Claims
- 1. A micro pump having at least one pump member for conveying a fluid by the action of pressure, comprising:
a pump unit formed from at least one actuator member for generating a pressure fluctuation; and a fluid channel in which a fluid flows, said actuator member is provided with a cell formed by disposing two side walls comprising piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements or antiferrodielectric elements on a connecting plate, and a cover plate disposed on said side walls facing said connecting plate, and said actuator member selectively said fluid channel and generates pressure fluctuation in said fluid channel to cause the fluid to flow through said fluid channel from a position upstream of said actuator member to a position downstream of said actuator member, said pressure fluctuation being due to the displacement of said cell caused by expansion/contraction of said side walls.
- 2. A micro pump according to claim 1, wherein the fluid channel is formed by a displacement transmitting member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the actuator member, and a casing facing a part of a surface of said displacement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed, and said pump unit is as a pump member, and the micro pump is provided with at least one of said pump members.
- 3. A micro pump according to claim 2, further comprising a through hole extending from the inside of said cell to the outside of said cell.
- 4. A micro pump according to claim 2, wherein said displacement transmitting member contacts a part of the surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member and said fluid channel is closed.
- 5. A micro pump according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the actuator members are disposed on said connecting plate corresponding to positions at which the displacement transmitting member and the casing form said fluid channel.
- 6. A micro pump according to claim 5, wherein the ratio between the spacing between adjacent cells and the height of the cell is approximately 1:2 to 1:40.
- 7. A micro pump according to claim 5, wherein the spacing between cells is approximately 50 μm or less.
- 8. A micro pump according to claim 5, wherein the inside width of at least two cells or the spacing between adjacent cells is different.
- 9. A micro pump according to claim 2, wherein an area outside of said cell is filled with the same material as that which comprises the displacement transmitting member, and said actuator and said fluid channel are unitarily formed.
- 10. A micro pump according to claim 2, wherein a plural number of said pump members are disposed, and at least one set of said pump members is connected in series.
- 11. A micro pump according to claim 10, wherein at least one set of two of said pump members connected in series provides a phase difference in the pressure fluctuation arising in the fluid channel, thereby enabling the flow of the fluid to be controlled in the fluid channel.
- 12. A micro pump according to claim 10, wherein the pump units in said pump members are of the same type.
- 13. A micro pump according to claim 10, further comprising a valve member at least one adjacent pair of pump members, and said valve member comprising any one of the following pump units:
a pump unit in which the cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and a fluid channel is filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; a pump unit in which the fluid channel is formed by a displacement transmitting member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the actuator member, and a casing facing a part of a surface of said displacement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; and a pump unit having a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, a fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion communication with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes said cell, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed.
- 14. A micro pump according to claim 13, wherein the pump unit in said pump member and the pump unit in said valve member are of the same type.
- 15. A micro pump according to claim 2, wherein a plural number of said pump members are disposed, some of which are connected in series and some of which are connected in parallel, wherein the pump members that are connected in parallel are disposed in combination at an arbitrary rate.
- 16. A micro pump according to claim 15, wherein at least one set of two of said pump members connected in series provides a phase difference in the pressure fluctuation arising in the fluid channel, thereby enabling the flow of the fluid to be controlled in the fluid channel.
- 17. A micro pump according to claim 15, wherein the pump units in said pump members are of the same type.
- 18. A micro pump according to claim 15, further comprising a valve member between at least one adjacent pair of pump members, and said valve member comprising any one of the following pump units:
a pump unit in which the cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and a fluid channel filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole, and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; a pump unit in which the fluid channel is formed by a displacement member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the actuator member, and a casing facing a part of a surface of said displacement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; and a pump unit having a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, a fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion is in communication with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes in said cell, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed.
- 19. A micro pump according to claim 18, wherein the pump unit in said pump member and the pump unit in said valve member are of the same type.
- 20. A micro pump according to claim 1, wherein said pump unit has a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, said fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion is in communication with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes said cell such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed, and said pump unit is used as a pump member, and the micro pump is provided with at least one of said pump members.
- 21. A micro pump according to claim 20, further comprising a pressure loss generating element disposed on each of a supply side and a discharge side of said fluid channel,
wherein a pressure loss ΔP1 results when the fluid flows in the supply direction and a pressure loss ΔP2 results when the fluid flows in the direction opposite to the supply direction in the pressure loss generating element on the supply side, and a pressure loss ΔP3 when the fluid flows in the discharge direction and a pressure loss ΔP4 when the fluid flows in the direction opposite to the discharge direction in the pressure loss generating element on the discharge side, and the following two are satisfied:ΔP1<ΔP4andΔP2>ΔP3.
- 22. A micro pump according to claim 21, wherein said pressure loss generating element on the supply side has a tapered including a cross section that continuously decreases in the supply direction of the fluid, and said pressure loss generating element on the discharge side has a tapered structure which continuously decreases in the discharge direction of the fluid.
