Vibration transmitting member, vibration transducer, flow meter, flow velocity meter, concentration meter, and manufacturing method using the same

Abstract

To provide a vibration propagation member that operates in conjunction with vibration means, a vibration transducer using the same, and an instrument using the same.SOLUTION: A vibration propagation member 2 operates in conjunction with one surface of vibrating means 1. The vibration propagation member 2 is formed of a top plate 3, a side wall 4, and a vertical partition 5 arranged substantially perpendicular to the top plate 3 and includes multiple membrane structures that are formed by the top plate 3 and the vertical partition 5. With this, vibration induced by the multiple membrane structures formed by the thickness of the vertical partition 5, the distance between the vertical partitions 5, the thickness of the top plate 3, etc. can be controlled individually.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vibration propagation member that operates by being joined to a vibration means, and to a measuring instrument using the vibration propagation member, such as a vibration transducer, a flow meter, a flow velocity meter, or a concentration meter. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, this type of vibration propagation member has been used as a disk made of a mixture of epoxy resin and minute glass spheres. This disk has been bonded to one side of a piezoelectric body and used as a vibration transducer or an ultrasonic measuring instrument using vibrations in the ultrasonic range (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-125804 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with a vibration transducer using the conventional vibration propagation member, it is difficult to ensure stable operation when the fluid to be measured is a corrosive fluid, or in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment or an extremely high-temperature environment.

[0005] Furthermore, the design of the vibration propagation member has a low degree of freedom, and can only be carried out in terms of thickness, outer dimensions, etc. The degree of freedom in frequency design is also low.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object to provide a vibration propagation member that can operate stably even when the fluid to be measured is a corrosive fluid or in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment, and that has a high degree of freedom in design. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Conventionally, the vibration means and the vibration propagation member that is joined to one surface of the vibration means and operates have been designed by selecting the material taking into consideration the density, sound speed, etc. of the vibration propagation member according to the medium that propagates the vibration, and by designing the shape and dimensions of the vibration propagation member, such as thickness and outer diameter. Furthermore, since the vibration propagation member is generally made of a single material, it has been difficult to control the partial characteristics of the vibration propagation member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The vibration propagation member of the present invention is formed by a top plate, side walls, and vertical partition walls arranged approximately perpendicular to the top plate, and is a vibration propagation member that uses vibrations generated in a plurality of film structures formed by the top plate and the vertical partition walls, and is configured so that vibrations induced in the plurality of film structures formed by the thickness of the vertical partition walls, the distance between the vertical partition walls, the thickness of the top plate, etc., which are components of the vibration propagation member, can be individually controlled. As a result, when it is used as a vibration transducer attached to a piezoelectric body, it is possible to individually control the thickness of the vertical partition walls, the distance between the vertical partition walls, and the thickness of the top plate, which constitute the plurality of film structures, and a vibration propagation member with a high degree of design freedom can be provided.

[0009] Furthermore, by making the space formed by the top plate, bottom plate, and vertical partition wall a sealed space, stable operation is possible even when exposed to a corrosive environment or a high-temperature, high-humidity environment.In addition, because vibration in the thickness direction is not used, the vibration propagation member itself can be made thinner. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member provided on one surface of the vibration means according to the first embodiment; [Figure 2] (a) is a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member according to the first embodiment; (b) is a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member according to the first embodiment taken along line X; [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the vibration propagation member in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing procedure of a vibration propagation member according to the first embodiment; [Figure 5]1 is a cross-sectional view of a vibration transducer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing procedure of the vibration transducer according to the first embodiment; [Figure 7] A correlation diagram between the distance between the vertical partition walls of the vibration propagation member and the membrane structure resonance frequency of the vibration propagation member in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] (a) is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a vibration propagation waveform measurement method, (b) is a diagram showing a waveform received by a vibration transducer in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] Graph showing the correlation between the sensitivity of the vibration transducer and the distance between the vertical partition walls in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between one membrane vibration f1, the other membrane vibration f2, and the received waveform in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] Schematic diagram of a flow meter and a flow velocity meter according to the first embodiment [Figure 12] Schematic diagram of a concentration meter according to the first embodiment [Figure 13] 10 is a cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member provided on one surface of the vibration means in the second embodiment. [Figure 14] (a) is a cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a second embodiment; (b) is a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member according to the second embodiment taken along line X; [Figure 15] 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the definitions of the vibration propagation member internal space pressure P1 and the vibration propagation medium pressure P2 in the second embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a second embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a second embodiment. [Figure 20] 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view including a side wall and a vertical partition wall of a vibration propagation member according to a second embodiment. [Figure 21] 10A and 10B are perspective views showing a manufacturing procedure of the vibration propagation member according to the second embodiment; [Figure 22]10 is a cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member provided on one surface of the vibration means in the third embodiment. [Figure 23] (a) is a cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a third embodiment; (b) is a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member according to the third embodiment taken along line X; [Figure 24] 11 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing procedure of the vibration propagation member according to the third embodiment. [Figure 25] (a) is a cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a fourth embodiment; (b) is a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member according to the fourth embodiment taken along line X; [Figure 26] (a) is a cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a fifth embodiment; (b) is a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member according to the fifth embodiment taken along line X; [Figure 27] 13 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing procedure of the vibration propagation member according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 28] (a) A cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to a sixth embodiment, (b) A cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to the sixth embodiment taken along a line X, and (c) A cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member according to the sixth embodiment taken along a line X. [Figure 29] 13 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing procedure of the vibration propagation member according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 30] Cross-sectional view of a vibration transducer according to a seventh embodiment. [Figure 31] 13A to 13C are cross-sectional views showing a manufacturing procedure of the vibration propagation member according to the seventh embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] (Findings that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the idea for this disclosure, in order to measure the flow velocity, flow rate, and concentration of the measured fluid, which was a flammable gas or dry air such as air, it was necessary to efficiently propagate vibrations such as ultrasonic waves to the measured fluid, and therefore it was necessary to control the physical properties of the vibration propagation member interposed between the measured fluid and the piezoelectric body used as one of the vibration means. The physical interpretation of the vibration transmission member described above is as follows.

[0012] First, the definition of acoustic impedance, which is the product of density and sound speed, indicates the momentum of the material that constitutes the infinitesimal unit element of that material. In other words, if the momentum of the material that constitutes the infinitesimal unit element is ΔP, the mass is ΔM, and the velocity is V, then from the definition of momentum, ΔP (momentum) = ΔM × V (acoustic impedance) (1) It can be seen that the acoustic impedance is the momentum of the material that constitutes the minute unit element.

[0013] Therefore, for efficient energy transmission from one material (ultrasonic wave source) to an adjacent material, it is desirable that the acoustic impedances are close to each other.

[0014] Based on these, the phenomenon that occurs in the acoustic matching layer will be described.

[0015] In general, the speed of sound in a material is V=(κ / ρ) 1 / 2 ···(2) Here, κ is the bulk modulus and ρ is the density. In other words, since the speed of sound in a material is uniquely determined by the bulk modulus and density, it is clear that it is difficult to intentionally control the speed of sound.

[0016] Therefore, reducing the density is effective in reducing the acoustic impedance. Such vibration propagation members have been designed by reducing the density and by determining the thickness, outer diameter, and other dimensions based on the sound speed in the propagation direction.Moreover, most of the constituent materials used are single materials or nearly uniform composite materials, making it difficult to partially control the characteristics of the vibration propagation member.

[0017] Furthermore, in the conventional configuration, when a high-temperature, high-humidity gas is assumed as the vibration propagation medium, moisture gets into the holes or through-holes in the vibration propagation member, and the density of the vibration propagation member appears to increase, which increases the acoustic impedance of the acoustic matching body and reduces the efficiency of vibration propagation to the vibration propagation medium. As a result, there is a problem that the performance of measuring instruments using this, such as flow meters and concentration meters, is reduced, or in the worst case, measurements become impossible.

[0018] The inventors of the present application have found such problems in the prior art and have come to constitute the subject of the present disclosure in order to solve the problems.

[0019] The present disclosure provides a vibration propagation member that has a high degree of freedom in design and is capable of propagating vibrations stably and with high precision for a long period of time, even when the vibration propagation medium is a high-temperature, high-humidity fluid. It also provides a vibration transducer formed by bonding this vibration propagation member to one surface of a vibrating means, and a measuring instrument using the same, such as a flow meter, a flow velocity meter, or a concentration meter.

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary detailed description may be omitted. For example, detailed description of well-known matters or redundant description of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0021] The accompanying drawings and the embodiments described below are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and each illustrates an example of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0022] In the following embodiments, for convenience, three axes, X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, are shown in the drawings showing the shapes of the components of the present disclosure, and the description will be made using the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis as necessary. In the following embodiments, for convenience, when the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver is arranged in the orientation shown in FIG. 1, the direction from left to right on the paper surface of FIG. 1 is defined as the positive X-axis direction, and the direction from bottom to top on the paper surface of FIG. The upward direction is the positive Z-axis direction, and the direction from the front to the back on the paper surface of FIG. 1 is the positive Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the size of a component parallel to the Z-axis is sometimes referred to as "thickness," and the positive Z-axis direction is sometimes referred to as "upper" or "upward," and the negative Z-axis direction is sometimes referred to as "lower" or "downward." The descriptions using the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, top, and bottom are merely for convenience to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure, and the terms "up" and "down" are relative terms that change depending on the installation orientation of the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited by the descriptions using these terms in the following embodiments.

[0023] (Embodiment 1) 1 to 12, the vibration propagation member of the first embodiment, a vibration transducer using this vibration propagation member, and a flow meter and a concentration meter using this vibration transducer will be described below.

[0024] [1-1. Vibration transmission components] [1-1-1. Configuration of vibration transmission components] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the configuration of the vibration propagation member 2 provided on one surface of the vibration means 1 in the first embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view on the XZ plane) of the vibration propagation member 2 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis). As shown in FIG. 1, the vibration propagation member 2 is surface-bonded to one surface of the vibration means 1 and vibrates in response to the vibration of the vibration means 1. The vibration propagation member 2 is composed of a top plate 3, a side wall 4, and a vertical partition wall 5 formed approximately perpendicular to the top plate 3. The space formed by the top plate 3, the vertical partition wall 5, and the vibration means 1 can be an enclosed space 6, and depending on the purpose, it can be an enclosed space, and in some cases, a through-hole can be provided so that the space is continuous with the vibration propagation medium via the through-hole.

[0025] Next, the internal structure of the vibration propagation member 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the vibration propagation member 2 according to the first embodiment.

[0026] 2(a) shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XZ plane) of the vibration propagation member 2 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis). FIG. 2(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 2(a), i.e., a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XY plane) of the vibration propagation member 2 cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (parallel to the XY plane). The letter T in the figure indicates the thickness of the vibration transmission member 2 (parallel to the Z axis) indicated by the arrow. The cross-section of the vibration propagation member 2 perpendicular to the thickness direction is formed, for example, in a lattice shape, as shown in FIG. 2(b). The membrane structure 7, which is composed of the top plate 3 and the vertical partition walls 5, has a natural vibration depending on the thickness of the top plate 3 and the distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 5. The distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 5 differs between one membrane structure 8 and the other membrane structure 9.

[0027] Other vibration propagation members 2 having different distances between opposing vertical partition walls 5 are also conceivable, and three cross-sectional shapes are shown in FIG. 3 as examples.

