Piezoelectric pump and piezoelectric vibrator

Abstract

There is provided a piezoelectric pump including a piezoelectric vibrator formed by stacking a piezoelectric body on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of a shim made of a conductive metal thin plate, and a housing that makes the peripheral edge of the piezoelectric vibrator liquid-tight to form a pump chamber. An alternating current is applied to between the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator, and the piezoelectric body to vibrate the piezoelectric vibrator, thereby generating a pumping action. A cylindrical bent part is formed at a peripheral edge of the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator, and a liquid-tight seal member is interposed between the cylindrical bent part and the housing. As a result, the piezoelectric pump with a highly-reliable fluid-tight structure around the piezoelectric vibrator is obtained.

1 . A piezoelectric pump comprising:
 a piezoelectric vibrator including a piezoelectric body stacked on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of a shim made of a thin conductive metal plate;   a housing that makes the peripheral edge of the piezoelectric vibrator liquid-tight to form a pump chamber, wherein an alternating current is applied between the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator and the piezoelectric body to vibrate the piezoelectric vibrator, thereby generating a pumping action;   a cylindrical bent part formed at a peripheral edge of the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator; and   a liquid-tight seal member interposed between the cylindrical bent part and the housing.   
   
   
       2 . The piezoelectric pump according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the pump chamber is formed on one side of the front and rear surfaces of the piezoelectric vibrator, and the liquid-tight seal member is disposed on an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical bent part of the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator.   
   
   
       3 . The piezoelectric pump according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the pump chamber is formed on one side of the front and rear surfaces of the piezoelectric vibrator, and the liquid-tight seal member is disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical bent part of the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator.   
   
   
       4 . The piezoelectric pump according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein pump chambers are respectively formed on the front and rear surfaces of the piezoelectric vibrator, and liquid-tight seal members are respectively disposed on inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the cylindrical bent part of the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator.   
   
   
       5 . The piezoelectric pump according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator has an outwardly bent flange part at an end of the cylindrical bent part thereof.   
   
   
       6 . A piezoelectric vibrator comprising a piezoelectric body stacked on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of a shim made of a conductive metal thin plate, and a cylindrical bent part formed at a peripheral edge of the shim. 
   
   
       7 . The piezoelectric vibrator according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the shim of the piezoelectric vibrator has an outwardly bent flange part at an end of the cylindrical bent part thereof.