Pump and pump section

Abstract

To provide a pump that can effectively suppress the generation of noise. [Solution] The pump unit includes an airtight chamber, a diaphragm that changes the volume of the airtight chamber by driving a vibration actuator, an intake port, an intake valve located between the intake port and the airtight chamber, an exhaust port, and an exhaust valve located between the exhaust port and the airtight chamber. At least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve has a valve body B12 having a first portion B121 and a second portion B122 located opposite each other with respect to the center, and a support portion B13 arranged around the valve body B12 and supporting the valve body B12 so that it can be displaced. The support portion B13 supports at least the second portion B122 side, and the valve body B12 opens from a closed state when the first portion B121 is displaced greater than the second portion B122.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pump and a pump section.

Background Art

[0002] For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a pump 9 described in Patent Document 1 includes a movable body 92 that reciprocatingly rotates about a shaft portion 91, magnets 93a and 93b disposed at both end portions of the movable body 92, a pair of coil core portions 94a and 94b disposed to face each other in the longitudinal direction of the pump 9 with the movable body 92 interposed therebetween, and a pair of pump sections 95a and 95b disposed to face each other in the lateral direction of the pump 9 with the movable body 92 interposed therebetween.

[0003] Further, the coil core portion 94a has a core portion 941a and a coil 942a wound around the core portion 941a. The core portion 941a has an inverted C shape, and the coil 942a is wound around the central portion thereof. Both end portions of the core portion 941a are magnetic poles facing the magnet 93a. Similarly, the coil core portion 94b has a core portion 941b and a coil 942b wound around the core portion 941b. The core portion 941b has a C shape, and the coil 942b is wound around the central portion thereof. Both end portions of the core portion 941b are magnetic poles facing the magnet 93b.

[0004] In such a pump 9, an alternating current is applied to the coils 942a and 942b to alternately switch between a state where a thrust force for rotating the movable body 92 clockwise about the shaft portion 91 is generated and a state where a thrust force for rotating the movable body 92 counterclockwise about the shaft portion 91 is generated, so that the movable body 92 reciprocatingly rotates. Then, the reciprocating rotation of the movable body 92 drives the pump sections 95a and 95b.

[0005] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the pump sections 95a and 95b each have an airtight chamber 951a where a volume change occurs due to the deformation of the diaphragm 950a, and an airtight chamber 951b where a volume change occurs due to the deformation of the diaphragm 950b. The airtight chamber 951a is connected to an intake port 952a and an exhaust port 953, with an intake valve 954a for preventing backflow between the airtight chamber 951a and the intake port 952a, and an exhaust valve 955a for preventing backflow between the airtight chamber 951a and the exhaust port 953. Similarly, the airtight chamber 951b is connected to an intake port 952b and an exhaust port 953, with an intake valve 954b for preventing backflow between the airtight chamber 951b and the intake port 952b, and an exhaust valve 955b for preventing backflow between the airtight chamber 951b and the exhaust port 953.

[0006] Then, the reciprocating rotation of the movable body 92 alternates between the first state shown in Figure 3 and the second state shown in Figure 4. In the first state, the diaphragm 950a is pressed, causing the air in the airtight chamber 951a to be discharged from the exhaust port 953, while the diaphragm 950b retracts, allowing air to flow into the airtight chamber 951b from the intake port 952b. Conversely, in the second state, as shown in Figure 4, the diaphragm 950b is pressed, causing the air in the airtight chamber 951b to be discharged from the exhaust port 953, while the diaphragm 950a retracts, allowing air to flow into the airtight chamber 951a from the intake port 952a. By alternating between these first and second states, air is continuously discharged from the exhaust port 953. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2021 / 200424 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, in reference 1, the configuration of the valves (intake valves 954a, 954b and exhaust valves 955a, 955b) in the pump sections 95a and 95b is unclear. Therefore, depending on the valve configuration, the position of the open valve may be unstable and vibrate, potentially generating unwanted noise.

[0009] This invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a pump that can suppress the generation of unwanted noise by stabilizing the position of the valve in the open state and suppressing vibration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] These objectives are achieved by the present invention as described in (1) and (2) below.

[0011] (1) The three mutually orthogonal axes are defined as the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, When the direction along the X-axis is defined as the X-axis direction, the direction along the Y-axis is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the direction along the Z-axis is defined as the Z-axis direction, The casing and A vibration actuator comprising: an elastic support member extending in the X-axis direction and one end supported by the housing; a movable part having a movable body connected to the other end of the elastic support member and a magnet provided on the movable body; and a coil core part arranged opposite the magnet in the X-axis direction, wherein the movable body is displaced in the Y-axis direction while elastically deforming the elastic support member due to the electromagnetic action between the magnet and the coil core part, It has a pump section that operates by driving the aforementioned vibration actuator to discharge fluid, The pump section comprises an airtight chamber, a movable wall that changes the volume of the airtight chamber by driving the vibration actuator, an intake port for introducing the fluid into the airtight chamber, an intake valve that allows the fluid to enter the airtight chamber, an outlet for discharging the fluid from the airtight chamber, and an outlet valve that allows the fluid to be discharged from the outlet. As the volume inside the airtight chamber decreases due to the displacement of the movable wall, the discharge valve opens and the fluid inside the airtight chamber is discharged from the discharge port, and as the volume inside the airtight chamber increases due to the displacement of the movable wall, the intake valve opens and the fluid flows into the airtight chamber from the intake port. At least one of the intake valve and the discharge valve has a valve body having a first portion and a second portion located opposite each other with respect to the center, and a support portion that displaces the valve body, The support portion supports at least the second portion side, The pump is characterized in that the valve body is in an open state when the first portion is displaced more significantly in the opening direction than the second portion from a closed state.

[0012] (2) An airtight room and A movable wall that changes the volume of the aforementioned airtight chamber, An intake port for introducing fluid into the aforementioned airtight chamber, An intake valve that allows the fluid to flow into the airtight chamber, An outlet for discharging the fluid from the airtight chamber, It has a discharge valve that allows the discharge of the fluid from the discharge port, As the volume inside the airtight chamber decreases due to the displacement of the movable wall, the discharge valve opens and the fluid inside the airtight chamber is discharged from the discharge port. As the volume inside the airtight chamber increases due to the displacement of the movable wall, the intake valve opens and the fluid flows into the airtight chamber from the intake port. At least one of the intake valve and the discharge valve has a valve body having a first portion and a second portion located opposite each other with respect to the center, and a support portion that displaces the valve body, The support portion supports at least the second portion side, The pump unit is characterized in that the valve body is in an open state, with the first portion being displaced more significantly in the opening direction than the second portion from a closed state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] In the pump and the pump section of the present invention, the support portion supports at least the second portion side, so that when the valve body is in the closed state, the first portion is displaced more greatly in the opening direction than the second portion to bring the valve body into the open state. In this way, by making a part (the second portion) of the valve body less likely to move, the behavior of the valve body during opening and closing and the posture of the valve body in the open state are stabilized, and unnecessary vibration of the valve body can be effectively suppressed. Therefore, generation of sound (noise) caused by the vibration of the valve body can be effectively suppressed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a top view showing a pump of the prior art. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of a pump section provided in the pump shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the pump section shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the pump section shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] It is a top view showing the internal structure of the pump according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] It is an exploded perspective view of the pump shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is an exploded top view of the pump shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is an exploded perspective view of a vibration actuator included in the pump shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 10] It is a top view of the vibration actuator shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is an enlarged top view of the connection portion between the movable part and the housing. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 11, and is a view showing a state where the elastic support member fixing portion is inserted. [Figure 13] It is a bottom view of the pump shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 14] It is a top view of a pump section included in the pump shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the pump section. [Figure 16] Figure 5 is a circuit diagram showing the circuit configuration of the control board of the pump. [Figure 17] This is a top view illustrating the operation of the pump. [Figure 18] This is a top view illustrating the operation of the pump. [Figure 19] This is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the pump section while the pump is in operation. [Figure 20] This is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the pump section while the pump is in operation. [Figure 21] This is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the pump section during rapid exhaust. [Figure 22] This is a plan view showing the intake valve of the pump unit. [Figure 23] Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view of the CC line, showing the intake valve in a closed state. [Figure 24] This is a cross-sectional view showing the intake valve in the open position. [Figure 25] This is a cross-sectional view showing the intake valve in its natural state. [Figure 26] This is a plan view showing the intake valve of the pump according to the second embodiment. [Figure 27] This is a plan view showing the intake valve of the pump according to the third embodiment. [Figure 28] This is a cross-sectional view of the DD line in Figure 27. [Figure 29] This is a cross-sectional view of the EE line in Figure 27. [Figure 30] This is a top view showing the internal structure of the pump according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 31] Figure 30 is a circuit diagram showing the circuit configuration of the control board of the pump. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] The pump and pump section of the present invention will be described in detail below based on preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0016] <First Embodiment> Figure 5 is a top view showing the internal structure of the pump according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the pump shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is an exploded top view of the pump shown in Figure 5. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 7. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the vibration actuator in the pump shown in Figure 5. Figure 10 is a top view of the vibration actuator in Figure 9. Figure 11 is an enlarged top view of the connection point between the movable part and the housing. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Figure 11, showing how the elastic support member fixing part is inserted. Figure 13 is a bottom view of the pump shown in Figure 5. Figure 14 is a top view of the pump section in the pump shown in Figure 5. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the pump section. Figure 16 is a circuit diagram showing the circuit configuration of the control board in the pump shown in Figure 5. Figure 17 is a top view for explaining the operation of the pump. Figure 18 is a top view for explaining the operation of the pump. Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the pump section during pump operation. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the pump section during pump operation. Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the pump section during rapid exhaust. Figure 22 is a plan view showing the intake valve of the pump section. Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view along line CC in Figure 22, showing the intake valve in the closed state. Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view showing the intake valve in the open state. Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view showing the intake valve in its natural state.