[0028] 3(a) to 3(c) show cross-sectional views of vibration propagation members cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the vibration propagation member 2 (parallel to the XY plane) in the present embodiment 1, in which the distance between opposing vertical partition walls 5 is different. All of the cross-sectional views of Fig. 3(a) to 3(c) show a structure having a film structure formed with a plurality of different distances between the vertical partition walls.

[0029] [1-1-2. Manufacturing procedure for vibration transmission components] Next, a manufacturing procedure for the vibration propagation member 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0030] 4 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing procedure for the vibration propagation member 2 in the embodiment 1. The manufacturing process for the vibration propagation member 2 proceeds in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d) shown in FIG.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 4(a), first, a metal plate 10 large enough to cut out multiple pattern structures and multiple metal plates 10 from which individual pattern structures can be cut are prepared. FIG. 4(a) shows one metal plate 10. Next, as shown in FIG. 4(b), a metal plate 11 is patterned into a circular shape to form the top plate 3 from the metal plate 10, and a metal plate 12 is patterned into the side walls 4 and vertical partition walls 5 of the vibration propagation member 2, and these are fabricated individually or simultaneously. For patterning the metal plate 10, for example, stamping of the metal plate 10, etching by photolithography, laser processing, or processing using a discharge wire can be used.

[0032] In this disclosure, an example is shown in which the metal plate 11 patterned into a circular shape to form the top plate 3 and the patterned metal plate 12 are formed so that their outer shapes are circular (disk-shaped) when viewed from above (when viewed parallel to the Z axis). However, this is merely an example, and the outer shapes of the top plate 3 and the patterned metal plate 12 shown in this disclosure are not limited to circular (disk-shaped) shapes, and may be elliptical or polygonal.

[0033] Next, as shown in FIG. 4( c), the multiple patterned metal plates 12 and the top plate 3 are stacked in order while being positioned. Specifically, a predetermined number of patterned metal plates 12 are first stacked. Next, the top plate 3 is stacked on the top surface of the multiple patterned metal plates 12 (the surface on the positive Z-axis side of the patterned metal plate 12 located at the farthest end in the positive Z-axis direction). Next, the patterned metal plates are bonded together by diffusion bonding, an example of direct bonding, under heat and pressure in a vacuum environment to form an integrated material. For example, in the case of stainless steel, the melting point is approximately 1500°C, while the temperature during diffusion bonding is approximately 1000°C. Therefore, if the multiple stacked metal plates 12 and the top plate 3 are made of stainless steel, heating them to this temperature in a vacuum and applying pressure will diffuse the atoms at the bonding interface and bond them without melting the base material.

[0034] Because diffusion bonding requires flatness, depending on the processing method shown in Figure 4(c), post-processing may be required after the process shown in Figure 3(b) to remove burrs or deformations on the circularly patterned metal plate 11 and the patterned metal plate 12. In addition, fusion welding, in which a portion of the base material is melted, is also considered as a direct bonding method. In this case, multiple metal plates can be bonded together by heating stainless steel to approximately 1500°C. Another method for through-metal bonding is to use epoxy resin or cyanoacrylate adhesives, which are considered as bonding materials between the metal plates. Additionally, brazing is also possible when inorganic materials are used as bonding materials.

[0035] By the above manufacturing procedure, it is possible to produce the vibration propagation member 2 of the present embodiment 1, in which each metal patterning is bonded by the bonding method exemplified in this embodiment, as shown in (d) of Figure 4. Note that in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the vibration propagation member is formed to have a cylindrical outer shape, but this is merely an example, and the shape of the vibration propagation member shown in this disclosure is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be an elliptical cylinder or a polygonal cylinder.

[0036] [1-2. Vibration Transducer] [1-2-1. Vibration Transducer Configuration] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the configuration of the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XZ plane) of the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis).

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5, the vibration transducer 14 includes one electrode 15 and another electrode 16. The vibration transmitting member 2 is joined to one surface of the vibration means 1 , and lead wires 18 and 19 are electrically connected to electrodes 15 and 16 of the vibration means 1 .

[0038] [1-2-2. Vibration Transducer Manufacturing Procedure] Next, a manufacturing procedure for the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0039] 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing procedure for the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 according to the embodiment 1. The manufacturing process for the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 proceeds in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d) shown in FIG.

[0040] FIG. 6(a) shows a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member 2 described in the first embodiment, and FIG. 6(b) shows a cross-section of the vibration means 1, which includes one electrode 15 and the other electrode 16, with a bonding material 17 applied to the surface of one electrode 15. This bonding material 17 can be bonded using a common adhesive, such as an epoxy adhesive, a phenolic adhesive, or a cyanoacrylate adhesive. The bonding material 20 is not particularly limited as long as it is a thermosetting resin, such as an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, a polyester resin, or a melamine resin. In some cases, even a thermoplastic resin can be used as long as its glass point transition is below 70°C, which is the high temperature for use.

[0041] Fig. 6(c) shows a state in which the vibration means 1 and the vibration propagation member 2 are joined by chemically reacting these joined bodies 17. Fig. 6(d) shows a state in which one electrode 15 and the other electrode 16 provided on the vibration means 1 are electrically joined to lead wires 18 and 19 by soldering, and the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 according to the first embodiment is completed.

[0042] [1-2-3. Vibration Transducer Operation, Action and Effects] The operation of the vibration transducer 14 will now be described. As an example of the vibration means 1, a piezoelectric vibrator is used.

[0043] In the vibration transmitter / receiver 14, a sine wave or square wave electric pulse of a predetermined frequency is applied via one lead wire 18 and the other lead wire 19 of the piezoelectric vibrator used as the vibration means 1, and this electric pulse vibrates the piezoelectric vibrator, which is the vibration means 1, and this vibration is transmitted to the top plate 3 via the vertical partitions 5 of the vibration propagation member 2. At this time, by changing the shape of the vibration propagation member 2, the shape of the top plate 3 of the vibration propagation member 2 and the vertical partitions 5 formed in the internal space of the side walls 4, the thickness of the vertical partitions 5, the distance between the vertical partitions, the thickness of the side walls 4, and the thickness T of the vibration propagation member 2, the vibration transmitted to the vibration propagation member 2 resonates greatly, and it becomes possible to efficiently transmit the vibration to the vibration propagation medium such as gas or liquid to which the vibration is to be transmitted. As a result, it is possible to control the characteristics of the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 with many design parameters (shape of the vibration propagation member 2, shape of the vertical partitions 5, thickness of the vertical partitions 5, distance between the vertical partitions 5, thickness of the side walls 4, thickness T of the vibration propagation member 2, etc.), which shows that there is a high degree of freedom in designing the vibration propagation member 2.

[0044] [1-2-4. Correlation between vibration transmission member structure and vibration transducer characteristics] 7 to 9, the correlation between the film structure of the vibration propagation member 2 and the characteristics of the vibration transducer 14 will be described.

[0045] Fig. 7 shows the correlation between the distance between the vertical partition walls of the vibration propagation member 2 and the resonance frequency of the vibration propagation member 2 in the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 7, by changing the distance between the vertical partition walls, it is possible to control the resonance frequency of the membrane structure.

[0046] Figure 8(a) shows a cross-sectional view of a method for measuring a vibration propagation waveform. When a transmission pulse wave is transmitted from a transmission wave generator to a vibration transducer 14a, the vibration means 1a of the vibration transducer 14a vibrates at a frequency corresponding to the transmission pulse. This vibration causes the vibration propagation member 2a to resonate, amplifying the vibration and propagating it through the vibration propagation medium. When the propagated vibration reaches a vibration transducer 14b, located a certain distance away, the vibration propagation member 2b of the vibration transducer 14b resonates, causing the vibration means 1b to vibrate. This vibration is converted into an electrical signal by the vibration means 1b and can be measured by a received wave measuring instrument. Figure 8(b) shows a received waveform measured using Figure 8(a). The value from the maximum to minimum value of the waveform shown in this figure is called the sensitivity.

[0047] FIG. 9 shows the correlation between the sensitivity of the vibration transducer 14 in the first embodiment and the distance between the vertical partition walls.

[0048] The sensitivity shows a maximum value for the vibration propagation efficiency depending on the distance between the vertical partitions. This is presumably because the natural vibration induced in the membrane structure 7 formed by the distance between the vertical partitions and the thickness of the top plate 3 with respect to the vibration frequency of, for example, a piezoelectric body used as the vibration means, resonates greatly with the vibration of the vibration means 1 by changing the distance between the vertical partitions, causing the sensitivity to show a maximum. The resonance frequency of this resonant vibration can be controlled by controlling the distance between the vertical partitions, the thickness of the top plate, the thickness of the vertical partitions, etc. of the membrane structure 7 formed by the vertical partitions 5 and the top plate 3.

[0049] The vibration propagation member in this embodiment has a structure that has vibrations generated by multiple membrane structures formed by the top plate 3 and vertical partitions 5, and by controlling the distance between the vertical partitions so that one membrane structure is formed and the other membrane structure is formed, for example as shown in Figure 9, it is possible to create a highly sensitive vibration transmitter / receiver 14.

[0050] Figure 10(a) shows the received waveform when the vibration waveform measurement method of Figure 8(a) is used. This shows the received waveform when the resonant frequency of the vibration induced by one membrane structure 8 of the vibration propagation member 2 of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as one membrane vibration resonant frequency f1) is 485 kHz and the resonant frequency of the vibration induced by the other membrane structure 9 (hereinafter referred to as the other membrane vibration resonant frequency f2) is 515 kHz, with the difference in resonant frequency (f2-f1) being 30 kHz. Figure 10(b) shows the received waveform when the resonant frequency of the vibration induced by one membrane structure 8 is 475 kHz and the resonant frequency of the vibration induced by the other membrane structure 9 is 525 kHz, with the difference in resonant frequency being 50 kHz.

[0051] In various measurement systems, when a large waveform (sensitivity) is required, the design should be such that the received wave shown in Fig. 10(a) is obtained, and when a waveform with a smaller wave number is required, the design should be such that the received wave shown in Fig. 10(b) is obtained. By assuming the received waveform according to the required system and changing the structure of the vibration propagation member 2, it becomes possible to support various measurement systems. One membrane vibration resonance frequency f1 and the other membrane vibration resonance frequency f2 can be controlled independently by using the vibration propagation member of this embodiment, so that by using the vibration propagation member 2 of this embodiment, the vibration propagation waveform can also be designed relatively freely.

[0052] [1-2-5. Effects and Actions] As described above, in this embodiment, the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 of this embodiment comprises a vibration means 1 and a vibration propagation member that operates by being joined to one surface of the vibration means, and the vibration propagation member 2 is formed by a top plate 3, a side wall 4, and a vertical partition 5 arranged approximately perpendicular to the top plate 3, thereby making it possible to control the vibration induced by the membrane structure 7 formed by the thickness of the vertical partition, the distance between the vertical partitions, the thickness of the top plate, etc., and when the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 is configured to have multiple membrane structures and is attached to the vibration means, it is possible to freely control the frequency of the vibrations transmitted and received, and a vibration propagation member 2 with a high degree of design freedom can be obtained.

[0053] Furthermore, by making the space formed by the top plate 3, vertical partition wall 5, and vibration means 1 into a sealed space 6, stable operation is possible even when exposed to a corrosive environment or a high-temperature, high-humidity environment. In addition, because vibration in the thickness direction is not used, the vibration propagation member itself can be made thinner.

