Piezoelectric Actuator Fluid Delivery for Sensor Response Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices equipped with sensors for environmental monitoring face challenges in maintaining consistent fluid flow, leading to long response times and reduced monitoring precision due to reliance on natural convection, which affects real-time air quality monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A portable device with an integrated actuating and sensing module, featuring a carrier, sensor, actuating device, driving and transmitting controller, and battery, which uses a piezoelectric actuating device to stabilize and uniformly deliver fluid to the sensor, enhancing monitoring precision and reducing response time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the sensor relies on natural convection to transfer fluid, then the device structure remains simple, but the monitoring response time becomes long and monitoring precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the natural convection mechanism with a piezoelectric actuator that actively pumps fluid through microchannels. This mechanical substitution enables controlled fluid delivery directly to the sensor, dramatically reducing response time from minutes to seconds while maintaining acceptable device complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces microchannels as an intermediary structure between the fluid source and sensor. These channels guide and concentrate fluid flow directly onto the sensor surface, ensuring consistent fluid delivery and improving monitoring precision without requiring complex external pumping systems.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor is integrated into the portable device, then the device becomes portable and usable, but the monitoring precision and consistency deteriorate due to unstable fluid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the actuating device (piezoelectric actuator), sensing module, power supply, and control electronics into a single integrated portable unit. This consolidation maintains portability while the internal microchannel system ensures stable fluid flow to the sensor, resolving the contradiction between portability and monitoring precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a piezoelectric actuator to generate controlled fluid pressure and flow through microchannels. This pneumatic/hydraulic mechanism ensures consistent fluid delivery to the sensor regardless of the device's position or orientation, maintaining monitoring precision in a portable form factor.
3Productivity
If natural convection is used for fluid transfer, then the device requires minimal power, but the fluid flow rate is insufficient and monitoring accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive thermal convection with an active piezoelectric pump mechanism. Although this increases power consumption slightly, the piezoelectric actuator is highly efficient and consumes minimal power, while delivering significantly higher and more consistent fluid flow rates to the sensor for accurate monitoring.
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
The device achieves precise and real-time air quality monitoring by ensuring a stable fluid flow to the sensor, enabling immediate data transmission and notification, thereby aiding in preventing health impacts from air pollution.
Implementation Method 1
uses a piezoelectric actuating device to stabilize and uniformly deliver fluid to the sensor
Implementation Method 2
at least one sensor, at least one actuating device, a driving and transmitting controller
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes a main body and at least one actuating and sensing module. A length of the main body is 35˜55 mm. A width of the main body is 25˜30 mm. A height of the main body is 9˜13 mm. The actuating and sensing module is disposed in the main body. The actuating and sensing module includes a carrier, at least one sensor, at least one actuating device, a driving and transmitting controller and a battery. The sensor, the actuating device, the driving and transmitting controller and the battery are disposed on the carrier. The actuating device is disposed on one side of the sensor. The actuating device includes at least one guiding channel. The actuating device is enabled to transport fluid to flow toward the sensor through the guiding channel so as to make the fluid measured by the sensor.