[0017] For the sake of clarity, each diagram shows the three mutually orthogonal axes: the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. In the following, the direction along the X-axis will also be referred to as the "X-axis direction," the direction along the Y-axis as the "Y-axis direction," and the direction along the Z-axis as the "Z-axis direction." The side with the arrow on each axis will also be referred to as the "positive side," and the opposite side as the "negative side." Furthermore, the positive side of the Z-axis direction will be referred to as "up," and the negative side as "down."

[0018] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the pump 1 comprises a case 2, a vibration actuator 3 housed in the case 2, and a pair of pump sections 4A and 4B. The case 2 also comprises a housing 5 on which the vibration actuator 3 and pump sections 4A and 4B are arranged, and a cover 6 placed over the housing 5. The vibration actuator 3 comprises a movable part 7 that is pivotably supported in the Y-axis direction relative to the housing 5, a coil core part 8 fixed to the housing 5, and a control board 10 that controls the supply of power to the coil core part 8. Each of these parts will be described in turn below.

[0019] Case 2 As shown in Figures 5 and 6, Case 2 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped with its longitudinal direction in the X-axis direction and flattened in the Z-axis direction. Such Case 2 has a housing 5 in which the vibration actuator 3 and pump sections 4A and 4B are arranged, and a lid 6 that covers the housing 5 and conceals the vibration actuator 3 and pump sections 4A and 4B. The side walls of the lid 6 are formed only on both sides in the Y-axis direction, and not on both sides in the X-axis direction.

[0020] The constituent materials of the housing 5 and the lid 6 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the housing 5 is made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), a resin material, and the lid 6 is made of stainless steel, particularly SUS304, a metal material. By making the lid 6 out of a metal material in this way, the lid 6 functions as a shield. Therefore, electromagnetic noise radiated from inside the case 2 to the outside of the case 2 can be suppressed, and the impact on electronic equipment placed around the pump 1 can be reduced. It can also block electromagnetic noise received from outside the case 2, and the operation of the pump 1 can be stabilized. In particular, by making the lid 6 out of a non-magnetic material such as stainless steel, as in this embodiment, in addition to the above effects, magnetic coupling between the lid 6 and the vibration actuator 3 is prevented, and the operation of the vibration actuator 3 can be stabilized.

[0021] As shown in Figure 7, the housing 5 has a shape in which both corners on the positive side of the X-axis are cut out. The pump unit 4A is positioned in the cutout 50A located on the positive side of the Y-axis, and the pump unit 4B is positioned in the cutout 50B located on the negative side of the Y-axis. Furthermore, the cutout 50A and the pump unit 4A, and the cutout 50B and the pump unit 4B are approximately the same shape, and the plan view shape with the pump units 4A and 4B fixed to the housing 5 is a roughly rectangular shape with the X-axis as the longitudinal direction.

[0022] Such a housing 5 has a plate-shaped base 51 that extends in the XY plane, and side wall portions 52 that are erected above the outer edge of the base 51. The side wall portions 52 are not formed at the end on the negative side in the X-axis direction, but are arranged in a U-shape to surround the remaining three sides, namely the positive side in the X-axis direction and both sides in the Y-axis direction.

[0023] Furthermore, a through-hole 511 is formed in the base 51 at a position offset from the center of the base 51 towards the negative side in the X-axis direction, penetrating the base 51 in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction). The coil core portion 8 is positioned in the region Q1 that overlaps with the through-hole 511, and the movable portion 7 and the pump portions 4A and 4B are positioned in the region Q2 that is on the positive side in the X-axis direction from the through-hole 511.

[0024] Furthermore, the housing 5 is positioned in region Q3 located on the negative side of the X-axis direction from the through hole 511, and has a coil core positioning section 53 for positioning the coil core section 8 relative to the housing 5. As a result, deviation of the coil core section 8 from the design position is suppressed, and the drive of the pump 1 is stabilized. This coil core positioning section 53 has a pair of protrusions 531 and 532.

[0025] Furthermore, the housing 5 is positioned at the positive end in the X-axis direction and has a fixing portion 54 for fixing the elastic support members 72 and 73 (described later) to support the movable part 7. The fixing portion 54 is configured as part of the side wall portion 52 and has a first side wall portion 541 and a second side wall portion 542 that are arranged opposite each other in the Y-axis direction. The movable part 7 is then supported by the housing 5 so that it can swing freely by sandwiching the elastic support members 72 and 73 between the first and second side wall portions 541 and 542 using the elastic support member fixing portion 74 (described later). As shown in Figure 8, the bottom surface of the portion located between the first and second side wall portions 541 and 542, that is, the portion that overlaps with the elastic support member fixing portion 74, is located above the upper surface of region Q2. This effectively suppresses contact between the portions of the elastic support members 72 and 73 other than their base ends and the base 51, thereby stabilizing the drive of the movable part 7.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the housing 5 has a movable part positioning part 55 for positioning the movable part 7 relative to the housing 5. As a result, deviation of the movable part 7 from the design position is suppressed, and the drive of the pump 1 is stabilized. This movable part positioning part 55 has a concave portion 551 formed on the inner surface of the first side wall portion 541 (the surface facing the second side wall portion 542) and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a concave portion 552 formed on the inner surface of the second side wall portion 542 (the surface facing the first side wall portion 541) and extending in the Z-axis direction.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the housing 5 has a pump section positioning section 56 for positioning the pump sections 4A and 4B relative to the housing 5. Therefore, deviations from the design positions of the pump sections 4A and 4B are suppressed, and the driving of the pump 1 is stabilized. This pump section positioning section 56 has a pair of protrusions 561 and 562 that project from the side wall section 52 into the notch section 50A. The pump section 4A is inserted into the protrusions 561 and 562 and positioned in contact with the outer surface of the side wall section 52. Similarly, the pump section positioning section 56 has a pair of protrusions 563 and 564 that project from the side wall section 52 into the notch section 50B. The pump section 4B is inserted into the protrusions 563 and 564 and positioned in contact with the outer surface of the side wall section 52.

[0028] By positioning the pump sections 4A and 4B on the outside of the housing 5 in this way, the housing 5 can be made smaller and its rigidity can be increased. Furthermore, by making the wall thickness of the part of the side wall 52 that is in contact with the pump sections 4A and 4B sufficiently large, the rigidity of that part can be increased and unwanted vibrations of the pump sections 4A and 4B can be effectively suppressed. As a result, the operation of the pump 1 becomes stable.

[0029] The above describes Case 2. As mentioned above, the housing 5 has a coil core positioning section 53 for positioning the coil core section 8, a movable section positioning section 55 for positioning the movable section 7, and a pump section positioning section 56 for positioning the pump sections 4A and 4B. Therefore, all of the main parts of the pump 1, namely the coil core section 8, the movable section 7, and the pump sections 4A and 4B, are assembled using the housing 5 as a reference. Consequently, by simply assembling the coil core section 8, the movable section 7, and the pump sections 4A and 4B individually to the housing 5, their arrangement and relative positional relationships can be easily and accurately controlled. As a result, the manufacturing of the pump 1 becomes easier.

[0030] However, the configuration of Case 2 is not particularly limited. For example, at least one of the coil core positioning unit 53, the movable part positioning unit 55, and the pump part positioning unit 56 may be omitted.

[0031] ≪Vibration Actuator 3≫ As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vibration actuator 3 has a movable part 7 that is supported by the housing 5 so as to be able to swing in the Y-axis direction, and a coil core part 8 that is fixed to the housing 5. The movable part 7 is located in region Q2, and the coil core part 8 is located in region Q1.

[0032] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the movable part 7 has an elongated shape extending in the X-axis direction. The movable part 7 also includes a movable body 71, a pair of elastic support members 72 and 73 that support the movable body 71 so as to be able to swing in the Y-axis direction relative to the housing 5, an elastic support member fixing part 74 that fixes the pair of elastic support members 72 and 73 to the housing 5, a yoke 76 fixed to the movable body 71, and a magnet 77 fixed to the yoke 76.

[0033] The movable body 71 is located in the center of the housing 5. The movable body 71 also has a base portion 711, a pump section connecting portion 712 located on the positive side of the base portion 711 in the X-axis direction, and a pair of pressers 713 and 714 protruding from the pump section connecting portion 712 on both sides in the Y-axis direction.