- 23. A micro pump according to claim 21, wherein each pressure loss generating element on the supply side and on the discharge side is a check valve.
- 24. A micro pump according to claim 20, wherein a plural number of said pump members are disposed, and at least one set of said pump members is connected in series.
- 25. A micro according to claim 24, wherein at least one set of two of said pump members connected in series provides a phase difference in the pressure fluctuation arising in the fluid channel, thereby enabling the flow of the fluid to be controlled in the fluid channel.
- 26. A micro pump according to claim 24, wherein the pump units in said pump members are of the same type.
- 27. A micro pump according to claim 24, further comprising a valve member between at least one adjacent pair of pump members, and said valve member comprising any one of the following pump units:
a pump unit in which the cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and a fluid channel filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole, and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; a pump unit in which the fluid channel is formed by a displacement transmitting member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the acement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; and a pump unit having a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, a fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion is in communication with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes said cell, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed.
- 28. A micro pump according to claim 27, wherein the pump unit in said pump member and the pump unit in said valve member are of the same type.
- 29. A micro pump according to claim 20, wherein a plural number of said pump members are disposed, some of which are connected in series and some of which are connected in parallel, wherein the pump members that are connected in parallel are disposed in combination at an arbitrary rate.
- 30. A micro pump according to claim 29, wherein at least one set of two of said pump members connected in series provides a phase difference in the pressure fluctuation arising in the fluid channel, thereby enabling the flow of the fluid to be controlled in the fluid channel.
- 31. A micro pump according to claim 29, wherein the pump units in said pump members are of the same type.
- 32. A micro pump according to claim 29, further comprising a valve member between at least one adjacent pair of pump members, and said valve member comprising any one of the following pump units:
a pump unit in which the cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and a fluid channel filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole, and said fluid channel has the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; a pump unit in which the fluid channel is formed by a displacement transmitting member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the actuator member, and a casing facing a part of a surface of said displacement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; and a pump unit having a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, a fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion is in with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes in said cell, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed.
- 33. A micro pump according to claim 32, wherein the pump unit in said pump member and the pump unit in said valve member are of the same type.
- 34. A micro pump to claim 1, further comprising a pressure loss element disposed on each of a supply side and a discharge side of said fluid channel,
wherein a pressure loss ΔP1 results when the fluid flows in the supply direction, and a pressure loss ΔP2 results when the fluid flows in the direction opposite to the supply direction in the pressure loss generating element on the supply side, and a pressure loss ΔP3 results when the fluid flows in the discharge direction, and a pressure loss ΔP4 results when the fluid flows in the direction opposite to the discharge direction in the pressure loss generating element on the discharge side, and the following two equations are satisfied:ΔP1<ΔP4andΔP2>ΔP3.
- 35. A micro pump according to claim 34, wherein said pressure loss generating element on the supply side has a tapered structure including a cross section that continuously decreases in the supply of the fluid, and said pressure loss generating element on the discharge side has a tapered structure which continuously decreases in the discharge direction of the fluid.
- 36. A micro pump according to claim 34, wherein each pressure loss generating element on the supply side and on the discharge side is a check valve.
- 37. A micro pump to claim 1, wherein said cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and said fluid channel is filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed, and said pump unit is used as a pump member, and the micro pump is provided with, a plural number of said pump members, and at least one set of said pump members is connected in series.
- 38. A micro pump according to claim 37, wherein at least one set of two of said pump members connected in series provides a phase difference in the pressure fluctuation arising in the fluid channel, thereby enabling the flow of the fluid to be controlled in the fluid channel.
- 39. A micro pump according to claim 37, wherein the pump units in said pump members are of the same type.
- 40. A micro pump according to claim 37, further comprising a valve member between at least one adjacent pair of pump members, and said valve member comprising any one of the following pump units:
a pump unit in which the cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and a fluid channel is filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; a pump unit in which the fluid channel is formed by a displacement transmitting member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the actuator member, and a casing facing a part of a surface of said displacement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; and a pump unit having a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, a fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion is in communication with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes said cell such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed.
- 41. A micro pump according to claim 40, wherein the pump unit in said pump member and the pump unit in said valve member are of the same type.
- 42. A micro pump according to claim 1, wherein said cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and said fluid channel is filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed, and said pump unit is used as a pump member, and the micro pump is provided with, a plural number of said pump members, some of which are connected in series and some of which are connected in parallel, wherein the pump members that are connected in parallel are disposed in combination at an arbitrary rate.
- 43. A micro pump according to claim 42, wherein at least one set of two of said pump members connected in series provides a phase difference in the pressure fluctuation arising in the fluid channel, thereby enabling the flow of the fluid to be controlled in the fluid channel.
