Patent Application
20090196778
The present invention relates to a liquid discharge control apparatus with a piezoelectric type diaphragm pump which uses a piezoelectric element as a movable member.
A piezoelectric diaphragm pump sucks working fluid from a suction-valve and discharges the working fluid from an exhaust-valve by increasing and decreasing an inner volume of a pump room due to deformation of a diaphragm of a piezoelectric element. The diaphragm has a pair of electrodes provided on upper and lower faces of a disc shaped piezoelectric member. When a voltage is applied between the electrodes, the piezoelectric member is deformed, so that the diaphragm of the diaphragm pump is deformed, and the working fluid is sucked or discharged. As for the use of the sucking and discharging of the working fluid by the diaphragm pump, feeding of a whit quantity of alcohol to a fuel cell or electrostatic spraying of water can be cited. In these purpose, it is desirable that not only the liquid level configuration (or a face location) of the liquid at a front end of a discharge nozzle but also the rate of flow of the discharged liquid are stable. A suction stroke and a discharge stroke, however, are operated alternately in a reciprocation motion pump such as diaphragm pump, so that a pulsating quantity of the discharged liquid generally becomes larger. On the other hand, in a pump using a passive valve, back stream occurs due to switching action of the valve. Such a back stream can be reduced by using an active valve, but it causes an increase of cost.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 63-275888 discloses a conventional apparatus for preventing occurrence of pulsation in liquid flowing in a pipe arrangement with using a diaphragm, plunger or gear pumps. Such a conventional apparatus is comprised of a flexible pipe or flexible hollow ball member, and an elastic member for restricting a cross-section area of an aperture the pipe or the hollow ball member. When the liquid is flown with a pressure, the elastic member is deformed to vary the cross-section area of the aperture the pipe or the hollow ball member corresponding to the pressure of the liquid, so that the variation of the pressure of the liquid can be absorbed. The response of the elastic member to the variation of the pressure, however, is slower, so that the variation of the inner volume of the flexible pipe or hollow ball member is slower. Consequently, such a conventional apparatus can respond to only relatively large pulsation but cannot respond to minute back stream.
In addition, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-75856 discloses a conventional pump apparatus having a long flexible tube provided in a path from an air pump to a pressing pipe arrangement and having predetermined inner dimensions in natural state. When a pressure acts on the inside of the flexible tube, it is expanded by the pressure, so that the pulsation of the liquid flow can be reduced. Since the pump apparatus uses the flexible tube, it cannot be respond to the minute back stream.
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-281437 discloses a conventional flowmeter which absorbs pulsation of liquid flow so as to measure a rate of flow precisely. The flowmeter, however, is not assumed the back stream, at all.
The present invention is contrived to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional apparatuses, and purposed to provide a liquid discharge control apparatus using a piezoelectric type diaphragm pump which can largely decrease the pulsation of liquid flow.
A liquid discharge control apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the present invention comprises: a piezoelectric type diaphragm pump having a control valve which is opened and closed by pressure difference and a piezoelectric element serving as driving actuator; and an accumulator communicated to an outlet of the diaphragm pump, and having a liquid accumulation cavity and a moving member which has two equilibration points in elastic deformation and is elastically deformed between the equilibration points by variation of quantity of the liquid flowing into the liquid accumulation cavity so as to increase and decrease a volume of the liquid accumulation cavity corresponding to increase and decrease of the quantity of the liquid, thereby variation of quantity of the liquid discharged from the accumulator can be reduced.
According to such a configuration, when the control valve of the diaphragm pump is opened in discharge operation of the liquid, the quantity of the liquid in a path communicated to the outlet of the diaphragm pump is rapidly increased, and the increase of the quantity of the liquid can be absorbed by the increase of the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity of the accumulator. Alternatively, when the control valve of the diaphragm pump is closed in suction operation of the liquid, a back stream of the liquid which flows toward the diaphragm pump occurs in the path communicated to the outlet of the diaphragm pump. Although the quantity of the liquid in a path communicated to the outlet of the diaphragm pump is decreased due to occurrence of the back stream, the decrease of the liquid which is to be discharged from an outlet of the accumulator can be compensated by the decrease of the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity of the accumulator. Thereby, variation of the quantity of the liquid discharged from the outlet of the accumulator is reduced and the liquid can be discharged, smoothly.