[0054] [1-3. Flow meter or flow meter] [1-3-1. Configuration of a velocity meter or flow meter] Next, the flow meter of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Note that although flow meter 23 will be described below, this flow meter 23 can be replaced with flow velocity meter 24. In that case, the flow rate in the following description should be read as flow velocity. Alternatively, the measuring instrument shown in Fig. 11 may be a measuring instrument that can measure both flow rate and flow velocity.

[0055] FIG. 11 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of flowmeter 23 according to the first embodiment.

[0056] In the flow meter 23 of this embodiment 1, the ultrasonic range is exemplified as the vibration frequency range to be transmitted and received, the vibration transmitter / receiver is an ultrasonic transmitter / receiver that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and the flow meter is called an ultrasonic flow meter.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 11, flowmeter 23 of this embodiment is configured such that a pair of ultrasonic transmitter / receivers 26, 27 using the configuration of vibration transmitter / receiver 14 shown in embodiment 1 are arranged facing each other upstream and downstream of flow path 25 through which a fluid flows. The direction of fluid flow in flow path 25 is indicated by arrows. On the page of Fig. 11, the left side is the upstream side of flow path 25 and the right side is the downstream side of flow path 25. In Fig. 4, dashed arrow L1 indicates the propagation path of vibrations propagating from ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 26 arranged on the upstream side to ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 27. In Fig. 4, dashed arrow L2 indicates the propagation path of vibrations propagating from ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 27 arranged on the downstream side to ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 26. In addition, the flow meter 23 of this embodiment is equipped with a timing device 28 to which the ultrasonic transmitters and receivers 26 and 27 are connected, which measures the time it takes for vibrations to travel from one side of the ultrasonic transmitters and receivers 26 and 27 to the other side, and a calculation means 29 to which the timing device 28 is connected, which calculates the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the flow path 25 from the time it takes for the ultrasonic waves to travel between the two sides of the ultrasonic transmitters and receivers 26 and 27.

[0058] 11 is used as the flow meter 24, the flow meter 24 has the same configuration as the flow meter 23, but the calculation means 29 calculates the flow velocity of the fluid flowing through the flow path 25 from the arrival time of the ultrasonic waves obtained by the timing device 28. The calculation means 29 may be configured to calculate both the flow velocity and the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the flow path 25.

[0059] [1-5. Measurement operation of a flow meter or velocity meter] The flow velocity of the fluid flowing through the flow path 25 is V, the velocity of the ultrasonic waves in the fluid is C (not shown), and the angle between the direction of the fluid flow and the direction of vibration propagation is θ. When the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 26 is used as an ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 27 is used as a vibration receiver, the propagation time t1 until the vibration emitted from the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 26 reaches the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 27 is expressed by the following equation (3): t1=L / (C+Vcosθ) (3) Next, the propagation time t2 required for the vibration pulse emitted from the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 27 to reach the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 26 is expressed by the following equation (4).

[0060] t2=L / (C-Vcosθ) (4) Then, by eliminating the sound speed C of the fluid from both equations (3) and (4), we obtain the following equation (5).

[0061] V=L / 2cosθ(1 / t1-1 / t2) ···(5) If L and θ are known, the flow velocity V can be obtained by measuring t1 and t2 using the timer 28. In addition, the flow rate Q can be obtained by multiplying this flow velocity V by the cross-sectional area S and the correction coefficient K using the calculation means 29. The calculation means 29 in the flowmeter 23 calculates the above Q=KSV.

[0062] [1-3-2. Effect of flow meter or velocity meter] As described above, in this embodiment, the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 of this embodiment is a vibration means 1 and a vibration propagation member that operates by being joined to one surface of the vibration means, and the vibration propagation member 2 is a vibration propagation member 2 formed by the top plate 3, the side wall 4, and the vertical partition 5 arranged approximately perpendicular to the top plate 3, so that the vibrations induced by the membrane structure 7 formed by the thickness of the vertical partition, the distance between the vertical partitions, the thickness of the top plate, etc. can be individually controlled, and when a configuration is made with multiple such membrane structures and a vibration transmitter / receiver 14 with a vibration means attached, it is possible to freely control the frequency of the vibrations to be transmitted and received, and a vibration propagation member 2 with a high degree of design freedom can be made, so that it can easily be made into a vibration transmitter / receiver suitable for use as a flow meter or flow meter, and as a result, high-precision and stable flow velocity and flow rate measurement is possible.

[0063] Furthermore, by forming the space formed by the top plate 3, vertical partition wall 5, and vibration means 1 into a sealed space 6, it becomes possible to directly measure the flow velocity and flow rate of a corrosive fluid or a high-temperature, high-humidity fluid as the measurement target. In addition, since the vibration propagation member 2 does not use vibration in the thickness direction, it is possible to make the vibration propagation member 2 itself thinner, and the vibration transducer 14 can also be made smaller, making it possible to make the flow velocity meter and flow meter smaller.

[0064] [1-4. Densitometer] [1-4-1. Concentration meter configuration and measurement principle] The operation of a gas concentration meter using ultrasonic waves will be described with reference to FIG.

[0065] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a densitometer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the concentration meter 30 of this embodiment 1, the ultrasonic range is exemplified as the vibration frequency range to be transmitted and received, the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 is an ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 33, 34 that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and the concentration meter is called an ultrasonic concentration meter.

[0066] The concentration meter of the present invention includes a housing 31 having a space for measuring the gas concentration, and the housing 31 is provided with an air vent 32 for ventilating the fluid to be measured. The shape of the concentration measurement space in the housing 31 may be, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped or cylindrical. The concentration measurement space does not necessarily have to be surrounded on all sides by the walls of the housing 31, as long as it is a space that can at least transmit and receive ultrasonic waves. For example, a portion of the housing 31 may be missing, and the concentration measurement space may be open to the outside at the missing portion.

[0067] The concentration meter has a pair of ultrasonic transmitters 33, 34 arranged facing each other within a housing 31, and further houses a temperature sensor 35, and is connected to a timing device 36 and a calculation means 37. When the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 33 is used as an ultrasonic transmitter, it transmits ultrasonic waves based on the operation of the timing device 36. The ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 34 functions as an ultrasonic receiver, and the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 33 propagate through the fluid to be measured that is filled inside the housing 31, and the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 34 used as an ultrasonic receiver receives the ultrasonic waves. The timing device 36 calculates the propagation speed V of the ultrasonic waves based on the propagation time from when the ultrasonic waves are transmitted to when they are received and a predetermined propagation distance L of the ultrasonic waves.

[0068] The propagation velocity V of the ultrasonic wave propagating through the mixed gas, which is the fluid to be measured, is expressed by equation (6). As shown above, it is determined by the average molecular weight M of the mixed gas, the specific heat ratio γ, the gas constant R, and the absolute temperature T (K). The average molecular weight can be determined by measuring the speed of sound and temperature.

[0069] V=γ R T / M (6) When the gas components in a mixed gas are known, the gas temperature T and propagation speed V are measured to determine the average molecular weight M, and the gas concentration can be calculated from the average molecular weight M. In the case of a two-component ideal gas mixture consisting of a and b, the concentration calculation formula is as shown in Equation (7).

[0070] a gas concentration (%) = M-mb / ma-mb × 100 (7) ma and mb represent the molecular weights of gas a and gas b, respectively.

[0071] [1-4-2. Effect of concentration meter] As described above, the vibration transmitter / receiver 14 of this embodiment is a vibration means 1 and a vibration propagation member that operates by being joined to one surface of the vibration means, and the vibration propagation member 2 is formed by the top plate 3, the side wall 4, and the vertical partition 5 arranged approximately perpendicular to the top plate 3, so that the vibration induced by the membrane structure 7 formed by the components of the vibration propagation member, such as the thickness of the vertical partition, the distance between the vertical partitions, and the thickness of the top plate, can be controlled.When a vibration transmitter / receiver 14 is configured with multiple membrane structures and has a vibration means attached, it is possible to freely control the frequency of the vibrations transmitted and received, and a vibration propagation member 2 with a high degree of design freedom can be created.Therefore, it is easy to make a vibration transmitter / receiver suitable for use as a concentration meter, and as a result, high-precision and stable flow velocity and flow rate measurement is possible.

[0072] Furthermore, by forming the space formed by the top plate 3, the vertical partition wall 5, and the vibration means 1 into a sealed space 6, it becomes possible to directly measure the concentration of a corrosive fluid or a high-temperature, high-humidity fluid as the measurement target. In addition, since the vibration propagation member 2 does not use vibration in the thickness direction, it is possible to make the vibration propagation member 2 itself thinner, and the vibration transducer 14 can also be made smaller, which makes it possible to make the flow velocity meter and the flow meter smaller. (Embodiment 2) Hereinafter, a vibration propagation member according to a second embodiment and a vibration transducer using this vibration propagation member will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0073] [2-1. Vibration transmission components] [2-1-1. Configuration of vibration transmission components] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an example of a configuration in which a vibration propagation member 42 according to the second embodiment is provided on one surface of vibration means 41. FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view on the XZ plane) cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis) of vibration propagation member 42. As shown in FIG. 13, vibration propagation member 42 is surface-bonded to one surface of vibration means 41 and resonates in response to the vibration of vibration means 41. Vibration propagation member 42 is composed of a top plate 43, a bottom plate 47, side walls 44, and a vertical partition wall 45 formed approximately perpendicular to the top plate 43 and the bottom plate 47. The space formed by the top plate 43, the vertical partition wall 45, and the bottom plate 47 can be an enclosed space 46. Depending on the purpose, the enclosed space 46 can be formed, and in some cases, a through-hole can be provided to form a space continuous with the vibration propagation medium via the through-hole. The membrane structures 48, 49, which are composed of a top plate 3 and vertical partition walls 5, have natural vibrations depending on the thickness of the top plate 3 and the distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 5, and the distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 45 of one membrane structure 48 and the other membrane structure 49 is different.

[0074] Next, the internal structure of vibration propagation member 42 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of vibration propagation member 42 according to the second embodiment.

[0075] 14(a) shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view on the XZ plane) of the vibration propagation member 42 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis). Also, FIG. 14(b) shows a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member 42 taken along line II-II in FIG. 14(a), that is, a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member 42 cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction ( 14(b), a cross section (cross section in the XY plane) cut along a plane parallel to the XY plane is shown. The thickness T in the figure indicates the thickness of the vibration transmission member 2 (parallel to the Z axis) indicated by the arrow. Note that the cross section of the vibration transmission member 42 in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction is formed, for example, in a lattice shape, as shown in FIG. 14(b).

[0076] Next, with reference to FIG. 15, a sealed space 46 formed by a top plate 43, a bottom plate 47, side walls 44, and vertical partitions 45 formed substantially perpendicular to the top plate 43 of the vibration propagation member 42 in the second embodiment will be described.

[0077] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member 42 in the second embodiment. FIG. 15(a) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member 2 when the internal pressure P1 of the sealed space 46 of the vibration propagation member 42 and the pressure P2 of the vibration propagation medium are substantially the same. FIG. 15(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member 2 when the internal pressure P1 of the sealed space 46 is higher than the pressure P2 of the vibration propagation medium. FIG. 15(c) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vibration propagation member 2 when the internal pressure P1 of the sealed space 46 is lower than the pressure P2 of the vibration propagation medium.

[0078] [[ID=​​​​​​​​​​​​The sealed space 46 can be filled with an inert gas such as argon gas (Ar), nitrogen gas (N2), or helium gas (He), which makes it possible to suppress corrosion from the inside of the vibration propagation member 42.

