Piezoelectric pump

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure may include a piezoelectric pump having: a piezoelectric vibrator including a main shim that may be formed of a conductive thin metal plate and a piezoelectric element layer that may be formed on the main shim; and a pair of ring-shaped support members that may support front and rear sides of a circumferential portion of the piezoelectric vibrator such that a pump chamber and an air chamber formed on the front and rear sides of the piezoelectric vibrator may be fluid-tightly sealed. The ring-shaped support members may support both sides of a circumferential portion of the piezoelectric element layer of the piezoelectric vibrator, and the piezoelectric vibrator may be vibrated to perform a pumping operation.

1 . A piezoelectric pump comprising:
 a piezoelectric vibrator including a main shim that is formed of a conductive thin metal plate and a piezoelectric element layer that is formed on the main shim; and   a pair of ring-shaped support members that support front and rear sides of a circumferential portion of the piezoelectric vibrator such that a pump chamber and an air chamber formed on the front and rear sides of the piezoelectric vibrator are fluid-tightly sealed,   wherein the ring-shaped support members support both sides of a circumferential portion of the piezoelectric element layer of the piezoelectric vibrator, and the piezoelectric vibrator is vibrated to perform a pumping operation.   
   
   
       2 . The piezoelectric pump of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in the piezoelectric vibrator, one surface of the main shim abuts on the pump chamber, and at least one piezoelectric element layer is formed on the other surface of the main shim, and   one of the pair of ring-shaped support members close to the pump chamber comes into contact with a circumferential portion of the main shim, and the other ring-shaped support member close to the air chamber comes into contact with the circumferential portion of the piezoelectric element layer.   
   
   
       3 . The piezoelectric pump of  claim 2 , wherein the piezoelectric element layer of the piezoelectric vibrator comprises:
 a lower piezoelectric element layer that is formed on the other surface of the main shim; and   an upper piezoelectric element layer that is formed on the lower piezoelectric element layer so as to be electrically insulated from the lower piezoelectric element layer, wherein the upper piezoelectric element layer has a smaller diameter than the lower piezoelectric element layer, and wherein the ring-shaped support member close to the air chamber is provided such that a circumferential portion of the upper piezoelectric element layer is opened and both sides of a circumferential portion of the lower piezoelectric element layer are supported.   
   
   
       4 . The piezoelectric pump of  claim 2 , wherein:
 an intermediate shim formed of an elastic metal material having mechanical recovery is provided between a plurality of piezoelectric element layers of the piezoelectric vibrator.   
   
   
       5 . The piezoelectric pump  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate shim has higher mechanical recovery than the main shim. 
   
   
       6 . The piezoelectric pump of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the intermediate shim has a larger diameter than the piezoelectric element layer formed on the intermediate shim, and   the pair of ring-shaped support members support both sides of a circumferential portion of a laminate of the intermediate shim, the main shim, and the piezoelectric element layer interposed between the two shims.