Since the movable member of the accumulator has two equilibration points in the elastic deformation where the movable member is rarely deformed, the movable member is deformed or displaced between these two equilibration points by the variation of the quantity or pressure of the liquid in the liquid accumulation cavity of the accumulator. Thus, the deformation or displacement of the movable member can be performed quickly and smoothly.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with a piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The diaphragm pump 1 comprises a diaphragm plate (piezoelectric actuator) 13 which is driven by a driving force of a piezoelectric element, a suction valve 16a and a discharge valve (control valve) 16b which are alternately opened and closed by flowing direction of a liquid and a pressure difference. Since a volume of an inner space 14 of the diaphragm pump 1 is varied corresponding to deformation of the diaphragm plate 13, the suction valve 16a and the discharge valve 16b are alternately opened and closed by pressure difference caused by the variation of the volume of the inner space 14, thereby the liquid contained in the liquid tank 2 can be discharged from the nozzle 3. The suction valve 16a is provided between a suction pipe arrangement 18a and the inner space 14, and the discharge valve 16b is disposed between the inner space 14 and a discharge pipe arrangement 18b. When pump 1 is in suction motion, the discharge valve 16b is closed, but back stream occurs in a direction opposite to the discharge direction of the liquid.
The accumulator 5 comprises a movable member which is a disc shaped elastic diaphragm and deformed by a pressure of the liquid flown from the diaphragm pump 1, a housing 52, a liquid accumulation cavity 56 into which the liquid flown from the diaphragm pump 1 is temporarily accumulated, and a cramp member 53 for folding a movable member 51. The movable member 51 is established in an initial state where it is previously concaved. The liquid accumulation cavity 56 is communicated to an inlet 54 and an outlet 55. The movable member 51 which is deformed by the pressure of the liquid has two equilibration points of the elastic deformation. Since the movable member 51 is moved between these equilibration points corresponding to the variation of the pressure of the liquid, it reduces the back stream due to the motion of the discharge valve 16b. As for the movable member 51, an elastic membrane is used as an example. The movable member, however, is not limited to the elastic membrane, and various kinds of elastic materials can be used corresponding to the use and/or capability of the diaphragm pump in the present invention.
In the accumulator 5, when the quantity or pressure of the liquid flowing in the liquid accumulation cavity 56 is reduced due to the back stream, the movable member 51 is deformed from the initial state as shown by arrow in
As shown in
The equilibration state 51a of the movable member 51 corresponds to the state where the pressure of the liquid flow is lower due to the occurrence of the back stream and the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 56 becomes the smallest. The equilibration state 51b of the movable member 51 corresponds to the state where the pressure of the liquid flow is higher due to no back stream and the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 56 becomes the largest. When the movable member 51 takes one of these two equilibration states 51a and 51b, the elastic deformation in each equilibration state is substantially zero, so that the volume of the equilibration state 51a becomes constant.
The movable member 51 is made so that the expansion and contraction of the elastic film in itself small and the elastic deformation in each equilibration state is substantially zero, and thereby the pulsation of the liquid flow in the equilibration state rarely occurs. Thereby, the movable member 51 can be moved quickly between the equilibration states 51a and 51b. By such a quick response of the movable member 51, the accumulator 5 can respond to a minute variation of the quantity of the liquid flow due to the occurrence or evaporation of the back stream, so that influence of the back stream can be reduced. Although the center portion 51m of the movable member 51 is formed previously to be concaved in a predetermined direction in the first embodiment, it is possible to form the center portion previously as flat shape and deformed concave or convex by the variation of the pressure of the liquid flow even though it can take two equilibration states.
In the liquid discharge control apparatus configured above, when the diaphragm pump 1 is driven, the liquid contained in the liquid tank 2 flows into the inner space 14 through the suction pipe arrangement 18a and the suction valve 61a, and further flows to the accumulator 5 through the discharge valve 16b and the discharge pipe arrangement 18b. The liquid flowing in the discharge pipe arrangement 18b includes an influence due to occurrence and evaporation of the back stream generated by the open and close of the discharge valve 16b. The movable member 51 of the accumulator 5 responds to the variation of the pressure of the liquid flow due to the occurrence and evaporation of the back stream, so that the quantity of the liquid discharged from the nozzle 3 can be controlled to be substantially constant.