[0034] The base portion 711 is plate-shaped, extending in the Y-axis direction and having thickness in the X-axis direction. The pump section connecting portion 712 is rod-shaped, with a smaller width (length in the Y-axis direction) than the base portion 711, and extending in the X-axis direction. Furthermore, the length in the Y-axis direction of the pump section connecting portion 712 decreases in stages toward the base end side (positive X-axis direction). This prevents contact between the pump section connecting portion 712 and the elastic support members 72 and 73 during operation. As a result, the operation of the pump 1 is stable. The pressers 713 and 714 are each positioned at the base end (positive X-axis direction end) of the pump section connecting portion 712. The presser 713 protrudes from the pump section connecting portion 712 toward the positive Y-axis direction, and the presser 714 protrudes from the pump section connecting portion 712 toward the negative Y-axis direction.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the pump section connecting portion 712 has a recess 712a formed on the side surface on the positive side in the Y-axis direction, and a projection 712b protruding from the bottom surface of the recess 712a toward the positive side in the Y-axis direction. Similarly, the pump section connecting portion 712 has a recess 712c formed on the side surface on the negative side in the Y-axis direction, and a projection 712d protruding from the bottom surface of the recess 712c toward the negative side in the Y-axis direction.

[0036] The material used to construct the movable body 71 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), a resin material, and the base 711, the pump section connecting part 712, and the pressers 713 and 714 are integrally molded.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a long yoke 76 extending in the Y-axis direction is fixed to the tip surface (side on the negative side in the X-axis direction) of the base portion 711. In addition, a long magnet 77 extending in the Y-axis direction is fixed to the tip surface (side on the negative side in the X-axis direction) of the yoke 76. The yoke 76 has the function of controlling the flow of magnetic flux from the magnet 77 and efficiently applying the magnetic flux from the magnet 77 to the coil core portion 8.

[0038] The material used to construct the yoke 76 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is made of SECC (Steel Electrolytic Cold Commercial), that is, electro-galvanized steel sheet. Alternatively, silicon steel sheet may be used as the material for the yoke 76.

[0039] The magnet 77 has a magnetic pole surface 771 facing the coil core portion 8. The magnetic pole surface 771 is a YZ plane extending in the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, S poles and N poles are alternately arranged along the Y-axis direction on the magnetic pole surface 771. In particular, the magnetic pole surface 771 of this embodiment is a three-pole magnetic pole surface, as shown in Figure 10, with N poles arranged on both sides of one S pole.

[0040] Magnet 77 is a permanent magnet and is made of, for example, an Nd sintered magnet.

[0041] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the pair of elastic support members 72 and 73 are arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction at a predetermined distance apart, sandwiching the pump section connecting portion 712 of the movable body 71 from both sides in the Y-axis direction. These elastic support members 72 and 73 each extend in the X-axis direction and have a shape that extends in the Y-axis direction with thickness. The elastic support members 72 and 73 are each fixed to the pump section connecting portion 712 at their tip ends (the ends on the negative side in the X-axis direction).

[0042] Specifically, as shown in Figure 10, the elastic support member 72 is inserted through the projection 712b of the pump section connecting portion 712 at its tip and abuts against the side surface of the pump section connecting portion 712. The elastic support member 72 is then fixed to the pump section connecting portion 712 by a fixing plate 791 inserted through the projection 712b from the outside. Similarly, the elastic support member 73 is inserted through the projection 712d of the pump section connecting portion 712 at its tip and abuts against the side surface of the pump section connecting portion 712. The elastic support member 73 is then fixed to the pump section connecting portion 712 by a fixing plate 792 inserted through the projection 712d from the outside. The fixing plates 791 and 792 are fixed to the projections 712b and 712d, respectively, by various fixing means such as adhesive, press-fitting, welding, and tightening.

[0043] Furthermore, the elastic support members 72 and 73 are fixed to the housing 5 by being sandwiched between the elastic support member fixing portion 74 and the first and second side wall portions 541 and 542 at their base ends (ends on the positive side in the X-axis direction). The elastic support members 72 and 73 also have concave notches 722 and 732 formed at their base ends (ends on the positive side in the X-axis direction) and opening on their upper surfaces. The notches 722 and 732 are used to position the elastic support members 72 and 73 relative to the housing 5, as will be described later.

[0044] Furthermore, the elastic support members 72 and 73 have through holes 721 and 731 that are widely formed in the center and penetrate both sides. The presser 713 is inserted through the through hole 721 of the elastic support member 72, and the presser 714 is inserted through the through hole 731 of the elastic support member 73. This avoids contact between the elastic support members 72 and 73 and the pressers 713 and 714, thereby stabilizing the drive of the vibration actuator 3. In addition, since the elastic support members 72 and 73 and the pressers 713 and 714 can be arranged in a crisscross pattern, it is no longer necessary to offset the pressers 713 and 714 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) relative to the elastic support members 72 and 73, thus enabling a lower profile for the pump 1.

[0045] The constituent material of the elastic support members 72 and 73 is not particularly limited, and may be an elastic synthetic resin material (for example, a thermoplastic elastomer). However, in this embodiment, it is made of a metallic material, bronze (an alloy of copper Cu and tin Sn), and in particular, phosphor bronze containing phosphorus P. Furthermore, the constituent shape of the elastic support members 72 and 73 is not particularly limited as long as it elastically supports the movable body 71 so that it can be displaced in the Y-axis direction relative to the housing 5. In this embodiment, it is made of a plate-shaped leaf spring, but for example, if it is made of a synthetic resin material, it may be made of a plate-shaped leaf spring or a columnar column spring, and if it is made of a metallic material, it may be made of a plate-shaped leaf spring or a linear or coil spring-shaped wire spring.

[0046] The elastic support member fixing portion 74 is a rectangular parallelepiped block. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the elastic support member fixing portion 74 is inserted, or more specifically, press-fitted, between the first and second side wall portions 541 and 542 formed in the housing 5. The elastic support member 72 is sandwiched between the elastic support member fixing portion 74 and the first side wall portion 541, and the elastic support member 73 is sandwiched between the elastic support member fixing portion 74 and the second side wall portion 542.

[0047] Furthermore, the elastic support member fixing portion 74 has a pair of protrusions 741 and 742 that are inserted into the concave portions 551 and 552 provided by the movable portion positioning portion 55. Protrusion 741 protrudes from the positive side of the Y-axis direction of the elastic support member fixing portion 74 and is inserted into the concave portion 551 formed in the first side wall portion 541 and the notch 722 provided by the elastic support member 72. Similarly, protrusion 742 protrudes from the negative side of the Y-axis direction of the elastic support member fixing portion 74 and is inserted into the concave portion 552 formed in the second side wall portion 542 and the notch 732 provided by the elastic support member 73. With this configuration, the elastic support members 72 and 73 and the elastic support member fixing portion 74 can be positioned relative to the housing 5 in a simple manner.

[0048] The material used for the elastic support member fixing portion 74 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), which is a synthetic resin material.

[0049] The movable part 7 has been described above, but the configuration of the movable part 7 is not particularly limited. For example, the movable body 71 may be supported by one elastic support member, or it may be supported by three or more elastic support members. Also, for example, the fixing plates 791 and 792 may be omitted, and the elastic support members 72 and 73 may be directly fixed to the movable body 71. The yoke 76 may also be omitted. Furthermore, the magnetic pole surface of the magnet 77 may be a single-pole or double-pole magnetic pole surface, or it may be a four-pole or more magnetic pole surface.

[0050] Next, the coil core portion 8 will be described. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the coil core portion 8 is located on the negative side of the X-axis direction of the movable body 71. Such a coil core portion 8 has a core portion 81 and a pair of coils 82 and 83 arranged on the core portion 81.

[0051] The core portion 81 has a base portion 811 extending in the Y-axis direction and a pair of core portions 812 and 813 extending from the base portion 811 in the positive X-axis direction. Through holes 811a and 811b are formed at both ends of the base portion 811, penetrating the upper and lower surfaces. As shown in Figure 7, the protrusions 531 and 532 of the coil core portion positioning portion 53 are inserted into the through holes 811a and 811b, thereby positioning the coil core portion 8 relative to the housing 5. Of the through holes 811a and 811b, the through hole 811b is an elongated hole extending in the Y-axis direction, allowing for dimensional errors between the housing 5 and the core portion 81 that may occur during manufacturing. Also, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, a control board 10 for controlling the supply of current to the coil core portion 8 is located on the upper surface of the base portion 811.

[0052] The core portions 812 and 813 are arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction. Each of the core portions 812 and 813 extends from the base portion 811 toward the positive side in the X-axis direction, with its tip facing the magnet 77. The tip surfaces of the core portions 812 and 813 form core pole surfaces 812a and 813a, respectively, which face the magnet pole surface 771. Core pole surface 812a faces the boundary between the N pole and S pole on one side (positive side in the Y-axis direction) of the magnet pole surface 771, and core pole surface 813a faces the boundary between the N pole and S pole on the other side (negative side in the Y-axis direction) of the magnet pole surface 771.

[0053] Furthermore, the core pole surfaces 812a and 813a are opposite the magnet pole surface 771 and are in the YZ plane parallel to the magnet pole surface 771. As will be described later, when the vibration actuator 3 is driven, the movable body 71 moves in the Y-axis direction. By arranging the core pole surfaces 812a and 813a parallel to the magnet pole surface 771, contact between them can be avoided while reducing the gap between them. Therefore, the driving efficiency of the vibration actuator 3 can be increased.