[0082] Furthermore, by inserting a highly viscous liquid into a part of the sealed space 46 and changing the viscosity of the liquid, a damping effect that suppresses vibrations of a specified frequency can be expected, and it is also possible to improve the vibration propagation efficiency of only the desired vibration frequency.

[0083] Hereinafter, differences in the cross-sectional shape of vertical partition wall 45 of vibration propagation member 42 in the second embodiment and their effects will be described by taking some examples.

[0084] Fig. 16 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of part A of vibration propagation member 42a as Example 1 of Embodiment 2. In Fig. 16, vertical partition 45 has a structure in which patterned metal plates 52 are laminated on top plate 43 of vibration propagation member 42a, and the wall thickness of these laminated patterned metal plates 52 can be changed, for example, from t1 to t2. This makes it possible to form parts with strong and weak strength within the internal structure of vibration propagation member 42a.

[0085] 16, by making the wall thickness of the vertical partition walls 45 of the vibration propagation member 42a thicker near the bottom plate 47 and thinner near the top plate 43, the vibration of the vibration means 41 can be efficiently transmitted near the bottom plate 47 of the vibration propagation member 42a, and the vibration of the vibration means 41 can be efficiently propagated. In addition, by making the wall thickness of the vertical partition walls 45 thinner near the top plate 43 (wall thickness t1) and thicker toward the bottom surface (wall thickness t2), the membrane structure 48 of the top plate 43 vibrates efficiently, and the efficiency of vibration propagation to the propagation medium is improved. In addition, the membrane structures 48 and 49 formed by the top plate 43 and the vertical partition walls 45 can secure a wider vibration area of ​​the vibrating top plate 43.

[0086] 17 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of part B of vibration propagation member 42b of Case 2 in Embodiment 2. As shown in this figure, the wall thickness of vertical partition 45 varies in the vibration propagation direction, and the wall thickness gradually changes, and the wall thickness varies in the vibration propagation direction, and the wall thickness can also vary repeatedly.

[0087] By thickening the wall thickness of the portion of the vertical partition 45 of the vibration propagation member 42 that corresponds to the antinode of the vibration to be suppressed, it is possible to suppress only the vibration of the target frequency. In addition, the vertical partition 45 serves as a very important pillar for transmitting the vibration of the vibration propagation member 42b, and by creating a weak portion (wall thickness t3) in the wall thickness of the vibration propagation member 42b, the damping rate of the vibration of the vibration propagation member 42b is increased, which is expected to result in the effect of quickly subsiding reverberation. In addition, the effect of quickly starting up the vibration can also be expected.

[0088] 18 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of part C of vibration propagation member 42c of Example 3 in Embodiment 2. As shown in this figure, It is also possible to pattern and stack the patterned metal plates 52 that form the vertical partitions 45 by slightly shifting them, which results in the vertical partitions 45 being formed at an angle, which lengthens the vibration transmission path, makes it possible to delay the vibration arrival time, and makes it possible to control the speed of sound.

[0089] 19 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of portion D of vibration propagation member 42d of Example 4 in Embodiment 2. As shown in this figure, Furthermore, by slightly shifting the patterned metal plates 52 that form the vertical partitions 45 and providing bent portions 55, flexibility is imparted to the vibration propagation member 42d, increasing the damping rate of the vibrations of the vibration propagation member 42, and as a result, the effect of quickly subsiding reverberation can be expected.

[0090] FIG. 20 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a vibration propagation member of Example 5 according to the second embodiment, including a side wall and a vertical partition wall.

[0091] 20(a) is composed of vertical partitions 57 connected to the side walls 44, whereas vibration propagation member 42f shown in Fig. 20(b) is composed of a mixture of vertical partitions 57 connected to the side walls 44 and vertical partitions 58 not connected to the side walls 44. With this structure, the vibration propagation path between the vertical partitions 57 and the side walls 44, which is a cause of unwanted vibrations in the direction perpendicular to the vibration propagation direction, is reduced, thereby reducing unwanted vibrations.

[0092] [2-1-2. Manufacturing procedure for vibration transmission components] Next, a manufacturing procedure for vibration propagation member 42 will be described with reference to Fig. 21. In the above description, the vibration propagation members were distinguished by the reference numerals 42a to 42f due to differences in the shapes of the vertical partition walls, but below, there is no need to distinguish between them, so they will be described as vibration propagation member 42.

[0093] 21 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing procedure for vibration propagation member 42 according to embodiment 2. The manufacturing process for vibration propagation member 42 proceeds in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d) shown in FIG. do.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 21(a), first, a metal plate 50 large enough to cut out multiple pattern structures and a plurality of metal plates 50 from which individual pattern structures can be cut out are prepared. FIG. 21(a) shows a single metal plate 50. Next, as shown in FIG. 21(b), a metal plate 51 patterned into a circular shape to form the top plate 43 and a metal plate 50 patterned into the side walls 44 and vertical partition walls 45 of the vibration propagation member 42 are shown. These are fabricated individually or simultaneously. For patterning the metal plate 50, for example, stamping of the metal plate 50, etching by photolithography, laser processing, or processing using a discharge wire can be used. Note that in this disclosure, an example is shown in which the metal plate 51 patterned into a circular shape to form the top plate 43 and the patterned metal plate 52 are formed so that their outer shapes are circular (disk-shaped) when viewed from above (when viewed parallel to the Z axis). However, this is merely an example, and the outer shapes of the top plate 43 and the patterned metal plate 52 shown in this disclosure are not limited to circular (disk-shaped) shapes, but may also be elliptical or polygonal.

[0095] Next, as shown in FIG. 21( c), the plurality of patterned metal plates 52 and the top plate 43 are sequentially stacked while being positioned. Specifically, a predetermined number of patterned metal plates 52 are first stacked. Next, the top plate 43 is stacked on the top surface of the plurality of patterned metal plates 12 (the surface of the patterned metal plate 52 located at the farthest end in the positive Z-axis direction, facing the positive Z-axis direction). Next, the patterned metal plates are bonded together by diffusion bonding, an example of direct bonding, under heat and pressure in a vacuum environment to form an integrated material. For example, in the case of stainless steel, the melting point is approximately 1500°C, while the temperature during diffusion bonding is approximately 1000°C. Therefore, if the plurality of stacked metal plates 52 and the top plate 43 are made of stainless steel, heating them to this temperature in a vacuum and applying pressure allows atoms at the bonding interface to diffuse and bond without melting the base material. Because diffusion bonding requires flatness, depending on the processing method shown in Figure 21(c), post-processing may be required after the process shown in Figure 21(b) to remove burrs or deformations on the circularly patterned metal plate 51 and the patterned metal plate 52. In addition, fusion welding, in which a portion of the base material is melted, is also considered as a direct bonding method. In this case, multiple metal plates can be bonded together by heating stainless steel to approximately 1500°C. Another method for through-metal bonding is to use epoxy resin or cyanoacrylate adhesives, which are considered as bonding materials between the metal plates. Additionally, brazing is also possible when inorganic materials are selected as bonding materials.

[0096] By the above manufacturing procedure, it is possible to produce the vibration propagation member 2 of the present embodiment 1, in which each metal patterning is bonded by the bonding method exemplified in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 21(d). Note that in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the vibration propagation member is formed to have a cylindrical outer shape, but this is merely an example, and the shape of the vibration propagation member shown in this disclosure is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be an elliptical cylinder or a polygonal cylinder.

[0097] [2-1-3. Effect of vibration transmission components] As described above, the vibration propagation member 42 of this embodiment is a vibration means 41 and a vibration propagation member 42 that operates by being joined to one surface of the vibration means 41, and the vibration propagation member 42 is formed of a top plate 43, a bottom plate 47, a side wall 44, and a vertical partition 45 arranged approximately perpendicular to the top plate 43 and the bottom plate 47, and is configured to have vibrations generated in multiple membrane structures, one membrane structure 48 and the other membrane structure 49 formed by the top plate 43 and the vertical partition 45.

[0098] As a result, the thickness of the vertical partition wall of the vibration propagation member 42, which is a component of the vibration propagation member 42, The vibrations induced by the membrane structures 48, 49 formed by the distance between the vertical partitions, the thickness of the top plate 43, etc. can be controlled, and when a vibration transmitter / receiver is attached to the vibration means 41, the frequency of the vibrations transmitted and received can be freely controlled, making it possible to create a vibration propagation member 42 with a high degree of design freedom.

[0099] Furthermore, by making the space formed by the top plate 43, the vertical partition 45, and the bottom plate 47 into an airtight space 46, and by making part or all of the space formed by the top plate 43, the vertical partition 45, and the bottom plate 47 into an airtight space 46, the internal space of the vibration propagation member 42 surrounded by the top plate 43, the side wall 44, and the bottom plate 80 is divided into more airtight spaces 46 by the vertical partition 45.When the vibration propagation member 42 is attached to one side of the vibration means, even if a through hole is formed in the forming wall surface due to corrosion or the like and one space is flooded, from the perspective of the vibration propagation member 42, only a part of the space is flooded, and the performance change of the vibration propagation member 42 progresses slowly, resulting in a highly reliable vibration propagation member 42.

[0100] Furthermore, the joining of the bottom plate 47 and the vibration means 41 by the joining member is improved, and when the vibration transducer is formed, it is possible to obtain stable characteristics with less variation.

[0101] Furthermore, when the internal pressure P1 of the sealed space 46 of the vibration propagation member 42 and the pressure P2 of the vibration propagation medium are approximately the same, by making the internal pressure of the sealed space 46 of the vibration propagation member 42 the same as that of the propagation medium, the efficiency of vibration propagation to the vibration propagation medium can be improved, and stable vibration propagation performance can be ensured.

[0102] Furthermore, when the internal pressure P1 of the sealed space 46 of the vibration propagation member 42 is higher than the pressure P2 of the vibration propagation medium, the top plate becomes convex, so when measuring high-temperature, high-humidity fluid, even if condensation occurs due to humidity, droplets are less likely to accumulate on the vibrating surface of the top plate, and the vibration propagation efficiency to the vibration propagation medium can be improved stably even in a high-humidity environment, ensuring stable vibration propagation performance.

[0103] Furthermore, when the internal pressure P1 of the sealed space 46 of the vibration propagation member 42 is lower than the pressure P2 of the vibration propagation medium, the top plate becomes concave, improving the efficiency of vibration propagation to the vibration propagation medium through a sound collection effect. It is also possible to create a vacuum inside the vibration propagation member, which can suppress deflection of the top plate. Because the top plate is restricted by pressure, it is possible to reduce the reverberation problem caused by residual vibrations of the vibration propagation member 42.

[0104] It is also possible to fill the sealed space 46 with an inert gas such as argon gas (Ar), nitrogen gas (N2), or helium gas (He), which makes it possible to suppress corrosion from the inside of the vibration propagation member 42.

[0105] Furthermore, by inserting a highly viscous liquid into a part of the sealed space 46 and changing the viscosity of the liquid, a damping effect that suppresses vibrations of a specified frequency can be expected, and it is also possible to improve the vibration propagation efficiency of only the desired vibration frequency.

[0106] Furthermore, as exemplified for vibration propagation member 42a, by making the wall thickness of vertical partition 45 thicker near bottom plate 47 and thinner near top plate 43, it becomes possible for the vibration propagation member 42a near bottom plate 47 to efficiently transmit the vibration of vibrating means 41 and efficiently propagate the vibration of vibrating means 41. In addition, by making the wall thickness of vertical partition 45 thinner near top plate 43 (wall thickness t1) and thicker toward the bottom surface (wall thickness t2), vibration of membrane structure 48 of top plate 43 is efficiently carried out, improving the efficiency of vibration propagation to the propagation medium.