Subsequently, detailed configuration of the piezoelectric type diaphragm pump 1 is described with reference to
The diaphragm plate 13 is, for example, a circular disc made of a brass, and a circular disc shaped piezoelectric element (PZT) 11 is adhered on the diaphragm plate 13. The housing 15 is, for example, made. of a plastic material such as a polyacetal (POM), poly carbonate (PC), or poly phenyl styrene (PPS). The diaphragm plate 13 with the piezoelectric element 11 is fixed on the housing 15. For example, the piezoelectric element 11 had s diameter of 10 mm and a thickness of 0.2 mm. The diaphragm plate 13 has a diameter of 20 mm and a thickness of 0.2 mm. The housing 15 has a concavity of a top face aperture to form the inner space 14. The diaphragm plate 13 is mounted on the housing 15 so as to be warped outward opposite to the inner space 14 in an initial state that no voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 11.
A suction valve 16a and a discharge dialect 16b are respectively provided to be communicated with the inlet 16c and the outlet 16d. These valves 16a and 16b are disposed between the housing 15 and a valve guard 17. As for a structure of each valve, it is possible to use a cantilevered valve which is opened and closed by pressure difference between the pressure at front of the valve and the pressure at the back of the valve.
Subsequently, a motion of the piezoelectric type diaphragm pump 1 is described with reference to
When the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 11 is varied to the grounding voltage from the state that the positive voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 11, the piezoelectric element 11 and the diaphragm plate 13 restore to the original states by restorative forces of themselves, as shown in
Subsequently, the suction and discharge operations by the diaphragm pump 1 are described in detail with reference to
When the driving frequency of the alternating voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 11 is higher, the discharge valve 16b has been opened and the suction valve 16a has been closed while the operation state shifts from the discharge operation shown in
Subsequently, a variation of the working fluid discharged from the diaphragm pump 1 when a pulsating voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 11 is described with reference to
On the other hand,
Subsequently, the flow of the liquid before and after of the open and close of the discharge valve 16b of the diaphragm pump 1 is described with reference to
Variation of a quantity of the discharged liquid in the pipe arrangement 18b of the diaphragm pump 1 when it is assumed that the accumulator 5 is not provided is described with reference to
Subsequently, the operation of the accumulator 5 is described with reference to
In the discharge operation of the diaphragm pump 1, the movable member 51 of the accumulator 5 shifts the equilibration state 51b from the initial equilibration state 51a by warping the center portion 51m thereof outward. When the quantity of the liquid flowing in the accumulator 5 is increased by the discharge operation of the diaphragm pump 1, the pressure of the liquid in the liquid accumulation cavity 56 of the accumulator 5 is increased so that the center portion 51m of the movable member 51 is elastically deformed to warp outward. When the center portion 51m of the movable member 51 is deformed at a maximum, the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 56 of the accumulator 5 becomes the largest and the movable member 51 is held in the equilibration state 51b. Thereby, the variation of the quantity of the discharged liquid is restricted in the discharge operation. Similarly, in the suction operation of the diaphragm pump 1, the center portion 51m of the movable member 51 is warped inward, so that the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 56 of the accumulator 5 is decreased. When the center portion 51m of the movable member 51 is deformed at a minimum, the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 56 of the accumulator 5 becomes the smallest and the movable member 51 is held in the equilibration state 51a. Thereby, the variation of the quantity of the discharged liquid due to the occurrence of the back stream is absorbed in the suction operation. Consequently, the liquid is uniformly discharged from the outlet 55 of the accumulator 5.
According to the liquid discharge control apparatus in the first embodiment, the movable member 51 of the accumulator 5 has two equilibration states in the elastic deformation, and the elastic deformation of the movable member 51 in each equilibration state is made substantially zero, so that the movable member 51 can be shifted between these two equilibration states quickly. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the influence of the back stream in the liquid flow discharged from the diaphragm pump 1. Furthermore, even when the quantity of the back stream of the liquid generated by the motion of the discharge valve 16b of the diaphragm pump 1 is smaller, it is possible to make the flow of the discharged liquid smooth.
The conventional accumulator used for absorbing the variation of the pressure of the liquid is not generally considered the back stream due to the discharge valve, so that the variation of the volume of the accumulator is much larger than the quantity of the back stream of the liquid. Therefore, it is not sufficient to respond to a minute variation of the volume for absorbing the minute back stream. Furthermore, the accumulator having a large variation of the volume cannot absorb the pulsation component due to the minute back stream of the discharge valve. The accumulator 5 in the first embodiment, however, can solve the above-mentioned problems.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
In the second embodiment, the pulsation of the liquid discharged from the diaphragm pump 1 due to the back stream generated by the motion of the discharge valve 16b is restricted by the accumulator 5 having the bellows type movable member 57.