[0054] Furthermore, since the coil core 8 has two core magnetic pole surfaces 812a and 813a, and the magnet 77 has three magnetic pole surfaces 771, attractive and repulsive forces acting in the same direction can be simultaneously applied between the coil core 8 and the magnet 77 with a small number of magnetic poles. Therefore, it is possible to generate a larger thrust while reducing the cost of the coil core 8 and the magnet 77. As a result, a pump 1 is obtained that is low cost and has high driving efficiency.

[0055] The constituent material of the core portion 81 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is composed of SECC (Steel Electrolytic Cold Commercial), that is, an SECC laminate made by stacking multiple electro-galvanized steel sheets.

[0056] Coils 82 and 83 are formed by winding wire around cylindrical bobbins 84 located in the core sections 812 and 813. The materials used for the bobbins 84 and wire are not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the bobbins 84 are made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), a resin material, and the wire is made of polyurethane copper wire (UEW).

[0057] Furthermore, coils 82 and 83 are electrically connected to a control board 10 located on the upper surface of the base 811. The core 81 is then excited by applying an alternating voltage from the control board 10 to coils 82 and 83.

[0058] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, coils 82 and 83 are positioned overlapping with through holes 511 formed in the base 51 and are exposed to the outside of case 2 through the through holes 511. Therefore, heat from coils 82 and 83 can easily escape to the outside of case 2, effectively suppressing excessive temperature rise inside pump 1. In addition, core pole surfaces 812a and 813a are also positioned overlapping with the through holes 511. Therefore, the position and condition of core pole surfaces 812a and 813a can be visually confirmed from the outside of case 2 through the through holes 511.

[0059] Pump section 4A, 4B As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the pump sections 4A and 4B are arranged side by side with the movable section 7 in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, pump section 4A is located on the positive Y-axis side of the movable section 7, and pump section 4B is located on the negative Y-axis side. By arranging the pump sections 4A and 4B on both sides of the movable section 7 in the Y-axis direction in this way, they can be arranged in an efficient layout, reducing wasted space within the case 2 and enabling miniaturization of the pump 1. Furthermore, as will be described later, the diaphragm 416 and the movable body 71 can be arranged facing each other in the Y-axis direction, allowing the diaphragm 416 to be pressed efficiently.

[0060] Furthermore, pump units 4A and 4B have similar configurations, with pump unit 4B positioned in a position where pump unit 4A is rotated 180° around the X-axis (inverted). This configuration allows pump units 4A and 4B to be used interchangeably, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of pump 1.

[0061] The configurations of pump units 4A and 4B will be described below. However, since they have similar configurations, the description will focus on pump unit 4B, and the description of pump unit 4A will be omitted.

[0062] As shown in Figure 14, the pump section 4B has a longitudinal shape that extends in the X-axis direction. In other words, the pump section 4B extends in the same direction as the movable section 7. Therefore, the pump section 4B can be positioned in an efficient layout relative to the movable section 7, and the pump 1 can be made smaller.

[0063] The pump section 4B can discharge air (fluid). The pump section 4B is equipped with a rapid exhaust mechanism 45 and has a configuration in which a nozzle plate 411, a first valve plate 412, a sub-cover 413, a second valve plate 414, a chamber plate 415, and a diaphragm 416 as a movable wall are stacked in order from the outside (negative side in the Y-axis direction). Of these, the first valve plate 412, the second valve plate 414, and the diaphragm 416 are each made of an elastically deformable material such as rubber. The diaphragm 416 is inserted into the housing 5 through a through hole 521 formed in the side wall portion 52 of the housing 5 and is connected to a presser 714 of the movable part 7. Therefore, when the vibration actuator 3 is driven, the diaphragm 416 is pressed by the presser 714, and the diaphragm 416 deforms accordingly.

[0064] As shown in Figure 15, such a pump unit 4B has an airtight chamber 42 formed between the chamber plate 415 and the diaphragm 416. The airtight chamber 42 is connected to an intake port 43, which serves as an intake port for drawing in air from the outside, and an exhaust port 44, which serves as an exhaust port for discharging air from the airtight chamber 42. The intake port 43 and exhaust port 44 are each formed on the side surface of the nozzle plate 411 and are nozzle-shaped, protruding in the negative direction in the Y-axis direction. An intake valve B1 is provided between the airtight chamber 42 and the intake port 43 as an intake valve. The intake valve B1 is a check valve that allows air to flow from the intake port 43 into the airtight chamber 42 and restricts the discharge of air from the airtight chamber 42 to the intake port 43 (backflow of air). An exhaust valve B2 is provided between the airtight chamber 42 and the exhaust port 44 as an exhaust valve. The exhaust valve B2 is a check valve that allows air to be discharged from the airtight chamber 42 to the exhaust port 44 and restricts the inflow of air from the exhaust port 44 to the airtight chamber 42 (backflow of air). These intake valve B1 and exhaust valve B2 are each formed on the first valve plate 412.

[0065] Furthermore, the pump section 4B is equipped with a rapid exhaust mechanism 45. The rapid exhaust mechanism 45 has a first air chamber 451 connected to the exhaust port 44 on the downstream side of the exhaust valve B2 in the exhaust direction, and a rapid exhaust port 452 for discharging the air from the first air chamber 451. The first air chamber 451 and the rapid exhaust port 452 are each formed in the nozzle plate 411. The rapid exhaust port 452 is also orifice-shaped with a reduced diameter in part. A rapid exhaust valve B3 is provided between the first air chamber 451 and the rapid exhaust port 452 as a rapid discharge valve. The rapid exhaust valve B3 switches between a state that allows the discharge of air from the first air chamber 451 to the rapid exhaust port 452 and a state that restricts the discharge of air from the first air chamber 451 to the rapid exhaust port 452 by being displaced in the Y-axis direction. The rapid exhaust valve B3 is formed on the first valve plate 412 together with the intake valve B1 and the exhaust valve B2.

[0066] Furthermore, the rapid exhaust mechanism 45 has a second air chamber 453 connected to the airtight chamber 42 on the upstream side of the exhaust valve B2 in the exhaust direction. The second air chamber 453 is formed in the sub-cover 413. An exhaust valve B4 is provided between the second air chamber 453 and the airtight chamber 42. The exhaust valve B4 is a check valve that allows air to be discharged from the airtight chamber 42 to the second air chamber 453 and restricts the backflow of air from the second air chamber 453 to the airtight chamber 42. The exhaust valve B4 is formed in the second valve plate 414.

[0067] Furthermore, the second air chamber 453 is positioned overlapping the first air chamber 451 in the Y-axis direction and is spatially separated from the first air chamber 451 by the rapid exhaust valve B3. In other words, the first air chamber 451 and the second air chamber 453 are adjacent to each other via the rapid exhaust valve B3. Also, the second air chamber 453 has a smaller volume than the first air chamber 451 and is configured to build up pressure more easily than the first air chamber 451. The opening and closing of the rapid exhaust valve B3 is controlled by the pressure difference between the first air chamber 451 and the second air chamber 453. Specifically, if the pressure in the second chamber 453 is higher than the pressure in the first chamber 451, the rapid exhaust valve B3 is biased toward the first chamber 451 and closes (restricting the intake of air from the rapid exhaust port 452 into the first chamber 451). Conversely, if the pressure in the second chamber 453 is lower than the pressure in the first chamber 451, the rapid exhaust valve B3 is biased toward the second chamber 453 and opens (allowing the discharge of air from the first chamber 451 to the rapid exhaust port 452).

[0068] Furthermore, the rapid exhaust mechanism 45 has a fine leak port 454 that slowly exhausts the air in the second air chamber 453 to the outside of the pump section 4B. The leak port 454 is formed by a notch formed on the lower surface of the second valve plate 414 (the surface that contacts the sub-cover 413).

[0069] The pump sections 4A and 4B have been described above, but the configuration of the pump sections 4A and 4B is not particularly limited. For example, they do not need to be equipped with a rapid exhaust mechanism 45.

[0070] The basic configuration of pump 1 has been described above. Next, the driving method of pump 1 will be explained. Pump 1 has two driving methods: an "air supply mode" in which the vibration actuator 3 is driven to supply air discharged from the exhaust port 44 to the object W, and a "rapid exhaust mode" in which the air inside the object W is rapidly exhausted without driving the vibration actuator 3. Therefore, the air supply mode will be explained first.

[0071] In the air supply mode, a drive voltage Vm is applied from the control board 10 to the coil 82 to drive the vibration actuator 3. The circuit configuration of the control board 10 is not particularly limited as long as it can generate the drive voltage Vm, but for example, it can be a circuit using four MOSFETs (MOS field-effect transistors) as shown in Figure 16. In the figure, Rg is the gate resistance and Rgs is the gate-source resistance.

[0072] When a drive voltage Vm is applied to the coil 82 to drive the vibration actuator 3, the movable body 71 alternates between a first state in which it is displaced to the positive side in the Y-axis direction, as shown in Figure 17, and a second state in which it is displaced to the negative side in the Y-axis direction, as shown in Figure 18. In the first state shown in Figure 17, the core magnetic pole surface 812a on the positive side in the Y-axis direction is excited to the N pole, and the core magnetic pole surface 813a on the negative side in the Y-axis direction is excited to the S pole. Conversely, in the second state shown in Figure 18, the core magnetic pole surface 812a on the positive side in the Y-axis direction is excited to the S pole, and the core magnetic pole surface 813a on the negative side in the Y-axis direction is excited to the N pole.

