Flexible Substrate Fluid Excitation Head Reducing Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid excitation devices suffer from low efficiency due to significant vibration damping caused by external force-applying structures, leading to reduced amplitude of vibrations in the atomisation plate and inefficient droplet generation or fluid excitation.
Innovation Solution
A head for a fluid excitation device is designed with a transducer secured to a flexible substrate using an adhesive layer, eliminating the need for an external force-applying structure and reducing damping effects, allowing the flexible substrate to move in cooperation with the transducer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an external force-applying structure (clamp) is used to secure the piezoelectric material and atomisation plate together, then the components remain in good contact, but significant vibration damping is caused reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external force-applying structure (clamp) from the system entirely. Instead of clamping the piezoelectric material and atomisation plate together, the invention uses a integrated design where the piezoelectric material is positioned on the flexible substrate and the atomisation plate is secured to the flexible substrate, eliminating the need for intermediate clamping structures that cause damping.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible substrate serves as an intermediary element that transmits vibrations from the piezoelectric material to the atomisation plate without requiring clamping structures. The adhesive layer on the flexible substrate provides the necessary bonding while allowing vibration transmission, acting as a mediator that eliminates damping caused by clamps.
2Productivity
If the transducer is driven with greater amplitude to compensate for damping losses, then more droplets can be generated, but energy consumption increases and overheating issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the previously harmful damping effect into a beneficial outcome by eliminating the clamp structure entirely. The flexible substrate with adhesive layer provides a damping-free transmission path, allowing the transducer to operate at lower amplitudes with the same or better droplet generation efficiency, thereby reducing energy consumption and overheating.
3Loss of energy
If clamping force is carefully tuned to reduce damping, then vibration efficiency improves, but design and manufacture complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for tuning by removing the clamp structure entirely. The flexible substrate with adhesive layer provides a fixed, non-adjustable but optimal bonding interface that does not require force tuning, significantly simplifying design and manufacture while maintaining low damping characteristics.
4Reliability
If clamping force is increased to maintain contact pressure, then component contact improves, but damping effects increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible substrate acts as an intermediary that maintains reliable contact between the piezoelectric material and atomisation plate without requiring high clamping forces. The adhesive layer provides sufficient bonding strength while allowing vibration transmission, eliminating the trade-off between contact pressure and damping that plagues clamp-based designs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances the efficiency of energy conversion into useful fluid excitations or droplets, maintaining high vibration amplitude across a larger area of the fluid contact region, thereby increasing the useful output per unit time.
Implementation Method 1
A typical design of such a device includes a transducer comprising a piezoelectrical material and an atomisation plate, where the piezoelectric material and atomisation plate are pressed together
Implementation Method 2
a transducer comprising a vibration generation portion and a fluid excitation portion is secured to a flexible substrate using an adhesive layer located between the vibration generation portion and the flexible substrate
Implementation Method 3
Rather than damping the vibrations generated by the transducer, the flexible substrate instead itself moves in co-operation with the transducer, reducing damping effects
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a head for a fluid excitation device in which a transducer comprising a vibration generation portion and a fluid excitation portion is secured to a flexible substrate using an adhesive layer located between the vibration generation portion and the flexible substrate. An external force-applying structure is not needed to secure the vibration generation portion to the fluid excitation portion, removing a cause of significant vibration damping. Rather than damping the vibrations generated by the transducer, the flexible substrate instead itself moves in co-operation with the transducer, reducing damping effects. The design and manufacture of this arrangement is relatively simple and no complex tuning is required to ensure efficient operation over the entire operational life of the head. The head can be used in a fluid excitation device such as an atomiser or ultrasonic bath.