As shown in
The bellows type movable member 57 has a periphery wall inner face of which is shaped like bellows, and the bottom of the periphery wall is fixed to a bellows guide 52c. The bellows guide 52c is nipped between the stopper 58 and the upper housing member 52b. The bellows type movable member 57 is deformed by variation of the pressure of the liquid flown into the accumulator 5, and the movement of the bellows type movable member 57 in a direction of the expansion and contraction thereof is restricted by the stopper 58, so that the bellows type movable member 57 has two equilibration states and is movable between these two equilibration states.
In the accumulator 5 configured as above, the bellows type movable member 57 expands in a direction shown by arrow in
In the second embodiment, the accumulator 5 having the bellows type moving member 57 which can move quickly is used, so that it is possible to respond the minute variation of the quantity of the discharged liquid due to the back stream generated by the motion of the discharge valve 16b, and the variation of the quantity of the liquid discharged from the outlet 55 of the accumulator 5 due to the occurrence of the back stream can be reduced. Furthermore, the configuration of the accumulator 5 in the second embodiment can be simplified, so that the productivity of the liquid discharge control apparatus can be increased.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
In the unified type pump 10, the movable member 5 of the accumulator 5 made of an elastic film is unified with the discharge valve 16b of the diaphragm pump 1, and the outlet 16d disposed in the discharge valve 16b is directly connected to the inlet 54 of the accumulator 5 with no connection path. A communication path 59 into which an atmospheric are passes is provided between a rear face of the movable member 51 of the accumulator and an outer wall of the housing 15 of the diaphragm pump 1, so that the motion of the movable member 51 can be made smooth by the communication path 59. The liquid discharged from the discharge valve 16b is directly flown into the accumulator 5 through the outlet pipe arrangement 18b. The mechanism for reducing the influence due to the back stream generated by the motion of the discharge valve 16b is the same as that in the first and second embodiment.
In the third embodiment, since the diaphragm pump 1 and the accumulator 5 are integrated, a number of elements constituting the liquid discharge control apparatus can be reduced and the productivity of the liquid discharge control apparatus can be increased. Furthermore, since the discharge valve 16b and the movable member 51 of the accumulator 5 are directly connected, a length of the outlet pipe arrangement can be shortened, and thereby the resistance in the path of the liquid discharged from the discharge valve 16b can be reduced. Still furthermore, the response of the movable member 51 for the back stream in the discharged liquid can be increased, so that the motion of the accumulator 5 becomes smoother.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
In the fourth embodiment, the quantity of the discharged liquid which is reduced by the back stream of the discharge valve 16b of the diaphragm pump 1 and the quantity of the liquid compensated by the accumulator 5 are made substantially the same by adjusting the variation of the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 56 of the accumulator 5 due to the elastic deformation of the movable member 51 properly in the liquid discharge control apparatus having substantially the same configuration as that in the first embodiment.
According to the configuration of the fourth embodiment, it is possible to obtain an effect of compensating the reduction of the quantity of the liquid discharged from the accumulator 5 due to the back stream by the motion of the discharge valve 16b of the diaphragm pump 1, so that the liquid discharge control apparatus of the forth embodiment can be used for controlling a minute quantity of the liquid.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
In the fifth embodiment, the quantity of the discharged liquid which is reduced by the back stream of the discharge valve 16b of the diaphragm pump 1 and the quantity of the liquid compensated by the accumulator 5 are made substantially the same by adjusting the variation of the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 56 of the accumulator 5 due to the elastic deformation of the movable member 51 properly in the liquid discharge control apparatus having substantially the same configuration as that in the third embodiment.
In the fifth embodiment, the quantity of the liquid is reduced due to the back stream by the motion of the discharge valve 16b at the point P in the outlet pipe arrangement 18b, but the reduction of the quantity of the discharge liquid at the point Q in the outlet 55 of the accumulator 5 can be compensated by the increase of the quantity of the liquid discharged from the accumulator 5, similar to the above-mentioned fourth embodiment. Although the liquid discharge control apparatus is configured in compact body, it is possible to restrict the minute variation of the quantity of the liquid discharge from the outlet 55 of the accumulator 5 and to discharge the liquid smoothly from the nozzle 3.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention is described. The liquid discharge control apparatus can have a configuration substantially the same as that of one of the above-mentioned embodiment, so that the illustration of the liquid discharge control apparatus is omitted. In the sixth embodiment, the natural vibration frequency of the movable member 51 or 57 of the accumulator 5 is made substantially the same as the oscillation frequency of the diaphragm pump 1.