[0073] In the first state shown in Figure 17, a thrust F1 in the positive direction of the Y-axis is generated by the magnetic force acting between the magnet 77 and the coil core 8. The movable body 71 is then displaced in the direction of the thrust F1, i.e., in the positive direction of the Y-axis, while elastically deforming the elastic support members 72 and 73 in the positive direction of the Y-axis. As a result, in the pump section 4A, as shown in Figure 19, the diaphragm 416 is pressed by the presser 713, reducing the volume inside the airtight chamber 42, and the air inside the airtight chamber 42 is discharged from the exhaust port 44. Conversely, in the pump section 4B, the diaphragm 416 is expanded by the presser 714, increasing the volume inside the airtight chamber 42, and air flows into the airtight chamber 42 from the intake port 43.

[0074] On the other hand, in the second state shown in Figure 18, a thrust F2 in the opposite direction to thrust F1 is generated by the magnetic force acting between the magnet 77 and the coil core 8. As a result, the movable body 71 is displaced in the direction of thrust F2, i.e., the negative direction of the Y-axis, while elastically deforming the elastic support members 72 and 73 in the negative direction of the Y-axis. As a result, in the pump section 4B, as shown in Figure 20, the diaphragm 416 is pressed by the presser 714, reducing the volume inside the airtight chamber 42, and the air inside the airtight chamber 42 is discharged from the exhaust port 44. Conversely, in the pump section 4A, the diaphragm 416 is expanded by the presser 713, increasing the volume inside the airtight chamber 42, and air flows into the airtight chamber 42 from the intake port 43.

[0075] Furthermore, when the diaphragm 416 is pressed and the air in the airtight chamber 42 is discharged from the exhaust port 44, the exhaust valve B4 opens and some of the air in the airtight chamber 42 is introduced into the second air chamber 453. The air introduced into the second air chamber 453 is slowly exhausted from the leak port 454, but since the amount of air supplied from the airtight chamber 42 is greater than the amount of air exhausted from the leak port 454, the pressure in the second air chamber 453 is maintained to be higher than the pressure in the first air chamber 451. In other words, in the supply air mode, the pressure in the second air chamber 453 is maintained to be higher than the pressure in the first air chamber 451. Therefore, the rapid exhaust valve B3 is biased toward the first air chamber 451 and maintained in a closed state that blocks the rapid exhaust port 452, thereby restricting the discharge of air from the rapid exhaust port 452. Then, when the vibration actuator 3 is stopped, the pressure inside the second chamber 453 gradually decreases due to exhaust from the leak port 454, eventually balancing with atmospheric pressure.

[0076] In this way, by alternating between the first state shown in Figure 17 and the second state shown in Figure 18, the state in which air is discharged from pump unit 4A and the state in which air is discharged from pump unit 4B alternately, and air is continuously discharged from pump 1. Therefore, air can be efficiently supplied to the target object W.

[0077] As mentioned above, the coil core 8 has two core magnetic pole surfaces 812a and 813a, and the magnet 77 has three magnetic pole surfaces 771 with alternating polarities in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, in the first state shown in Figure 17, that is, when the core magnetic pole surface 812a on the positive side in the Y-axis direction is the N pole and the core magnetic pole surface 813a on the negative side in the Y-axis direction is the S pole, a repulsive force in the positive Y-axis direction is generated between the core magnetic pole surface 812a on the positive side in the Y-axis direction and the N pole on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the magnet magnetic pole surface 771, and an attractive force in the positive Y-axis direction is generated between the core magnetic pole surface 812a on the positive side in the Y-axis direction and the S pole in the center of the magnet magnetic pole surface 771 in the Y-axis direction. Also, a repulsive force in the positive Y-axis direction is generated between the core magnetic pole surface 813a on the negative side in the Y-axis direction and the S pole in the center of the magnet magnetic pole surface 771 in the Y-axis direction, and an attractive force in the positive Y-axis direction is generated between the core magnetic pole surface 813a on the negative side in the Y-axis direction and the N pole on the negative side in the Y-axis direction of the magnet magnetic pole surface 771. These attractive and repulsive forces combine to produce a greater thrust F1.

[0078] Similarly, in the second state shown in Figure 18, that is, when the core pole surface 812a on the positive side in the Y-axis direction is the S pole and the core pole surface 813a on the negative side in the Y-axis direction is the N pole, an attractive force in the negative Y-axis direction is generated between the core pole surface 812a on the positive side in the Y-axis direction and the N pole on the positive side in the Y-axis direction of the magnet pole surface 771, and a repulsive force in the negative Y-axis direction is generated between the core pole surface 812a on the positive side in the Y-axis direction and the S pole at the center of the magnet pole surface 771 in the Y-axis direction. In addition, an attractive force in the negative Y-axis direction is generated between the core pole surface 813a on the negative side in the Y-axis direction and the S pole at the center of the magnet pole surface 771 in the Y-axis direction, and a repulsive force in the negative Y-axis direction is generated between the core pole surface 813a on the negative side in the Y-axis direction and the N pole on the negative side in the Y-axis direction of the magnet pole surface 771. These attractive and repulsive forces result in a larger thrust F2.

[0079] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the movable body 71 moves parallel to the Y-axis while elastically deforming the elastic support members 72 and 73 in an S-shape in the Y-axis direction. In other words, the movable body 71 moves in the Y-axis direction while maintaining a constant orientation (posture). As a result, the pressers 713 and 714 of the movable body 71 press the diaphragm 416 in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to its wall surface. Consequently, the diaphragm 416 deforms more significantly, increasing the airflow rate discharged from the pump sections 4A and 4B. Moreover, because the orientation of the movable body 71 can be kept constant, contact between the magnet 77 and the coil core section 8 can be avoided, and the gap between them can be made smaller. Therefore, the driving efficiency of the vibration actuator 3 can be increased.

[0080] The frequency of the drive voltage Vm applied to the coil 82 is approximately equal to the resonant frequency (natural frequency) of the movable body 71. The vibration actuator 3 is configured as a spring-mass system that supports the movable body 71 with a magnetic spring formed by the magnetic force acting between the coil core 8 and the magnet 77, a physical spring formed by the elasticity of the elastic support members 72 and 73, and an air spring (fluid spring) formed by the elasticity of the air in the airtight chamber 42. Therefore, the movable body 71 has a resonant frequency fr as shown in equation (1) below. Thus, by making the frequency of the drive voltage Vm approximately equal to the resonant frequency fr, the movable body 71 can be driven resonantly, and the pump 1 can be driven efficiently.

[0081]

number

[0082] The resonant frequency fr is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50Hz to 500Hz, and in this embodiment, it is set to 200Hz. With this configuration, the generation of sound (noise) associated with the vibration of the movable body 71 can be effectively suppressed, and the driving noise of the pump 1 can be kept even lower.

[0083] The supply air mode has been explained above. Next, the rapid exhaust mode will be explained. Unlike the supply air mode, the vibration actuator 3 is not driven in the rapid exhaust mode. As shown in Figure 21, in the rapid exhaust mode, air from inside the object W flows back and is introduced into the first air chamber 451 from the exhaust port 44, increasing the pressure inside the first air chamber 451. As mentioned above, in the supply air mode, the pressure inside the second air chamber 453 drops to atmospheric pressure after the vibration actuator 3 stops. Therefore, when air from inside the object W is introduced into the first air chamber 451, the pressure inside the first air chamber 451 becomes higher than the pressure inside the second air chamber 453. In other words, the pressure inside the first air chamber 451 becomes higher than the pressure inside the second air chamber 453. As a result, the rapid exhaust valve B3 is biased towards the second air chamber 453, opening the rapid exhaust port 452, and the air from inside the object W is rapidly discharged from the rapid exhaust port 452.

[0084] The rapid exhaust mode has been explained above. As mentioned earlier, the rapid exhaust port 452 has an orifice-like structure in which part of it is narrowed in diameter, and the amount of air flowing through the rapid exhaust port 452 is appropriately restricted. Therefore, the airflow within the rapid exhaust port 452 is stabilized, and unwanted vibrations, noise, etc., during rapid exhaust can be effectively suppressed.

[0085] The driving method of pump 1 has been explained above. In pump 1 as described above, the generation of noise from pump sections 4A and 4B is effectively suppressed by devising the configuration of the intake valve B1, exhaust valve B2, and exhaust valve B4 provided in pump sections 4A and 4B. Therefore, the configuration of the intake valve B1, exhaust valve B2, and exhaust valve B4 will be explained in more detail below.

[0086] As mentioned above, the intake valve B1 and exhaust valve B2 are formed from the first valve plate 412, and the exhaust valve B4 is formed from the second valve plate 414. Otherwise, the intake valve B1, exhaust valve B2, and exhaust valve B4 have similar configurations. Therefore, for the sake of clarity, the intake valve B1 will be described as a representative example below, and the descriptions of the exhaust valves B2 and B4 will be omitted.

[0087] As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the intake valve B1 has a frame-shaped base B11, a valve body B12 positioned inside the base B11, and an elastically deformable support portion B13 connecting the valve body B12 and the base B11. The base B11, valve body B12, and support portion B13 are integrally formed from the first valve plate 412.