[0107] As exemplified as the vibration propagation member 42b, the wall thickness of the vertical partition wall 45 varies in the vibration propagation direction, and the wall thickness gradually changes. It is also possible to alternate between large and small thicknesses, and by increasing the wall thickness of the portion of the vertical partition 45 of the vibration propagation member 42b that corresponds to the antinode of the vibration to be suppressed, it is possible to suppress only the vibration of the target frequency. In addition, the vertical partition 45 serves as a very important pillar for transmitting the vibration of the vibration propagation member 42b, and by creating a weak portion (wall thickness t3) in the wall thickness of the vibration propagation member 42, the damping rate of the vibration of the vibration propagation member 42 is increased, which is expected to result in the effect of quickly subsiding reverberation. In addition, the effect of quickly increasing the rise time of the vibration can also be expected.

[0108] Furthermore, as exemplified as vibration propagation member 42c, it is also possible to pattern and stack the patterned metal plates 52 that form vertical partitions 45 so that they are slightly offset, and vertical partitions 45 can be formed at an angle, which lengthens the vibration transmission path, making it possible to delay the vibration arrival time and control the speed of sound.

[0109] Furthermore, as exemplified by the vibration propagation member 42d, by slightly shifting the patterned metal plate 52 that forms the vertical partition 45 and providing a bending portion 55, flexibility is imparted to the vibration propagation member 42, and the vibration damping rate of the vibration propagation member 42d is increased, resulting in the expected effect of quickly eliminating reverberation.

[0110] Furthermore, as exemplified by vibration propagation member 42f, by employing a structure that includes a portion of vertical partition 58 that is not connected to the side wall, the vibration propagation path between vertical partition 57 and side wall 44, which is a cause of generating unwanted vibrations, is reduced, thereby reducing unwanted vibrations. Furthermore, as exemplified by vibration propagation member 42c, since thickness vibration of vibration propagation member 42 is not used, it is possible to make vibration propagation member 42 itself thinner.

[0111] (Embodiment 3) Hereinafter, a vibration propagation member according to a third embodiment and a vibration transducer using this vibration propagation member will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0112] [3-1. Vibration transmission components] [3-1-1. Configuration of vibration transmission components] 22 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a configuration in which vibration propagation member 60 according to the third embodiment is provided on one surface of vibration means 59. FIG. 22 shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view on the XZ plane) cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis) of vibration propagation member 60. As shown in FIG. 22, vibration propagation member 60 is surface-bonded to one surface of vibration means 59 and vibrates in response to the vibration of vibration means 59. Vibration propagation member 60 is made up of a top plate 61, a bottom plate 65, side walls 62, vertical partition walls 63 formed generally perpendicular to top plate 61 and bottom plate 65, and horizontal partition walls 66 formed generally parallel to top plate 61 and bottom plate 65. It is possible to make part or all of the space formed by the top plate 61, vertical partition wall 63, and horizontal partition wall 66, the space formed by the opposing horizontal partition wall 66 and the opposing vertical partition wall 63, and the space formed by the horizontal partition wall 66, vertical partition wall 63, and bottom plate 65 into an enclosed space 67. Depending on the purpose, an enclosed space 67 can be made, and in some cases, a through hole can be provided to make the space continuous with the vibration propagation medium via the through hole. The membrane structures 68, 69 formed by the top plate 61 and the vertical partition wall 63 have natural vibrations depending on the thickness of the top plate 61 and the distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 63, and one membrane structure 68 and the other membrane structure 69 have a different distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 63.

[0113] Next, the internal structure of vibration propagation member 60 will be described with reference to Fig. 23. Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of vibration propagation member 60 according to the third embodiment.

[0114] 23(a) shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XZ plane) of the vibration propagation member 60 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis). 23(b) , the cross section of the vibration propagation member 60 taken along line II-II in FIG. 23(a) is a cross section of the vibration propagation member 60 cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (parallel to the XY plane) (cross section in the XY plane). The letter T in the figure indicates the thickness of the vibration transmission member 60 (parallel to the Z axis) indicated by the arrow. The cross section of the vibration propagation member 60 in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction is formed, for example, in a lattice shape, as shown in FIG. 23(b). The membrane structures 68 and 69, each formed of a top plate 61 and vertical partition walls 63, have natural vibrations that correspond to the thickness of the top plate 61 and the distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 63. The distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 63 differs between one membrane structure 68 and the other membrane structure 69.

[0115] When the pressure in the sealed space of the vibration propagation member 60 shown in FIG. 23(a) is P1 and the pressure of the vibration propagation medium is P2, the effects according to the pressures P1 and P2 are omitted because they are the same as those in the second embodiment.

[0116] [3-1-2. Manufacturing procedure for vibration transmission components] Next, a manufacturing procedure for the vibration propagation member 60 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0117] 24 is a perspective view of a manufacturing procedure for vibration propagation member 60 according to embodiment 3. The manufacturing process for vibration propagation member 60 proceeds in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d) shown in FIG.

[0118] As shown in FIG. 24(a), first, a metal plate 70 large enough to cut out multiple pattern structures and a plurality of metal plates 70 from which individual pattern structures can be cut out are prepared. FIG. 24(a) shows a single metal plate 70. Next, as shown in FIG. 24(b), a metal plate 71 patterned into a circular shape to form the top plate 61, bottom plate 65, and horizontal partition wall 66, and a metal plate 72 patterned into the side wall 62 and vertical partition wall 63 of the vibration propagation member 60 are shown. These are fabricated individually or simultaneously. The metal plate 70 can be patterned, for example, by punching the metal plate 70 with a press, etching by photolithography, laser processing, or processing using a discharge wire. Note that this disclosure illustrates an example in which the circularly patterned metal plate 71 and the patterned metal plate 72 are formed so that their outer shapes are circular (disk-shaped) when viewed from above (when viewed parallel to the Z axis). However, this is merely an example, and the outer shapes of the circularly patterned metal plate 71 and the patterned metal plate 72 shown in this disclosure are not limited to circular (disk-shaped) shapes, but may also be elliptical or polygonal.

[0119] Next, as shown in FIG. 24( c), metal plates 71 patterned into a circular shape to form top plates 61, bottom plates 65, and horizontal partition walls 66, and metal plates 72 patterned into vertical partition walls 63 and side walls 62 are alternately stacked while being positioned. Specifically, metal plates 71 patterned into a circular shape to form horizontal partition walls 66 are stacked on metal plates 72 patterned into vertical partition walls 63 and side walls 62. Then, a metal plate 71 patterned into a circular shape to form the top plate 61 is stacked on the top surface (the surface on the positive Z-axis side of the patterned metal plate 72 arranged at the end in the positive Z-axis direction) of the alternately stacked multiple circularly patterned metal plates 71 and patterned metal plates 72. Next, a metal plate 71 patterned into a circular shape to form the bottom plate 65 is stacked on the bottom surface (the surface on the negative Z-axis side of the patterned metal plate 72 arranged at the end in the negative Z-axis direction) of the alternately stacked multiple metal plates 71, 72.

[0120] Next, the patterned metal plates are bonded together in a vacuum environment under heat and pressure so as to become an integrated material by diffusion bonding, which is an example of direct bonding. Regarding the heating temperature, for example, in the case of stainless steel, the melting point is about 1500°C, while the temperature during diffusion bonding is about 1000°C. Therefore, if the multiple circularly patterned metal plates 71, the patterned metal plate 72, the top plate 61, and the bottom plate 65 that are stacked together are made of stainless steel, they can be bonded together in a vacuum environment under heat and pressure. Heating to this temperature and applying pressure allows for the diffusion of atoms at the bonding interface, achieving bonding without melting the base materials. Because diffusion bonding requires flatness, depending on the processing method shown in Figure 24(c), post-processing may be required after the process shown in Figure 24(b) to remove burrs or deformations from the circularly patterned metal plate 71 and the patterned metal plate 72. In addition, fusion welding, which partially melts the base material, is also considered as a direct bonding method. In this case, multiple metal plates can be bonded together by heating stainless steel to approximately 1500°C. Another method for through-metal bonding is to use epoxy resin or cyanoacrylate adhesives, which are considered as bonding materials between the metal plates. Additionally, brazing is also possible when inorganic materials are used as bonding materials.

[0121] By the above manufacturing procedure, it is possible to produce the vibration propagation member 60 of the present embodiment 3, in which each metal patterning is bonded by the bonding method exemplified in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 24(d). Note that in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the vibration propagation member 60 is formed to have a cylindrical outer shape, but this is merely an example, and the shape of the vibration propagation member shown in this disclosure is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be an elliptical cylinder or a polygonal cylinder.

[0122] [3-1-3. Effect of vibration transmission materials] As described above, the vibration propagation member 60 of this embodiment is a vibration propagation member 60 that operates by being joined to one surface of the vibration means 59, and is a vibration propagation member formed by a top plate 61, a bottom plate 65, a side wall 62 of the vibration propagation member 60 and a vertical partition 63 arranged approximately perpendicular to the top plate 61 and the bottom plate 65, and a horizontal partition 66 arranged approximately horizontally to the top plate 61 and the bottom plate 65, and is configured to have vibrations generated in multiple membrane structures, one membrane structure 68 and the other membrane structure 69 formed by the top plate 61 and the vertical partition 63.

[0123] As a result, the horizontal partitions 66 also reduce the vibration propagation loss of the vertical partitions 63, and the vibration propagation efficiency to the propagation medium is also improved.

[0124] Furthermore, by making part or all of the space formed by the top plate 61, the vertical partition 63, and the horizontal partition 66, the space formed by the opposing horizontal partition 66 and the vertical partition 63, and the space formed by the horizontal partition 66, the vertical partition 63, and the bottom plate into sealed spaces 67, the vibration propagation member 60 can operate stably even in high-temperature, high-humidity fluids. In addition, the internal space of the vibration propagation member 60 surrounded by the top plate 61, the side wall 62, and the bottom plate 65 is divided into more sealed spaces by the vertical partition 63 and the horizontal partition 66, and when the vibration propagation member 60 is attached to one surface of the vibration means 59, even if one space is flooded due to corrosion or the like, from the perspective of the vibration propagation member 60, only a part of the space is flooded, and the deterioration in performance of the vibration propagation member 60 progresses slowly, resulting in a vibration propagation member 60 with high reliability.

[0125] Furthermore, some or all of the vertical partitions 63 and the horizontal partitions 66 may have through holes, and a space continuous with the vibration propagation medium via the through holes may be formed, and even if the vibration propagation medium is an ultra-high pressure fluid, by using a structure in which the space formed by the top plate 61, the vertical partitions 63, and the horizontal partitions 66, the space formed by the opposing horizontal partitions 66 and the vertical partitions 63, and the space formed by the horizontal partitions 66, the vertical partitions 63, and the bottom plate are connected to the vibration propagation medium via through holes, the vibration propagation member 60 itself will not deform due to pressure, and therefore it can be a vibration propagation member that functions stably. In addition, because vibration in the thickness direction is not used, it is possible to make the vibration propagation member itself thin.

[0126] (Fourth embodiment) Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 25, the vibration propagation member of the fourth embodiment will be described. Explain a case study.

[0127] [4-1. Vibration transmission components] [4-1-1. Configuration of vibration transmission components] The internal structure of vibration propagation member 75 will be described with reference to Fig. 25. Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of vibration propagation member 75 according to the fourth embodiment.