- 44. A micro pump according to claim 42, wherein the pump units in said pump members are of the same type.
- 45. A micro pump according to claim 42, further comprising a valve member between at least one adjacent pair of pump members, and said valve member comprising any one of the following pump units:
a pump unit in which the cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and a fluid channel filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole, and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; a pump unit in which the fluid channel is formed by a displacement transmitting member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the actuator member, and a casing facing a part of a surface of said displacement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; and a pump unit having a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, a fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion is in communication with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes in said cell, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed.
- 46. A micro pump according to claim 45, wherein the pump unit in said pump member and the pump unit in said valve member are of the same type.
- 47. A micro pump according to claim 1, further comprising at least one supply valve member provided on a fluid supply side of said pump member, comprising any one of the following pump units:
a pump unit in which the cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and a fluid channel is filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole, and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; a pump unit in which the fluid channel is formed by a displacement transmitting member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the actuator member, and a casing facing a part of a surface of said displacement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; and a pump unit having a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, a fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion is in communication with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes said cell, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed.
- 48. A micro pump according to claim 47, wherein the pump unit in said pump member and the pump unit in said supply valve member are of the same type.
- 49. A micro pump according to claim 1, further comprising at least one discharge valve member provided on a fluid discharge side of said pump member comprising any one of the following pump units:
a pump unit in which the cell in the actuator member is filled with a system fluid and a fluid channel is filled with a fluid that is insoluble in said system fluid, said cell is in communication with said fluid channel through a communicating hole, and said fluid channel has substantially the same size in the width direction as the diameter of said communicating hole, at least at a portion at which said communicating hole is in communication with said fluid channel, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell in the up/down direction provides a change in the volume of the portion at which said system fluid stored in said cell is ejected from said communicating hole into said fluid channel, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; a pump unit in which the fluid channel is formed by a displacement transmitting member, at least a part of which is bonded to the cover plate of the cell in the actuator member, and a casing facing a part of a surface of said displacement transmitting member on the side opposite of said actuator member, and the expansion/contraction of the side walls forming said cell provides an approaching/departing displacement of said displacement transmitting member relative to a part of a surface of said casing facing the displacement transmitting member, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed; and a pump unit having a fluid supply opening and a fluid discharge opening formed in the cell of the actuator member, a fluid channel comprising a supply channel portion and a discharge channel portion in which the fluid flows and said discharge channel portion is in communication with the fluid discharge opening in said cell, and the expansion/contraction in the up and down direction of the side walls forming said cell generates a change in the volume of said cell and thus pressurizes said cell, such that the fluid channel can be selectively formed.
- 50. A micro pump according to claim 49, wherein the pump unit in said pump member and the pump unit in the discharge valve member are of the same type.
- 51. A micro pump according to claim 1, wherein the actuator member in said pump unit comprises:
a spacer plate comprising piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements or antiferrodielectric elements in which a plurality of slits (A) are formed; a cover plate placed on one surface of said spacer plate covering said slits (A); and a connecting plate placed on a surface of said spacer plate that is opposite said surface on which said cover plate is placed and covering said slits (A); wherein slits (B) passing through said cover plate and said spacer plate are formed between adjacent said slits (A).
- 52. A method for manufacturing a micro pump with a punch and a die, wherein cells are formed by two side walls made of piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements or antiferrodielectric elements disposed on a connecting plate and by a cover plate for covering the surface facing said connecting plate between said side walls, wherein said micro pump includes actuator members in which said cell is displaced by the expansion/contraction of said side walls, characterized by comprising the steps of:
preparing a plurality of green sheets made of piezoelectric/electrostrictive material or antiferrodielectric material; performing a first substep for diecutting first slit apertures in a first green sheet with said punch, a second substep for raising said first green sheet in tight contact with a stripper, while maintaining the state in which said punch is not withdrawn from said first slit apertures, and a third substep for raising said punch in such a manner that the front end of said punch is withdrawn slightly from the lowest part of said first green sheet raised; performing a fourth substep for diecutting second slit apertures in a second green sheet with said punch, a fifth substep for raising said second green sheet together with said first green sheet, while maintaining the state in which said punch is not withdrawn from said second slit apertures, and a sixth substep for raising said punch in such a manner that the front end of said punch is withdrawn slightly from the lowest part of said second green sheet raised; subsequently laminating green sheets by repeating the fourth substep to the sixth substep to form a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element or antiferrodielectric element having a plurality of slits.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2001-108986 |
Apr 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-189718 |
Jun 2001 |
JP |
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/935,087 filed Aug. 22, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/900,742, filed Jul. 6, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,018, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
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Parent |
09935087 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10835754 |
Apr 2004 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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09900742 |
Jul 2001 |
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09935087 |
Aug 2001 |
US |