[0088] A circular opening B111 is formed in the base B11, and the valve body B12 is concentrically positioned within the opening B111. The valve body B12 is located between the airtight chamber 42 and the intake port 43. When the valve body B12 opens, air is allowed to flow from the intake port 43 into the airtight chamber 42, and when the valve body B12 closes, backflow of air from the airtight chamber 42 into the intake port 43 is prevented.

[0089] Such a valve body B12 is a roughly circular plate shape and has a first main surface B12a located on the positive side of the Y-axis direction (towards the airtight chamber 42) and a second main surface B12b located on the negative side of the Y-axis direction (towards the intake port 43). The valve body B12 also has a first portion B121 located on the tip side (positive side of the X-axis direction) with respect to its center O and a second portion B122 located on the base side (negative side of the X-axis direction). Both the first portion B121 and the second portion B122 are semi-circular plates and are located on opposite sides of the center O of the valve body B12. Furthermore, the first main surface B12a of the first portion B121 is inclined, and the thickness of the valve body B12 (length in the Y-axis direction) gradually decreases toward the positive side of the X-axis direction (direction away from the second portion B122). With this configuration, the valve body B12 can be made lighter, and the rigidity of the valve body B12 itself can be easily reduced at the tip side (positive side in the X-axis direction) compared to the rigidity at the base side (negative side in the X-axis direction). In other words, the first part B121 side of the valve body B12 is softer than the second part B122 side.

[0090] Furthermore, the support portion B13 is located around the valve body B12 within the opening B111 and connects the valve body B12 to the base portion B11. The support portion B13 has a shape that is rotationally asymmetrical with respect to the center O of the valve body B12, and the support rigidity on the first portion B121 side of the valve body B12 is smaller than the support rigidity on the second portion B122 side. In other words, the support rigidity of the valve body B12 relative to the base portion B11 is softer on the first portion B121 side than on the second portion B122 side.

[0091] Specifically, the support section B13 has a pair of support arms B131 and B132. The support arms B131 and B132 are fan-shaped, radiating outwards from the valve body B12. Furthermore, the support arms B131 and B132 are positioned rotationally asymmetrically with respect to the center O of the valve body B12. In addition, both support arms B131 and B132 are located on the negative side of the X-axis with respect to the center O of the valve body B12 and are connected to the second part B122 of the valve body B12. In other words, the support section B13 supports only the second part B122 of the valve body B12 and does not support the first part B121. With this configuration, the support rigidity on the first part B121 side of the valve body B12 can be made smaller than the support rigidity on the second part B122 side with a simple configuration.

[0092] In this way, by making the first portion B121 of the valve body B12 itself softer than the second portion B122, and by making the support rigidity of the support portion B13 on the first portion B121 side less than the support rigidity of the second portion B122 side, the first portion B121 of the valve body B12 becomes more easily displaced in the opening direction (positive Y-axis direction) than the second portion B122. Consequently, as shown in Figure 24, when the volume of the airtight chamber 42 increases and air is drawn into the airtight chamber 42 from the intake port 43, the valve body B12 opens from the closed state as the first portion B121 displaces more significantly in the positive Y-axis direction than the second portion B122. Therefore, in the open state, the valve body B12 is in an inclined position around the Z-axis relative to its position in the closed state.

[0093] In this way, the valve body B12 is supported by a support part B13 having a rotationally asymmetric support position with respect to the center O, and a first part B121 that moves easily and a second part B122 that is relatively less mobile than the first part B121 are formed inside the valve body B12. This stabilizes the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing and the posture of the valve body B12 when it is open, effectively suppressing unwanted vibrations of the valve body B12. As a result, the generation of sound (noise) caused by vibrations of the valve body B12 can be effectively suppressed, and the pump 1 can be driven more quietly. Furthermore, because the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing and the posture of the valve body B12 when it is open are stabilized, the airflow within the pump sections 4A and 4B is stabilized, improving the driving characteristics of the pump sections 4A and 4B. In other words, more air can be discharged smoothly and without stagnation.

[0094] In this embodiment, as mentioned above, the support portion B13 supports only the second portion B122 and does not support the first portion B121. Therefore, the first portion B121 becomes more mobile, and sufficient opening (airflow) can be ensured when it is in the open state. Also, as mentioned above, the first main surface B12a of the first portion B121 is inclined to reduce the weight of the first portion B121. Therefore, even with this configuration, the first portion B121 becomes more mobile, and sufficient opening (airflow) can be ensured when it is in the open state.

[0095] Here, as shown in Figures 23 and 24, a recess 411a is formed in the portion of the nozzle plate 411 that overlaps with the intake valve B1, serving as a relief to avoid contact with the valve body B12 and the support portion B13. Furthermore, an annular valve support portion 411b is erected on the bottom surface of the recess 411a, surrounding the flow path connecting the intake port 43 and the airtight chamber 42. In other words, the valve support portion 411b is located on the opposite side of the opening direction from the valve body B12. In the closed state shown in Figure 23, the edge of the second main surface B12b of the valve body B12 abuts against the valve support portion 411b. With this configuration, the posture of the valve body B12 in the closed state is stable, and backflow of air can be more reliably prevented. Furthermore, fluctuations in the rigidity of the support section B13 due to contact with the nozzle plate 411 (fluctuations in the spring constants of the support arms B131 and B132) can be effectively suppressed, allowing the valve body B12 to open and close with the intended behavior. As a result, the behavior of the valve body B12 is stabilized, noise generation can be effectively suppressed, and the driving characteristics of the pump sections 4A and 4B are improved.

[0096] Furthermore, in the closed state, the valve body B12 is biased toward the valve support portion 411b (opposite to the opening direction). In other words, the valve body B12 is pressed against the valve support portion 411b. With this configuration, the valve body B12 and the valve support portion 411b are in close contact, effectively suppressing air leakage from between them, and further stabilizing the position of the valve body B12 in the closed state. There are no particular limitations on the method of biasing the valve body B12 toward the valve support portion 411b, but in this embodiment, the following configuration is used.

[0097] Figure 25 shows the first valve plate 412 before assembly. As shown in the figure, in the natural state before assembly (a state in which virtually no external force is applied), the valve body B12 is tilted in the opposite direction to the opening direction (negative Y-axis direction) rather than in a position approximately parallel to the base B11. Then, in the assembled state shown in Figure 23, the valve body B12 is displaced in the positive Y-axis direction while the support B13 is elastically deformed by the valve support 411b pressing against it from the negative Y-axis direction, correcting it to a position approximately parallel to the base B11. Therefore, in the closed state, the support B13 is elastically deformed in the opening direction, and the valve body B12 is biased toward the valve support 411b by its elastic force (restoring force). With this configuration, the valve body B12 can be biased toward the valve support 411b with a simple configuration.

[0098] Thus, by using the elastic force of the support portion B13 to press the valve body B12 against the valve support portion 411b, the second portion B122 of the valve body B12 becomes increasingly difficult to displace in the positive direction of the Y-axis. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 24, the valve body B12 opens and closes while the second portion B122 is in contact with the valve support portion 411b. In other words, the valve body B12 opens and closes with the second portion B122 as a pivot point, with the second portion B122 supported by the valve support portion 411b. Consequently, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state, become even more stable, effectively suppressing the generation of sound (noise) caused by vibration of the valve body B12, and further improving the driving characteristics of the pump portions 4A and 4B.

[0099] In this configuration, the intake valve B1 has a spring-mass structure in which the valve body B12 is supported by a physical spring formed by the elasticity of the support part B13. The resonant frequency (natural frequency) of the valve body B12 is set to be higher than the drive frequency of the pump sections 4A and 4B (200 Hz in this embodiment) and 700 Hz or less. With this configuration, the valve body B12 can be vibrated in the primary mode in the Y-axis direction when opening and closing, and the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing becomes even more stable.

[0100] Furthermore, in the intake valve B1, the resonant frequencies of other vibration modes are sufficiently separated from the resonant frequency of the primary vibration mode so that vibrations other than the primary vibration mode do not occur when the valve body B12 is opened and closed. In particular, it was found that in the intake valve B1, a secondary vibration mode in which the valve body B12 vibrates in the Y-axis direction and a torsional vibration mode in which the valve body B12 vibrates in a torsional mode around the X-axis are prone to occurring. Therefore, in this embodiment, the resonant frequency of the secondary vibration mode is set to 2000 Hz or higher, and the resonant frequency of the torsional vibration mode is set to 3000 Hz or higher. As a result, secondary vibration modes and torsional vibration modes are less likely to occur, and the behavior of the valve body B12 becomes even more stable.

[0101] The intake valve B1 has been described above. However, the configuration of the intake valve B1 is not particularly limited. The same applies to the exhaust valves B2 and B4. Furthermore, at least one of the intake valve B1, exhaust valve B2, and exhaust valve B4 only needs to have the above configuration (a configuration in which the first part B121 is displaced more than the second part B122), and the other valves may have a different configuration, for example, a configuration in which the valve body B12 is displaced in the Y-axis direction while maintaining its orientation.