[0128] 25(a) shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XZ plane) of the vibration propagation member 75 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis). FIG. 25(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 25(a), i.e., a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XY plane) of the vibration propagation member 75 cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (parallel to the XY plane). The thickness T in the figure indicates the thickness of the vibration transmission member 75 (parallel to the Z axis) indicated by the arrow. The cross-section of the vibration propagation member 75 in the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction is formed, for example, in a square or octagon, as shown in FIG. 25(b). Membrane structures 83 and 84 formed by top plate 76 and vertical partition walls 78 have natural vibrations according to the thickness of top plate 76 and the distance between opposing vertical partition walls 78, and one membrane structure 83 and the other membrane structure 84 differ in the distance between opposing vertical partition walls 78 and in the cross-sectional shape of vibration propagation member 75 cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (parallel to the XY plane). In this embodiment, different vertical partition shapes, a rectangle and an octagon, are exemplified, but this is merely an example, and the combination of multiple shapes formed by vertical partition walls 78 shown in the present disclosure is not limited to a rectangle and an octagon, but may also be a hexagon and a triangle, a dodecagon and a triangle, or a triangle, a rectangle and a hexagon.

[0129] [4-1-2. Effect of vibration transmission components] As described above, the vibration propagation member 75 of this embodiment is a vibration means and a vibration propagation member 75 that operates by being joined to one surface of the vibration means, and is a vibration propagation member 75 formed of a top plate 76, a bottom plate 80, a side wall 77 of the vibration propagation member 75 and a vertical partition 78 arranged approximately perpendicular to the top plate 76 and the bottom plate 80, and a horizontal partition 81 arranged approximately horizontally to the top plate 76 and the bottom plate 80, and is equipped with vibrations generated in multiple membrane structures, one membrane structure 83 and the other membrane structure 84 formed by the top plate 76 and the vertical partition 78, and is structured to have multiple vertical partition shapes in a cross-sectional direction perpendicular to the vibration propagation direction.

[0130] As a result, there are a large number of structures to control, including the components of the vibration propagation member 75, such as the thickness of the vertical partitions 78, the distance between the vertical partitions, and the thickness of the top plate 76, as well as the shape of the vertical partitions in the cross-sectional direction perpendicular to the vibration propagation direction, and the vibrations induced by the formed membrane structures 83 and 84 can be controlled, so that when used as a vibration transmitter / receiver attached to the vibration means 41, the frequency of the vibrations transmitted and received can be freely controlled, resulting in a vibration propagation member 75 with a high degree of design freedom.

[0131] Furthermore, by making part or all of the space formed by the top plate 76, the vertical partition 78, and the horizontal partition 81, the space formed by the opposing horizontal partition 81 and the vertical partition 78, and the space formed by the horizontal partition 81, the vertical partition 78, and the bottom plate 80 into sealed spaces 82, the internal space of the vibration propagation member 75 surrounded by the top plate 76, the side wall 77, and the bottom plate 80 is divided into more sealed spaces by the vertical partitions 78 and the horizontal partitions 81. When the vibration propagation member 75 is attached to one side of the vibration means, even if a through hole forms in the forming wall due to corrosion or the like and one space becomes flooded, from the perspective of the vibration propagation member 60, only a part of the space is flooded, and the performance change of the vibration propagation member 60 progresses slowly, resulting in a highly reliable vibration propagation member 60. In addition, because vibration in the thickness direction is not used, the vibration propagation member itself can be made thinner.

[0132] (Embodiment 5) Below, using Figures 26 and 27, examples of vibration propagation members with different thicknesses of the top plate of embodiment 5 will be described. Explain.

[0133] [5-1. Vibration transmission components] [5-1-1. Structure and operation of vibration transmission components] The internal structure of the vibration propagation member 85, particularly the vibration propagation member having top plates 86 with different thicknesses, will be described with reference to FIG.

[0134] FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of vibration propagation member 85 according to the fifth embodiment.

[0135] 26(a) shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XZ plane) of the vibration propagation member 85 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis). FIG. 26(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 26(a), i.e., a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XY plane) of the vibration propagation member 75 cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (parallel to the XY plane). The thickness T in the figure indicates the thickness of the vibration transmission member 85 (parallel to the Z axis) indicated by the arrow. The cross-section of the vibration propagation member 85 in the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction is formed, for example, in a honeycomb shape, as shown in FIG. 26(b). The membrane structures 93 and 94, each composed of a top plate 86 and vertical partition walls 88, are formed such that the top plate 86 has a different thickness and the distance between the opposing vertical partition walls 78 is the same. Since the thickness of the top plate 86 of one membrane structure 83 and the other membrane structure 84 is different, when the vibration propagation member 85 of this embodiment is attached to one side of the vibration means, the membrane structures 93 and 94 formed by the top plate 86 and the vertical partition 88 have different natural vibrations due to the different thickness of the top plate 86, and the one membrane structure 93 and the other membrane structure 94 have different resonant frequencies.

[0136] [5-1-2. Manufacturing procedure for vibration transmission components] Next, a manufacturing procedure for the vibration propagation member 85 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0137] 27 is a perspective view of a manufacturing procedure for vibration propagation member 85 according to embodiment 5. The manufacturing process for vibration propagation member 60 proceeds in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d) shown in FIG.

[0138] As shown in FIG. 27(a), first, a metal plate 96 large enough to cut out multiple pattern structures and multiple metal plates 96 from which individual pattern structures can be cut are prepared. FIG. 27(a) shows one metal plate 96. Next, as shown in FIG. 27(b), a metal plate 97 is patterned into a circular shape to form the top plate 61 and bottom plate 65 from the metal plate 96, a metal plate 98 is patterned to form the top plate of the other membrane structure 94, which is thicker than the top plate 86, and a metal plate 99 is patterned to form the side walls 87 and vertical partition walls 88 of the vibration propagation member 85. These are fabricated individually or simultaneously. The metal plate 96 can be patterned, for example, by stamping the metal plate 96, etching by photolithography, laser processing, or processing using a discharge wire.

[0139] In this disclosure, an example is shown in which the circularly patterned metal plate 97, the patterned metal plate 98 that serves as the other film structure, and the metal plate 99 patterned with the side walls 87 and vertical partition walls 88 are formed so that their outer shapes are circular (disk-shaped) in top view (when viewed parallel to the Z axis). However, this is merely an example, and the outer shapes of the circularly patterned metal plate 96 and the patterned metal plate 99 shown in this disclosure are not limited to circular (disk-shaped) shapes, and may be elliptical or polygonal.

[0140] 27(c), a metal plate 97 patterned in a circular shape, a metal plate 98 patterned to form the other film structure, and a metal plate 99 patterned with side walls 87 and vertical partition walls 88 are alternately stacked while being positioned. Specifically, first, the metal plate 99 patterned with the side walls 87 and vertical partition walls 88 is stacked, and then the metal plate 99 patterned with the other film structure is stacked on top of that. The patterned metal plates 98 are stacked. Next, a top plate 86 and a bottom plate 90 are stacked on the top and bottom surfaces of the previously stacked metal plates, respectively. Next, the patterned metal plates are bonded together in a vacuum environment under heat and pressure to form a single material using diffusion bonding, which is an example of direct bonding. Regarding the heating temperature, for example, in the case of stainless steel, the melting point is approximately 1500°C, while the temperature during diffusion bonding is approximately 1000°C. Therefore, if the multiple circularly patterned and stacked metal plates are made of stainless steel, they can be heated to this temperature in a vacuum and pressurized, allowing the atoms at the bonding interface to diffuse and bond without melting the base material.

[0141] Because diffusion bonding requires flatness, depending on the processing method shown in Figure 27(c), post-processing may be required after the process shown in Figure 27(b) to remove burrs or deformations on the circularly patterned metal plate 97, the patterned metal plate 98 for the other film structure, and the metal plate 99 patterned with the side walls 87 and vertical partition walls 88. In addition, fusion welding, in which a portion of the base material is melted, is also considered as a direct bonding method. In this case, multiple metal plates can be bonded together by heating stainless steel to approximately 1500°C. Another method for through-metal bonding is to use epoxy resin or cyanoacrylate adhesives, which are considered as bonding materials between the metal plates. Additionally, brazing is also possible when inorganic materials are used as bonding materials.

[0142] By the above manufacturing procedure, it is possible to produce vibration propagation member 85 according to the third embodiment, in which each metal patterning is bonded by the bonding method exemplified in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 27(d). Note that in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which vibration propagation member 85 is formed to have a cylindrical outer shape, but this is merely an example, and the shape of the vibration propagation member shown in this disclosure is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be an elliptical cylinder or a polygonal cylinder.

[0143] [5-1-3. Effect of vibration transmission components] As described above, the vibration propagation member 85 of this embodiment is a vibration means and a vibration propagation member 85 that operates by being joined to one surface of the vibration means, and is composed of a top plate 86, a bottom plate 90, a side wall 87 of the vibration propagation member 85, and a vertical partition 88 arranged approximately perpendicular to the top plate 86 and the bottom plate 90, and the multiple membrane structures of one membrane structure 93 and the other membrane structure 94 formed by the top plate 86 and the vertical partition 88 have structures in which at least the top plate thickness is different, and the different membrane structures have structures in which the top plate 86 has a different thickness.

[0144] By adjusting the thickness of the top plate 86, which is a component of the vibration propagation member 85, it is possible to easily connect one membrane structure 93 and It is possible to form the other film structure 94. Furthermore, since the film structure of the top plate 86 can be easily changed by the thickness of the top plate 86, or in this embodiment, the number of metal plates to be laminated, and the resonance frequency can be easily controlled, as shown in embodiment 1, the vibration propagation member 85 in this embodiment can relatively freely design the vibration propagation waveform. In addition, since vibration in the thickness direction is not used, it is possible to make the vibration propagation member itself thinner.

[0145] (Embodiment 6) Hereinafter, examples of vibration propagation members configured with different thicknesses of the vibration propagation members for each membrane structure of the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0146] [6-1. Vibration transmission components] [6-1-1. Structure and operation of vibration transmission components] FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of vibration propagation member 102 according to the sixth embodiment.

[0147] 28(a) shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XZ plane) of vibration propagation member 102 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis). Also, FIG. 28(b) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 28(a), and FIG. 28(c) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 2(a). These cross-sectional views are cross-sectional views (cross-sectional views in the XY plane) of vibration propagation member 102 cut in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (parallel to the XY plane). The arrows in the figures indicate the vibration propagation direction of vibration propagation member 102 (parallel to the Z axis).

[0148] 28(a), vibration propagation member 102 is composed of side walls 104, vertical partition walls 105, a bottom plate 107, and top plates 110 and 111, and includes one membrane structure 108 and another membrane structure 109 as multiple membrane structures inside vibration propagation member 102. One membrane structure 108 is composed of vertical partition walls 105 and one top plate 110, and the other membrane structure 109 is composed of vertical partition walls 105 and the other top plate 111, and one membrane structure 108 and the other membrane structure 109 differ in the distance between the vertical partition walls and the distance from bottom plate 107 to the top plate. First, since the distance between the vertical partition walls 105 is different between one membrane structure 108 and the other membrane structure 109, as shown in Figure 7 of the first embodiment, one membrane structure 108 and the other membrane structure 109 have natural vibrations, and one membrane structure 8 and the other membrane structure 9 have membrane structure resonance frequencies with different distances between the opposing vertical partition walls 5. In addition, since the distance from the bottom plate 107 to the top plate is different between one membrane structure 108 and the other membrane structure 109, when a vibration transducer is formed by attaching the vibration transducer of the present invention to one surface of the vibration means, a difference occurs in the resonant vibration intensity of one membrane structure 108 and the resonant vibration intensity of the other membrane structure 109 induced by the vibration of the vibration means.