The movable member 51 or 57 of the accumulator 5 inherently has a natural vibration frequency which is established by the configuration itself. Generally, a disc shaped diaphragm has a natural vibration frequency “F” defined by the following equation.
F=10.21(D/β d)0.5/2 πa2
Hereupon,
D=Ed
2/12(1−α2)
a: radius,
β: weight per unit volume,
d: thickness,
E: Young's modulus,
α: Poisson's ratio,
π: circle ratio
The natural vibration frequency of the movable member 51 or 57 of the accumulator 5 is determined by substituting proper constants into the above-mentioned equations of the natural vibration frequency so as to make the natural vibration frequency of the moving member 51 or 57 of the accumulator 5 coincide with the oscillation frequency of the diaphragm pump 1. Under a condition that the natural vibration frequency of the moving member 51 or 57 of the accumulator 5 coincides with the oscillation frequency of the diaphragm pump 1, when the diaphragm pump 1 is driven, the movable member 51 or 57 of the accumulator 5 is vibrated by the back stream generated by the motion of the discharge valve 16b of the diaphragm pump 1. Since the natural vibration frequency of the movable member 51 or 57 coincides with the vibration due to the back stream, the vibration of the movable member 51 due to the back stream is magnified, and the deformation or displacement of the moving member 51 or 57 to the movable limits can be made smoother. Thereby, the effect for reducing the variation of the quantity of the liquid discharged from the liquid discharge control apparatus can be increased, and the liquid can be discharged smoother from the nozzle 3 of the liquid discharge control apparatus.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
By providing the second accumulator 6, it is possible to reduce the intermittent flow of the liquid caused by repetition of the discharge operation and the suction operation of the diaphragm pump 1. Thereby, the pulsation of the liquid discharge from the nozzle 3 can be reduced much more, so that the liquid can be discharged much smoother from the nozzle 3.
The second accumulator 6 has essentially the same configuration as that of the first accumulator 5, and specifically comprises a movable member 61, a housing 62, a guide 63 used for fixing a peripheral portion of the movable member 61 on the housing 62, and a liquid accumulation cavity 66 formed on the housing 62 for temporarily accumulating the liquid. The second accumulator 6 constitutes a circular diaphragm.
The movable member 61 is moved corresponding to the variation of the pressure of the intermittent flow of the liquid discharged from the diaphragm pump 1, so that it reduces the intermittent flow of the liquid by varying a volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 66. The elastic film of the movable member 61 warps outward by expansion itself corresponding to the increase of the quantity of the liquid in the liquid accumulation cavity 66, so that the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 66 is increased. Alternatively, the movable member 61 warps inward by contraction corresponding to the decrease of the quantity of the liquid in the liquid accumulation cavity 66, so that the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 66 is decreased. Consequently, the vibration due to the intermittent flow of the liquid can be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the movable member 61. In other words, the second accumulator 6 can reduce the exponential increase of the quantity of the liquid in the discharge operation and the exponential decrease of the liquid in the suction operation of the diaphragm pump 1.
In addition, it is possible that the second accumulator 6 is designed to absorb the pulsating flow due to only the intermittent flow of the liquid when no back stream occurs. When the variation of the quantity of the liquid flow due to the back stream can be reduces to substantially zero by the first accumulator 5, the second accumulator 6 can reduce the influence due to the intermittent flow of the liquid effectively. Consequently, the liquid transmission can be performed in a condition that the variation of the quantity of the liquid flow due to the back stream and the intermittent flow can be reduced.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The check valve 7 has a valve member 71 made of an elastic material. When the diaphragm pump 1 discharges the liquid in the discharge operation, the valve member 71 of the check valve 7 is opened by the liquid flown from the diaphragm pump 1 through the first accumulator, so that the path communicating the first accumulator 5 and the second accumulator 6 is opened. Thereby, the liquid is discharged from the nozzle 3 of the liquid discharge control apparatus. At this time, the movable member 61 of the second accumulator 6 is elastically deformed, so that the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 66 is increased.
