Fluid Control Device With Particle-Embedded Adhesive
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid pumps face challenges in miniaturization while maintaining performance, as the thickness of the adhesive layer between components is difficult to accurately define, leading to fluctuations in pressure-flow rate characteristics and potential vibration blockage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating particles within the adhesive agent to maintain a consistent distance between the vibrating plate and flexible plate, preventing adhesive flow into gaps and ensuring accurate pressure-flow rate characteristics, with a flexible plate design that includes a movable portion and a fixing portion to enhance vibration amplitude.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the fluid pump is miniaturized, then the device size is reduced, but the pump performance (discharge flow rate and discharge pressure) decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible plate is designed to vibrate dynamically in response to pressure fluctuations from the actuator, converting static structural elements into dynamic components that amplify vibration amplitude and enhance pump performance in a compact configuration
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible plate with a through-hole is introduced as a thin film component that can vibrate elastically. This flexible plate amplifies the vibration amplitude generated by the actuator, enabling compact pump design while maintaining adequate discharge flow rate and pressure
2Volume of moving object
If the adhesive layer thickness is reduced to minimize device thickness, then the device becomes more compact, but the adhesive may flow into gaps and block vibration
Solution Approach 1:
Particles are introduced as intermediary elements within the adhesive layer between the actuator and flexible plate. These particles act as spacers that prevent adhesive flow into gaps while maintaining consistent spacing, ensuring reliable vibration transmission without blocking motion
Solution Approach 2:
The particles within the adhesive layer automatically serve as spacing maintainers and flow barriers. The adhesive with embedded particles self-regulates its behavior, preventing excessive flow into gaps while maintaining the required thickness for reliable vibration transmission
3Ease of manufacture
If the adhesive layer thickness is not accurately controlled, then manufacturing becomes simpler, but the pressure-flow rate characteristics fluctuate
Solution Approach 1:
Particles embedded in the adhesive serve as physical intermediaries that automatically maintain consistent spacing between the actuator and flexible plate. This eliminates the need for precise adhesive thickness control while ensuring consistent pressure-flow rate characteristics across all devices
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive formulation is changed by incorporating particles with specific size distributions. This parameter change transforms the adhesive from a material requiring precise thickness control to one that self-regulates spacing through the physical presence of embedded particles, ensuring manufacturing consistency
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 configuration maintains consistent pressure-flow rate characteristics and prevents vibration blockage, allowing for higher discharge pressure and flow rates in a compact design, while ensuring the adhesive agent does not interfere with the operation.
Implementation Method 1
by applying voltage having a predetermined frequency to the piezoelectric element 23, a portion of the vibrating plate 20 that faces the first opening 11 and a portion of the vibrating plate 20 that faces the second opening 12 are bent and deformed in opposite directions
Implementation Method 2
The circular exposed portion of the flexible plate 35 can vibrate at a frequency that is substantially the same as a frequency of the actuator 30 through the pressure fluctuation of fluid accompanied by the vibration of the actuator 30
Implementation Method 3
the amplitude of vibration of the fluid pump 901 is effectively increased
Data Source
Figure 1A~1E
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A fluid control device (101) includes a vibrating plate unit (160), a driver (142), and a flexible plate (151). The vibrating plate unit (16) includes a vibrating plate (141) including a first main surface and a second main surface, and a frame plate (161) surrounding the surroundings of the vibrating plate (141). The driver (142) is provided on the first main surface of the vibrating plate (141), and vibrates the vibrating plate. The flexible plate (151) has a hole (152) formed thereon. Furthermore, the flexible plate (151) faces the second main surface of the vibrating plate (141), and adheres to the frame plate by the adhesive agent (120) that contains a plurality of particles (121) arranged such that the plurality of particles are interposed between the flexible plate and the vibrating plate.