[0149] That is, in this embodiment, when one membrane structure 108 is attached to the vibration means, the attenuation of the vibration of the vibration means is smaller, and the resonant vibration strength of one membrane structure 108 can be made stronger than the resonant vibration strength of the other membrane structure 109. In this way, by controlling the distance from the bottom plate 107 to the top plate 108 (109) of each membrane structure, the thickness of the vertical partition wall 105, etc., it is possible to individually control the resonance strength of the membrane structures. Therefore, by individually controlling the resonance strength of the membrane structures, it is possible to control the vibration waveform to the propagation medium, and it is also possible to freely design the vibration propagation waveform.

[0150] In addition, in one membrane structure 108, the space formed by the vertical partition wall 105, one top plate 110, and bottom plate 107 is one membrane structure sealed space 113, and in the other membrane structure 109, the space formed by the vertical partition wall 105, the other top plate 111, and bottom plate 107 is the other membrane structure sealed space 114, and the internal pressure (P3) of one membrane structure sealed space 113 can be made different from the internal pressure (P4) of the other membrane structure sealed space 114. By making the pressures of these sealed spaces different, it is possible to change the resonant frequency of each membrane structure.

[0151] [6-1-2. Manufacturing procedure for vibration transmission components] Next, a manufacturing procedure for the vibration propagation member 102 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0152] 29 is a perspective view showing a manufacturing procedure for vibration propagation member 102 according to embodiment 6. The manufacturing process for vibration propagation member 102 proceeds in the order of (a), (b), (c), and (d) shown in FIG.

[0153] As shown in Figure 29(a), first, a metal plate 115 large enough to extract a plurality of pattern structures, and a plurality of metal plates 115 from which individual pattern structures can be extracted, are prepared. Figure 29(a) shows one metal plate 115. Next, as shown in Figure 29(b), a metal plate 116 is patterned into a circle to form the metal plate 115 into a bottom plate 107, a metal plate 117 is patterned to form side walls 104 and vertical partition walls 105, a metal plate 118 is patterned to form the top plate 111, side walls 104 and vertical partition walls 105 of the other film structure, and a metal plate 119 is patterned to form the top plate 110, side walls 104 and vertical partition walls 105 of one film structure. 1 shows a metal plate 119 on which the side walls 104 and the vertical partition walls 105 are patterned, and these are fabricated separately or simultaneously. For patterning the metal plate 115, for example, stamping of the metal plate 115 by press, etching by photolithography, laser processing, or processing using a discharge wire can be used. Note that this disclosure shows an example in which the metal plate 116 patterned into a circular shape to form the metal plate 115 into the bottom plate 107, the metal plate 117 patterned with the side walls 104 and the vertical partition walls 105, the metal plate 118 patterned with the top plate 111 of the other film structure, the side walls 104, and the vertical partition walls 105, and the metal plate 119 patterned with the top plate 110 of one film structure, the side walls 104, and the vertical partition walls 105 are all formed to have a circular (disk-like) outer shape in top view (when viewed parallel to the Z axis). However, this is merely one example, and the external shapes of metal plate 116 patterned into a circular shape to make metal plate 115 into bottom plate 107, metal plate 117 patterned with side walls 104 and vertical partition walls 105, metal plate 118 patterned with top plate 111 of the other film structure, side walls 104 and vertical partition walls 105, and metal plate 119 patterned with top plate 110 of one film structure, side walls 104 and vertical partition walls 105 are not limited to being circular (disk-shaped) and may be elliptical or polygonal.

[0154] 29(c), a circularly patterned metal plate 116 that will become bottom plate 107 is laminated on the bottom surface of vibration propagation member 102, followed by a metal plate 117 patterned with a plurality of side walls and vertical partition walls, a metal plate 118 patterned with a top plate, side walls, and vertical partition walls of the other film structure, a metal plate 117 patterned with a plurality of side walls and vertical partition walls, and a metal plate 119 patterned with a top plate, side walls, and vertical partition walls of one film structure, all while being positioned. Next, the patterned metal plates are bonded together under heat and pressure in a vacuum environment to become an integrated material by diffusion bonding, which is an example of direct bonding. Regarding the heating temperature, for example, in the case of stainless steel, the melting point is about 1500°C, while the temperature during diffusion bonding is about 1000°C. Therefore, if the metal plates that are stacked on top of each other and patterned into multiple circular shapes are made of stainless steel, they can be heated to this temperature in a vacuum and pressurized, which will diffuse the atoms at the bonding interface and bond them without melting the base material.

[0155] Because diffusion bonding requires flatness, depending on the processing method shown in Figure 29(c), after the process shown in Figure 29(b), post-processing may be required to remove burrs or deformations on the circularly patterned metal plate 116, the metal plate 117 patterned with the side walls 104 and vertical partition walls 105, the metal plate 118 patterned with the top plate 111 of the other membrane structure, the side walls 104, and the vertical partition walls 105, and the metal plate 119 patterned with the top plate 110 of one membrane structure, the side walls 104, and the vertical partition walls 105. In addition, fusion welding, in which a portion of the base material is melted, is also considered as a direct bonding method. In this case, multiple metal plates can be bonded together by heating stainless steel to approximately 1500°C. Another method for through-metal bonding is to use epoxy resin or cyanoacrylate adhesives, which are considered as bonding materials between the metal plates. Additionally, brazing is also possible when inorganic materials are selected as bonding materials.

[0156] By the above manufacturing procedure, it is possible to produce the vibration propagation member 102 of the sixth embodiment, in which each metal patterning is bonded by the bonding method exemplified in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 29(d). Note that in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the vibration propagation member 102 is formed to have a cylindrical outer shape, but this is merely an example, and the shape of the vibration propagation member shown in this disclosure is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be an elliptical cylinder or a polygonal cylinder.

[0157] [6-1-3. Effect of vibration transmission components] As described above, the vibration propagation member 102 of this embodiment is a vibration means and a vibration propagation member 102 that operates by being joined to one surface of the vibration means. The vibration propagation member 102 has a side wall 104 , vertical partition wall 105, bottom plate 107, and top plates 110 and 111, and one membrane structure 108 and another membrane structure 109 are provided as multiple membrane structures inside vibration propagation member 102. One membrane structure 108 is composed of vertical partition wall 105 and one top plate 110, and the other membrane structure 109 is composed of vertical partition wall 105 and the other top plate 111, and one membrane structure 108 and the other membrane structure 109 have structures in which the distance between the vertical partitions and the distance from bottom plate 107 to the top plate are different.

[0158] As a result, by controlling the components of the vibration propagation member 102, namely the thickness of the vertical partitions 105, the distance between the vertical partitions 105, the thickness of one membrane structure 108, the thickness of the other top plate 111, and the distance from the bottom plate 107 of each membrane structure to the top plate 108 (109), it is possible to control the vibrations induced in one membrane structure 108 and the other membrane structure 109, and when used as a vibration transmitter / receiver with a vibration means attached, it is possible to freely control the resonant frequency of the vibrations transmitted and received, resulting in a vibration propagation member 102 with a high degree of design freedom.

[0159] Furthermore, when one membrane structure 108 is attached to the vibration means, the attenuation of the vibration of the vibration means is smaller, and the resonant vibration strength of one membrane structure 108 can be made stronger than the resonant vibration strength of the other membrane structure 109. In this way, by controlling the distance from the bottom plate 107 to the top plate 108 (109) of each membrane structure, the thickness of the vertical partition wall 105, etc., it is possible to individually control the resonant vibration strength of the membrane structures. Therefore, by individually controlling the resonant vibration strength of the membrane structures, it is possible to control the vibration waveform to the propagation medium, and it is also possible to freely design the vibration propagation waveform.

[0160] Furthermore, in one membrane structure 108, the space formed by the vertical partition wall 105, one top plate 110, and bottom plate 107 is one membrane structure sealed space 113, and in the other membrane structure 109, the space formed by the vertical partition wall 105, the other top plate 111, and bottom plate 107 is the other membrane structure sealed space 114, and the internal pressure (P3) of one membrane structure sealed space 113 can be different from the internal pressure (P4) of the other membrane structure sealed space 114. By making the pressures of these sealed spaces different, it is possible to change the resonant frequency of each membrane structure. In addition, because vibration in the thickness direction is not used, it is possible to make the vibration propagation member itself thinner.

[0161] (Embodiment 7) Hereinafter, the vibration transmitter / receiver of the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0162] [7-1. Vibration Transducer] [7-1-1. Configuration of vibration transducer] Fig. 30 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the vibration transmitter / receiver 121 according to the seventh embodiment. Fig. 30 shows a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view in the XZ plane) of the vibration transmitter / receiver 121 cut in the thickness direction (parallel to the Z axis).

[0163] As shown in Figure 30, the vibration transmitter / receiver 121 includes a top-covered cylindrical metal case 129, a vibration means 131 arranged on the top inner wall surface 130 of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129, and either the vibration propagation member 2 described in embodiment 1, the vibration propagation member 42 described in embodiment 2, the vibration propagation member 60 described in embodiment 3, the vibration propagation member 75 described in embodiment 4, the vibration propagation member 85 shown in embodiment 5, or the vibration propagation member 102 shown in embodiment 6 arranged on the top outer wall surface 132 of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129.

[0164] The top inner wall surface 130 is the top surface of the inside of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129 (surface on the negative Z-axis direction side), and the top outer wall surface 132 is the top surface of the outside of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129 (surface on the positive Z-axis direction side).

[0165] The vibration means 131 has grooves 133 parallel to the vibration propagation direction of the vibration means 131, and is arranged so that the vertical partition walls 125 of the vibration propagation member 122 and the grooves 133 of the vibration means 131 are substantially parallel to each other.

[0166] Terminal 137 is made of a metal material and is electrically connected to one electrode 136 of vibration means 131 via terminal plate 135 and top-closed cylindrical metal case 129. Terminal 134 is insulated from terminal 137 via insulating sealant 138 and is electrically connected to the other electrode 140 of vibration means 131 via conductive rubber conductive part 139. Conductive rubber conductive part 139 is roughly cylindrical and has conductive rubber insulating part 141 on its outer periphery, so that conductive rubber conductive part 139 is electrically insulated from terminal plate 135 and terminal 134. Conductive rubber conductive part 139 and conductive rubber insulating part 141 are pressed upward (in the positive direction of the Z-axis) by terminal plate 135. In the following description, it is assumed that vibration propagation member 122 is joined to top outer wall surface 132 of top-closed cylindrical metal case 129.

[0167] [7-2. Manufacturing procedure for vibration transducer] Next, a manufacturing procedure for the vibration transmitter / receiver 121 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0168] FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing procedure for the vibration transmitter / receiver 121 according to the fourth embodiment.