[0102] The pump 1 has been described above.As mentioned above, when the three mutually orthogonal axes are defined as the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, and the direction along the X-axis is defined as the X-axis direction, the direction along the Y-axis is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the direction along the Z-axis is defined as the Z-axis direction, the pump 1 has a housing 5, elastic support members 72 and 73 extending in the X-axis direction with one end supported by the housing 5, a movable part 7 having a movable body 71 connected to the other end of the elastic support members 72 and 73 and a magnet 77 provided on the movable body 71, a coil core part 8 positioned opposite the magnet 77 in the X-axis direction, a vibration actuator 3 in which the movable body 71 is displaced in the Y-axis direction while elastically deforming the elastic support members 72 and 73 due to the electromagnetic action between the magnet 77 and the coil core part 8, and pump parts 4A and 4B that operate when driven by the vibration actuator 3 to discharge air (fluid). Furthermore, the pump sections 4A and 4B each include an airtight chamber 42, a diaphragm 416 as a movable wall that changes the volume of the airtight chamber 42 by the drive of the vibration actuator 3, an intake port 43 as an intake port for introducing air into the airtight chamber 42, an intake valve B1 as an intake valve that allows air to flow into the airtight chamber 42, an exhaust port 44 as an exhaust port for discharging air from the airtight chamber 42, and an exhaust valve B2 as an exhaust valve that allows air to be discharged from the exhaust port 44. When the volume inside the airtight chamber 42 decreases due to the displacement of the diaphragm 416, the exhaust valve B2 opens and the air inside the airtight chamber 42 is discharged from the exhaust port 44. When the volume inside the airtight chamber 42 increases due to the displacement of the diaphragm 416, the intake valve B1 opens and air flows into the airtight chamber 42 from the intake port 43. Furthermore, at least one of the intake valve B1 and the exhaust valve B2 has a valve body B12 having a first portion B121 and a second portion B122 located on opposite sides of the center O, and a support portion B13 that displaceably supports the valve body B12, the support portion B13 supporting at least the second portion B122 side, and the valve body B12 opens from the closed state when the first portion B121 is displaced more in the opening direction than the second portion B122. With this configuration, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state are stable, and unwanted vibrations of the valve body B12 can be effectively suppressed.Therefore, the generation of noise caused by vibrations of the valve body B12 can be effectively suppressed, and the pump units 4A and 4B can be driven more quietly. Furthermore, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the posture of the valve body B12 when open, are stabilized, which stabilizes the airflow within the pump units 4A and 4B and improves the driving characteristics of the pump units 4A and 4B.

[0103] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the support portion B13 supports both the first portion B121 and the second portion B122. The rigidity of the support portion B13 on the first portion B121 side is less than that of the support portion B13 on the second portion B122 side. As a result, the valve body B12 opens from the closed state with the first portion B121 displacing more in the opening direction than the second portion B122. With this configuration, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state, are more stable, and unwanted vibrations of the valve body B12 can be effectively suppressed. Therefore, the generation of sound (noise) caused by vibrations of the valve body B12 can be more effectively suppressed, and the pump sections 4A and 4B can be driven more quietly. Moreover, because the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state are stable, the airflow within the pump sections 4A and 4B is stabilized, and the driving characteristics of the pump sections 4A and 4B are improved.

[0104] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the pump sections 4A and 4B are located on the opposite side of the opening direction from the valve body B12 and have an annular valve support section 411b that contacts the valve body B12 when closed. With this configuration, the position of the valve body B12 is stable when closed. Therefore, backflow of air can be prevented more reliably.

[0105] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the valve body B12 is biased toward the valve support portion 411b when in the closed state. With this configuration, the valve body B12 and the valve support portion 411b are in close contact, effectively suppressing air leakage from between them, and further stabilizing the position of the valve body B12 when in the closed state.

[0106] Furthermore, as mentioned above, in its natural state, the valve body B12 is located on the opposite side of the closing direction compared to the closed state. In the closed state, the valve support portion 411b is pressed against the valve body B12, causing the support portion B13 to elastically deform in the opening direction. With this configuration, the valve body B12 can be biased towards the valve support portion 411b with a simple configuration.

[0107] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the valve body B12 remains in the open state with the second portion B122 in contact with the valve support portion 411b. With this configuration, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state are further stabilized, effectively suppressing the generation of sound (noise) caused by vibration of the valve body B12, and further improving the driving characteristics of the pump sections 4A and 4B.

[0108] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the support part B13 supports the second part B122 but does not support the first part B121. With this configuration, the first part B121 can move more easily, and a sufficient opening (airflow) can be ensured when it is in the open state.

[0109] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the thickness of the first portion B121 gradually decreases along the direction away from the second portion B122. With this configuration, the weight of the valve body B12 can be reduced.

[0110] As mentioned above, the pump units 4A and 4B each include an airtight chamber 42, a diaphragm 416 as a movable wall that changes the volume of the airtight chamber 42, an intake port 43 as an intake port for introducing air into the airtight chamber 42, an intake valve B1 as an intake valve that allows air to flow into the airtight chamber 42, an exhaust port 44 as an exhaust port for discharging air from the airtight chamber 42, and an exhaust valve B2 as an exhaust valve that allows air to be discharged from the exhaust port 44. When the volume inside the airtight chamber 42 decreases due to the displacement of the diaphragm 416, the exhaust valve B2 opens and the air inside the airtight chamber 42 is discharged from the exhaust port 44. When the volume inside the airtight chamber 42 increases due to the displacement of the diaphragm 416, the intake valve B1 opens and air flows into the airtight chamber 42 from the intake port 43. Furthermore, at least one of the intake valve B1 and exhaust valve B2 has a valve body B12 having a first portion B121 and a second portion B122 located on opposite sides of the center O, and a support portion B13 that displaceably supports the valve body B12, the support portion B13 supporting at least the second portion B122 side, and the valve body B12 opens from the closed state when the first portion B121 is displaced more in the opening direction than the second portion B122. With this configuration, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state are stable, and unwanted vibrations of the valve body B12 can be effectively suppressed. As a result, the generation of sound (noise) caused by vibrations of the valve body B12 can be effectively suppressed, and the pump units 4A and 4B can be driven more quietly. Furthermore, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the stable posture of the valve body B12 in the open state, stabilize the airflow within the pump sections 4A and 4B, thereby improving the driving characteristics of the pump sections 4A and 4B.

[0111] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the support portion B13 supports both the first portion B121 and the second portion B122. The rigidity of the support portion B13 on the first portion B121 side is less than that of the support portion B13 on the second portion B122 side. As a result, the valve body B12 opens from the closed state with the first portion B121 displacing more in the opening direction than the second portion B122. With this configuration, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state, are more stable, and unwanted vibrations of the valve body B12 can be effectively suppressed. Therefore, the generation of sound (noise) caused by vibrations of the valve body B12 can be more effectively suppressed, and the pump sections 4A and 4B can be driven more quietly. Moreover, because the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state are stable, the airflow within the pump sections 4A and 4B is stabilized, and the driving characteristics of the pump sections 4A and 4B are improved.

[0112] <Second Embodiment> Figure 26 is a plan view showing the intake valve of the pump according to the second embodiment.

[0113] Pump 1 in this embodiment is the same as pump 1 in the first embodiment described above, except that the configuration of the intake valve B1, exhaust valve B2, and exhaust valve B4 in pump sections 4A and 4B is different. Therefore, in the following description, this embodiment will be described mainly for the differences from the first embodiment described above, and similar matters will be omitted from the description. Also, in the figures of this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as in the previously described embodiment. Furthermore, since the intake valve B1, exhaust valve B2, and exhaust valve B4 have similar configurations, in the following description, as in the first embodiment described above, the intake valve B1 of pump section 4B will be described as representative, and the descriptions of the other valves will be omitted.

[0114] As shown in Figure 26, in the intake valve B1 of this embodiment, the support portion B13 has a support arm B133 in addition to support arms B131 and B132. Support arms B131 and B132 have the same configuration as in the first embodiment described above. In contrast, support arm B133 is located on the opposite side of support arms B131 and B132 with respect to the center O and is connected to the first portion B121 of the valve body B12. Furthermore, support arm B133 is thinner than support arms B131 and B132 and is curved in an S-shape. In addition, the imaginary line B14 connecting both ends in a straight line is inclined in the circumferential direction of the edge of the opening B111 with respect to the radial direction of the valve body B12.

[0115] In this way, by making the support arm B133 thinner and longer than the support arms B131 and B132, the rigidity of the support part B13 itself on the first part B121 side can be made lower than the rigidity of the second part B122 side. In other words, the support rigidity of the valve body B12 relative to the base B11 is softer on the first part B121 side than on the second part B122 side. Furthermore, by lightly supporting the first part B121 with the support arm B133, the behavior of the valve body B12 during opening and closing, and the posture of the valve body B12 in the open state are stabilized.

[0116] This second embodiment can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

[0117] <Third Embodiment> Figure 27 is a plan view showing the intake valve of the pump according to the third embodiment. Figure 28 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in Figure 27. Figure 29 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in Figure 27.

[0118] Pump 1 in this embodiment is the same as pump 1 in the first embodiment described above, except that the configuration of the intake valve B1, exhaust valve B2, and exhaust valve B4 in pump sections 4A and 4B is different. Therefore, in the following description, this embodiment will be described mainly for the differences from the first embodiment described above, and similar matters will be omitted from the description. Also, in each figure of this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as in the previously described embodiment. Furthermore, since the intake valve B1, exhaust valve B2, and exhaust valve B4 have similar configurations, in the following description, as in the first embodiment described above, the intake valve B1 of pump section 4B will be described as representative, and the descriptions of the other valves will be omitted.