When diaphragm pump 1 moves for the suction operation, the valve member 71 of the check valve 7 is closed by the pressure difference between the pressures at the front and rear portions of the valve member 71. Thereby, the back stream generated by the motion of the discharge valve 16b of the diaphragm pump 1 is compensated by the action of the first accumulator 5, so that the influence due to the back stream never reach to the liquid in the vicinity of the nozzle 3. Furthermore, the movable member 61 of the second accumulator 6 is deformed by the pressure difference, so that the suppliance of the liquid to the nozzle 3 is continued. Consequently, the pulsation of the liquid discharged from the nozzle 3 can be decreased.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a ninth embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with a tenth embodiment of the present invention is described. The configuration of the liquid discharge control apparatus in the tenth embodiment is substantially the same as that in the seventh embodiment, so that the illustration of the liquid discharge control apparatus is omitted. In the tenth embodiment, the natural vibration frequency of the movable member 51 of the first accumulator 5 and the natural vibration frequency of the movable member 61 of the second accumulator 6 are made to coincide with the oscillation frequency of the diaphragm pump 1. The natural vibration frequencies of the movable member 51 of the first accumulator 5 and the movable member 61 of the second accumulator 6 are the above-mentioned mechanical natural vibration frequencies inherently established by the configurations of the movable members of the accumulators.
Under a condition that the natural vibration frequency of the movable member 51 of the first accumulator 5 substantially coincides with the oscillation frequency of the diaphragm pump 1, when the diaphragm pump 1 is driven, the movable member 51 is vibrated by pulsating flow of the liquid due to back stream occurred in the diaphragm pump 1. Since the frequency of the vibration of the movable member 51 coincides with the natural vibration frequency thereof, the amplitude of the vibration, that is, the motion of the movable member 51 is magnified. Thereby, the movable member 51 can be deformed or displaced to the movable limits, smoothly. Similarly, under a condition that the natural vibration frequency of the movable member 61 of the second accumulator 6 substantially coincides with the oscillation frequency of the diaphragm pump 1, when the diaphragm pump 1 is driven, the movable member 61 is vibrated by pulsating flow of the liquid discharge from the first accumulator 5. Since the frequency of the vibration of the movable member 61 coincides with the natural vibration frequency thereof, the amplitude of the vibration, that is, the motion of the movable member 61 is magnified. Thereby, the movable member 61 can be deformed or displaced to the movable limits, smoothly. By such a configuration, the effects for reducing the reduction of the quantity of the liquid flow due to the back stream and the intermittent flow of the liquid can be increased, so that the liquid can be discharged from the nozzle 3, smoothly.
A liquid discharge control apparatus with piezoelectric type diaphragm pump in accordance with an eleventh embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to
The second accumulator 6 comprises a partition 67 having a small aperture 68 in the liquid accumulation cavity 66 so that the space between the movable member 61 and the partition 67 can be separated as a volume changing portion 61a. In the discharge operation of the diaphragm pump 1, the liquid flows into the volume changing portion 61a through the aperture 68. Alternatively, in the suction operation of the diaphragm pump 1, the liquid in the volume changing portion 61a is drained through the aperture 68. A tapered face 69 is formed on an edge of the aperture 68 so that the width of the aperture 68 is gradually made narrower toward the volume changing portion 61a. Thereby, the resistance due to the partition 67 against the liquid flowing through the aperture 68 differs in the direction of the liquid flow.
By such a configuration, when the liquid flows into the volume changing portion 61a in the discharge operation, the resistance due to the partition 67 is reduced by the tapered face 69 of the aperture 68, so that the liquid can flow into the volume changing portion 61a, smoothly. Thereby, the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity 66 can be increased quickly corresponding to the increase of the quantity or pressure of the liquid.
Alternatively, when the liquid is drain from the volume changing portion 61a, the resistance due to the partition 67 is not reduced by the tapered face 69 of the aperture 68, so that the liquid cannot drained from the volume changing portion 61a, smoothly. Thereby, the volume of the liquid. accumulation cavity 66 can be decreased slowly corresponding to the decrease of the quantity or pressure of the liquid.
This application is based on Japanese patent applications 2004-372237 and 2005-275290 filed in Japan, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by references.
Although the present invention has been fully described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention, they should be construed as being included therein.
As mentioned above, the liquid discharge control apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises the accumulator having a passive pulsation reduction function provided between the piezoelectric type diaphragm pump and the nozzle. The accumulator has a movable member which is elastically deformed corresponding to increase and decrease the quantity or pressure of the liquid flown in the accumulator, so that the volume of the liquid accumulation cavity of the accumulator can be increased and decreased. Thus, the pulsation, that is, the increase and decrease of the quantity or pressure of the liquid flow can be absorbed by the accumulator, and the liquid can be discharged from the nozzle, smoothly.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-372237 | Dec 2004 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2005/023697 | 12/19/2005 | WO | 00 | 4/27/2007 |