[0169] As shown in FIG. 31(a), first, the vibration propagation member 42 described in the second embodiment is prepared. Concurrently, as shown in FIG. 31(b), a thermosetting adhesive is applied to the top surface (the surface on the positive Z-axis direction) of the vibration means 131 to form a bonding material 143, and a similar bonding material 144 is applied to the top outer wall surface 132 of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129 to form a bonding material 144. Next, as shown in FIG. 31(c), the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129 is placed on top of the vibration means 131, and the top surface (the surface on the positive Z-axis direction) of the vibration means 131 and the top inner wall surface 130 of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129 are bonded together with the bonding material 143 sandwiched between them. Furthermore, the vibration propagation member 122 is placed on top of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129, and the top outer wall surface 132 of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129 and the bottom plate 47 (the surface on the negative Z-axis direction) of the vibration propagation member 122 are bonded together with the bonding material 144 sandwiched between them. At this time, the vibration means 131, the cylindrical metal case 129, and the vibration propagation member 122 are heated while being subjected to a pressure of approximately 1 kg / cm^2 to 10 kg / cm^2, thereby hardening the thermosetting adhesive. As a result, the vibration propagation member 122 and the vibration means 131 are fixed to the cylindrical metal case 129.

[0170] 31(d), terminal plate 135, into which conductive rubber 145 is inserted, is placed from below on the open end of the assembly of vibration propagation member 122, topped cylindrical metal case 129, and vibration means 131 that have been heat-cured and joined together through the above steps, and the flange of topped cylindrical metal case 129 is welded to the periphery of terminal plate 135. During this welding, an inert gas such as argon gas, nitrogen gas, or helium gas is sealed in the sealed space surrounded by terminal plate 135 and topped cylindrical metal case 129. This reduces deterioration of the electrodes of vibration means 131 and the joint between vibration means 131 and topped cylindrical metal case 129.

[0171] The material forming the topped cylindrical metal case 129 may be any conductive material such as iron, brass, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or alloys of these metals, or metals with plated surfaces.

[0172] The thermosetting adhesive used for the bonding bodies 143 and 141 is not particularly limited as long as it is a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin, phenol resin, polyester resin, or melamine resin. In some cases, even if it is a thermoplastic resin, as long as the glass transition point is equal to or higher than the high temperature (for example, 70°C or higher) that is the upper limit of the temperature range for use of the vibration transducer 121, Can be used as an adhesive.

[0173] In this way, the vibration transmitter / receiver 121 is completed as shown in FIG. 31(e).

[0174] [7-1-3. Effects of vibration transducer] As described above, in this embodiment, the vibration transmitter / receiver 121 is configured to include a top-covered cylindrical metal case 129, a vibration means 131 arranged on the top inner wall surface 130 of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129, and any one of the vibration propagation members described in the first to third embodiments arranged on the top outer wall surface 132 of the top-covered cylindrical metal case 129. This makes it possible to control the resonance frequency induced by the membrane structure formed by the components of the vibration propagation member, such as the thickness of the vertical partitions, the distance between the vertical partitions, and the thickness of the top plate, and when the vibration transmitter / receiver 121 is configured as a vibration transmitter / receiver 121 with a vibration means attached, it is possible to freely control the frequency of the vibrations to be transmitted and received, making it possible to provide a vibration propagation member with a high degree of design freedom.

[0175] Furthermore, by making the space formed by the internal structure of the vibration transducer a sealed space, it becomes possible to directly measure the concentration of even corrosive fluids or high-temperature, high-humidity fluids as the measurement target. [Industrial Applicability]

[0176] The present disclosure is applicable to ultrasonic flow meters, flow velocity meters, and concentration meters that measure the flow rate, flow velocity, and concentration of gases. Specifically, the present disclosure is applicable to household flow meters, medical anesthesia gas concentration meters, hydrogen concentration meters for fuel cells, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0177] 1, 1a, 1b Vibration means 2, 2a, 2b Vibration transmission member 3. Top plate 4 side wall 5 Vertical bulkhead 6 Closed space 7 Membrane structure 8 Membrane structure 9 Membrane structure 10 metal plate 11 Metal plate 12 metal plate 14, 14a, 14b Vibration transducer 15 electrodes 16 electrodes 17 Zygote 18 Lead Wire 19 Lead wire 23 Flow meter 24 Current meter 25 flow path 26 Ultrasonic Transmitter / Receiver 27 Ultrasonic Transmitter / Receiver 28 Timing device 29 Calculation means 30 Densitometer 31 Case 32 Ventilation holes 33 Ultrasonic Transducer 34 Ultrasonic Transmitter / Receiver 35 Temperature Sensor 36 Timing device 37 Calculation means 41 Vibration means 42, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, 42e, 42f vibration transmission members 43 Top plate 44 Side wall 45 Vertical bulkhead 46 Closed space 47 Bottom plate 48 Membrane structure 49 Membrane structure 50 metal plate 51 Metal plate 52 Metal plate 55 Bend 57 Vertical bulkhead 58 vertical bulkhead 59 Vibration means 60 Vibration transmission member 61 Top plate 62 Side wall 63 Vertical bulkhead 65 Bottom plate 66 Horizontal bulkhead 67 Closed space 68 Membrane structure 69 Membrane structure 70 metal plate 71 Metal plate 72 Metal plate 75 Vibration transmission member 76 Top plate 77 Side wall 78 Vertical bulkhead 80 Bottom plate 81 Horizontal bulkhead 82 Closed space 83 Membrane structure 84 Membrane structure 85 Vibration transmission member 86 Top plate 87 Side wall 88 Vertical bulkhead 90 Bottom plate 92 Closed space 93 Membrane structure 94 Membrane structure 96 Metal plate 97 Metal plate 98 Metal plate 99 Metal plate 101 Vibration means 102 Vibration transmission member 104 Side wall 105 Vertical bulkhead 106 Closed space 107 Bottom plate 108 Membrane structure 109 Membrane structure 110 Top Plate 111 Top plate 113 Membrane structure closed space 114 Membrane structure closed space 115 Metal plate 116 Metal plate 117 Metal plate 118 Metal plate 119 Metal plate 121 Vibration Transducer 122 Vibration transmission member 123 Top Plate 124 Side wall 125 Vertical bulkhead 126 Closed Space 127 Bottom plate 129 Celestial cylindrical metal case 130 Ceiling inner wall 131 Vibration means 132 Outer wall of the top 133 Groove 134 terminals 135 Terminal board 136 Electrode 137 terminals 138 Insulating sealant 139 Conductive rubber conductive part 140 electrodes 141 Conductive rubber insulation part 143 Zygote 144 Zygote 145 Conductive Rubber

Claims

1. a vibration propagation member that is joined to one surface of the vibration means and operates, the vibration propagation member is formed by a top plate, a side wall, and a vertical partition wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the top plate; using vibrations generated in a plurality of membrane structures formed by the top plate and the vertical partition walls, The plurality of film structures are vibration propagation members each having a top plate with a different thickness.

2. a vibration propagation member that is joined to one surface of the vibration means and operates, the vibration propagation member is formed by a top plate, a side wall, and a vertical partition wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the top plate; using vibrations generated in a plurality of membrane structures formed by the top plate and the vertical partition walls, The plurality of membrane structures are vibration propagation members that create different internal pressures in the sealed spaces.

3. a vibration propagation member that is joined to one surface of the vibration means and operates, the vibration propagation member is formed by a top plate, a side wall, and a vertical partition wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the top plate; using vibrations generated in a plurality of membrane structures formed by the top plate and the vertical partition walls, The plurality of film structures are vibration propagation members each having a different thickness in the vibration propagation direction of the vibration propagation member.

4. a vibration propagation member that is joined to one surface of the vibration means and operates, the vibration propagation member is formed by a top plate, a side wall, and a vertical partition wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the top plate; The vertical partition wall has a wall thickness that varies in the vibration propagation direction, the wall thickness gradually changes, and the wall thickness repeatedly varies in large and small thicknesses, A vibration propagation member that uses vibrations generated in a plurality of membrane structures formed by the top plate and the vertical partition walls.

5. a vibration propagation member that is joined to one surface of the vibration means and operates, the vibration propagation member is formed by a top plate, a side wall, and a vertical partition wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the top plate; The vertical partition walls are stacked at positions that are shifted in the thickness direction of the walls, A vibration propagation member that uses vibrations generated in a plurality of membrane structures formed by the top plate and the vertical partition walls.

6. The vibration propagation member is 6. The vibration propagation member according to claim 1, wherein the top plate, the vertical partition wall, and the vibration means form at least a part of an enclosed space.

7. the vibration propagation member is formed by the top plate, the bottom plate, the side wall, and the vertical partition wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the top plate and the bottom plate; A vibration propagation member according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. 8. The vibration propagation member according to claim 7, wherein at least a part of a space formed by the top plate, the bottom plate, and the vertical partition wall is an enclosed space.

9. the vibration propagation member is formed by the top plate, the bottom plate, the side wall, the vertical partition wall disposed substantially perpendicular to the top plate and the bottom plate, and the horizontal partition wall disposed substantially horizontally to the top plate and the bottom plate. A vibration propagation member according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

10. The vibration propagation member according to claim 9 , wherein at least a part of a space formed by the top plate and any one of the vertical and horizontal partition walls is an enclosed space.

11. The vibration propagation member according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of film structures are formed with different distances between the vertical partition walls.

12. The vibration propagation member according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of film structures have a plurality of vertical partition wall shapes in a cross section perpendicular to the vibration propagation direction.

13. The vibration propagation member according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of film structures have sealed spaces filled with different filling materials.

14. The vibration propagation member according to claim 1 , wherein the vertical partition wall has a portion that is not connected to the side wall.

15. 15. The vibration propagation member according to claim 1, wherein the vibration propagation member is formed by stacking a plurality of patterned plate materials made of the same material and directly bonding the layers together.

16. The vibration propagation member is 16. The vibration propagation member according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of patterned plate materials are stacked and the layers are bonded together with a bonding material.

17. A vibration transducer comprising: a vibration means; and the vibration propagation member according to any one of claims 1 to 16 bonded to one surface of the vibration means.

18. A vibration transmitter / receiver comprising a cylindrical metal case with a top, a vibration propagation member described in any one of claims 1 to 16 joined to the outer wall surface of the top of the cylindrical metal case, and a vibration means on the inner wall surface of the top of the cylindrical metal case with a top.

19. The vibration transducer according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the vibration means is a piezoelectric body, grooves are formed parallel to the vibration propagation direction of the piezoelectric body, and the grooves of the piezoelectric body and the vertical partitions of the vibration propagation member are approximately parallel.

20. A method for manufacturing the vibration propagation member, The vibration propagation member is manufactured by a process including the steps of forming a pattern on a metal plate, and stacking the patterned metal plates.

17. The method for manufacturing a vibration propagation member according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: applying a load to the stacked metal plates at a high temperature to directly bond the plurality of metal plates; and

21. A flow meter comprising: a flow path through which a fluid to be measured flows; a pair of vibration transmitters and receivers according to any one of claims 17 to 19 attached opposite to the flow path; a timing device that measures the arrival time of a signal transmitted by the vibration transmitter and receiver; and a calculation means that calculates a flow rate from the arrival time determined by the timing device.

22. A flow meter comprising: a flow path through which a fluid to be measured flows; a pair of vibration transmitters and receivers according to any one of claims 17 to 19 attached opposite to the flow path; a timing device that measures the arrival time of a signal transmitted by the vibration transmitter and receiver; and a calculation means that calculates a flow velocity from the arrival time determined by the timing device.

23. 20. A concentration meter comprising: a housing having a vent hole through which a mixed gas, which is a fluid to be measured, passes; a pair of vibration transmitters and receivers according to any one of claims 17 to 19, which are arranged facing each other at a predetermined distance inside the housing; a temperature sensor arranged inside the housing; a timing device that measures the arrival time of a signal transmitted by the vibration transmitter and receiver; and calculation means that calculates a propagation velocity, an average molecular weight of the mixed gas, and a gas concentration from the arrival time determined by the timing device.

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