[0119] As shown in Figure 27, in the intake valve B1 of this embodiment, the support portion B13 has three support arms B131, B132, and B133. The three support arms B131, B132, and B133 have the same configuration and are arranged at approximately equal intervals (120° intervals) in the circumferential direction of the valve body B12. The support arms B131 and B132 are connected to the second portion B122 of the valve body B12, and the support arm B133 is connected to the first portion B121. Thus, the support portion B13 of this embodiment has a shape that is rotationally symmetric with respect to the center O. Therefore, if the intake valve B1 is used as is, the valve body B12 will open and close by moving parallel in the Y-axis direction while maintaining its orientation, and the function of the present invention cannot be performed.

[0120] However, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 28 and 29, of the three support arms B131, B132, and B133, the support arms B131 and B132 connected to the second portion B122 have their root portions, which are on the outer peripheral edge side of the opening B111, sandwiched between the nozzle plate 411 and the chamber plate 415 located on both sides in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction). The portions of support arms B131 and B132 that are sandwiched between the nozzle plate 411 and the chamber plate 415 do not function as physical springs in substance. Therefore, only the portions of support arms B131 and B132 excluding their root portions function as physical springs, and consequently, their rigidity (spring constant) is higher than that of support arm B133. As described above, in this embodiment, the rigidity of the support arms B131 and B132 is increased by fixing the base portions of the support arms B131 and B132, thereby making the rigidity of the first portion B121 of the support part B13 lower than the rigidity of the second portion B122.

[0121] This third embodiment can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

[0122] <Fourth Embodiment> Figure 30 is a top view showing the internal structure of the pump according to the fourth embodiment. Figure 31 is a circuit diagram showing the circuit configuration of the control board of the pump shown in Figure 30.

[0123] Pump 1 in this embodiment is the same as pump 1 in the first embodiment described above, except that pump section 4A is omitted. Therefore, in the following description, this embodiment will be described mainly for the differences from the first embodiment described above, and similar matters will be omitted from the description. Also, in each figure of this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as in the previously described embodiment.

[0124] As shown in Figure 30, the pump section 4A is omitted in the pump 1 of this embodiment. In other words, the pump 1 of this embodiment has one pump section 4B. Furthermore, the circuit configuration of the control board 10 is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be a circuit using one MOSFET (MOS field-effect transistor) as shown in Figure 31. With such a configuration, the pump section 4A is omitted and the circuit configuration is simplified, so the cost of the pump 1 can be reduced.

[0125] This fourth embodiment can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

[0126] Although the pump and pump section of the present invention have been described above based on the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the configuration of each part can be replaced with any configuration having a similar function. Furthermore, any other components may be added to the present invention. In addition, the fluid that the pump 1 inhales and discharges is not limited to a gas such as air, but may also be a liquid such as ethylene glycol. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 1...Pump, 10...Control board, 2...Case, 3...Vibration actuator, 4A...Pump section, 4B...Pump section, 411...Nozzle plate, 411a...Recess, 411b...Valve support section, 412...First valve plate, 413...Sub cover, 414...Second valve plate, 415...Chamber plate, 416...Diaphragm, 42...Airtight chamber, 43...Intake port, 44...Exhaust port, 45...Rapid exhaust mechanism, 451...First air chamber, 452...Rapid exhaust port, 453...Second air chamber, 454...Leak port, 5...Housing, 50A...Notch, 50B...Notch, 51...Base, 511...Through hole, 52...Side wall section, 521... 53... Through hole, 53... Coil core positioning part, 531... Projection, 532... Projection, 54... Fixing part, 541... First side wall part, 542... Second side wall part, 55... Movable part positioning part, 551... Concave part, 552... Concave part, 56... Pump part positioning part, 561... Projection, 562... Projection, 563... Projection, 564... Projection, 6... Cover, 7... Movable part, 71... Movable body, 711... Base part, 712... Pump part connecting part, 712a... Recess, 712b... Projection, 712c... Recess, 712d... Projection, 713... Presser, 714... Presser, 72... Elastic support member, 721... Through hole, 722... Notch, 73... Elastic support part Material, 731...Through hole, 732...Notch, 74...Elastic support member fixing part, 741...Protrusion, 742...Protrusion, 76...Yoke, 77...Magnet, 771...Magnet pole surface, 791...Fixing plate, 792...Fixing plate, 8...Coil core part, 81...Core part, 811...Base part, 811a...Through hole, 811b...Through hole, 812...Core part, 812a...Core pole surface, 813...Core part, 813a...Core pole surface, 82...Coil, 83...Coil, 84...Bobbin, 9...Pump, 91...Shaft part, 92...Movable body, 93a...Magnet, 93b...Magnet, 94a...Coil core part, 94b...Coil core part , 941a...core part, 941b...core part, 942a...coil, 942b...coil, 95a...pump part, 95b...pump part, 950a...diaphragm, 950b...diaphragm, 951a...airtight chamber, 951b...airtight chamber, 952a...intake port, 952b...intake port, 953...exhaust port, 954a...intake valve, 954b...intake valve, 955a...exhaust valve, 955b...exhaust valve, B1...intake valve, B11...base part, B111...opening, B12...valve body, B121...first part, B122...second part, B12a...first main surface, B12b...second main surface, B13...support part,B131...Support arm, B132...Support arm, B133...Support arm, B14...Dysmall line, B2...Exhaust valve, B3...Rapid exhaust valve, B4...Exhaust valve, F1...Thrust, F2...Thrust, O...Center, Q1...Region, Q2...Region, Q3...Region, Vm...Drive voltage, W...Object

Claims

1. The three mutually orthogonal axes are defined as the X, Y, and Z axes. When the direction along the X-axis is defined as the X-axis direction, the direction along the Y-axis is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the direction along the Z-axis is defined as the Z-axis direction, The casing and A vibration actuator comprising: an elastic support member extending in the X-axis direction and one end supported by the housing; a movable part having a movable body connected to the other end of the elastic support member and a magnet provided on the movable body; and a coil core part arranged opposite the magnet in the X-axis direction, wherein the movable body is displaced in the Y-axis direction while elastically deforming the elastic support member due to the electromagnetic action between the magnet and the coil core part, It has a pump section that operates by driving the aforementioned vibration actuator to discharge fluid, The pump section comprises an airtight chamber, a movable wall that changes the volume of the airtight chamber by driving the vibration actuator, an intake port for introducing the fluid into the airtight chamber, an intake valve that allows the fluid to enter the airtight chamber, an outlet for discharging the fluid from the airtight chamber, and an outlet valve that allows the fluid to be discharged from the outlet. As the volume inside the airtight chamber decreases due to the displacement of the movable wall, the discharge valve opens and the fluid inside the airtight chamber is discharged from the discharge port, and as the volume inside the airtight chamber increases due to the displacement of the movable wall, the intake valve opens and the fluid flows into the airtight chamber from the intake port. At least one of the intake valve and the discharge valve has a valve body having a first portion and a second portion located opposite each other with respect to the center, and a support portion that displaces the valve body, The support portion supports at least the second portion side, The pump is characterized in that the valve body is in an open state when the first portion is displaced more significantly in the opening direction than the second portion from a closed state.

2. The support portion supports the first portion and the second portion. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the rigidity of the support portion on the first portion side is less than the rigidity of the support portion on the second portion side.

3. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump portion is located on the opposite side of the opening direction to the valve body and has an annular valve support portion that contacts the valve body in the closed state.

4. The pump according to claim 2, wherein the valve body is biased toward the valve support portion in the closed state.

5. In its natural state, the valve body is positioned on the opposite side to the closed state. The pump according to claim 4, wherein in the closed state, the valve support portion is pressed against the valve body, causing the support portion to elastically deform in the opening direction.

6. The pump according to claim 2, wherein the valve body is in the open state with the second portion in contact with the valve support portion.

7. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the support portion supports the second portion but does not support the first portion.

8. The pump according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first portion gradually decreases along a direction away from the second portion.

9. An airtight room, A movable wall that changes the volume of the aforementioned airtight chamber, An intake port for introducing fluid into the aforementioned airtight chamber, An intake valve that allows the fluid to flow into the airtight chamber, An outlet for discharging the fluid from the airtight chamber, It has a discharge valve that allows the discharge of the fluid from the discharge port, As the volume inside the airtight chamber decreases due to the displacement of the movable wall, the discharge valve opens and the fluid inside the airtight chamber is discharged from the discharge port. As the volume inside the airtight chamber increases due to the displacement of the movable wall, the intake valve opens and the fluid flows into the airtight chamber from the intake port. At least one of the intake valve and the discharge valve has a valve body having a first portion and a second portion located opposite each other with respect to the center, and a support portion that displaces the valve body, The support portion supports at least the second portion side, The pump unit is characterized in that the valve body is in an open state, with the first portion being displaced more significantly in the opening direction than the second portion from a closed state.

10. The support portion supports the first portion and the second portion. The pump unit according to claim 9, wherein the rigidity of the support portion on the first portion side is less than the rigidity of the support portion on the second portion side.

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