or evacuation · CPC title

• B01J19/0093 Primary

  Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors (laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027) · CPC title