FLOW RATE CONTROL APPARATUS AND PUMP APPARATUS

• US 20110196305A1
• Filed: 01/03/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Katoh, Seiichi
• Application Number:
  US12/983,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196305A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0294 Piezoelectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14224 Diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28

Abstract

A disclosed flow rate control apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate partially bonded to the first substrate, and a piezoelectric material. The first substrate includes a separation section separating first and second flow paths in the first substrate, the piezoelectric material is adhered to an upper surface of the second substrate above the separation section, and the first substrate is not bonded to the second substrate near the separation section.

Claims

1. A flow rate control apparatus to be provided in a middle of a medical solution injection path from a container accommodating medical solution into a living body and capable of adjusting a flow rate of the medical solution, the flow rate control apparatus comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate, at least a part of the second substrate being bonded to the first substrate; and

a piezoelectric material;

wherein

the first substrate includes a separation section having a thickness equivalent to a thickness of the first substrate where the first substrate is bonded to the second substrate,

first and second flow paths are formed in the first substrate, the first flow path and the second flow path being separated from each other by the separation section,

the piezoelectric material is adhered to a position on a surface of the second substrate, the position corresponding to a position of the separation section, the surface being opposite to a surface facing the first substrate, and

the first substrate is not bonded to the second substrate near the separation section.

2. The flow rate control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first substrate is made of single-crystal silicon, and

the second substrate is made of borosilicate glass.

3. The flow rate control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded to each other based on anodic bonding in an area other than an area near the separation section.

4. The flow rate control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage application unit that applies voltage to the piezoelectric material, wherein

duty control is performed by applying a predetermined voltage by the voltage application unit.

5. A flow rate control apparatus to be provided in a middle of a medical solution injection path from a container accommodating medical solution into a living body and capable of adjusting a flow rate of the medical solution, the flow rate control apparatus comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate, at least a part of the second substrate being bonded to the first substrate;

a third substrate, at least a part of the third substrate being bonded to the second substrate; and

a piezoelectric material;

wherein

the first substrate includes a separation section having a thickness equivalent to a thickness of the first substrate where the first substrate is bonded to the second substrate,

first and second flow paths are formed in the first substrate, the first flow path and the second flow path being separated from each other by the separation section,

the piezoelectric material is adhered to a position on a surface of the second substrate, the position corresponding to a position of the separation section, the surface being opposite to a surface facing the first substrate, the piezoelectric material facing a piezoelectric material in the third substrate via a gap, and

the first substrate is not bonded to the second substrate near the separation section.

6. A pump apparatus to be provided in a middle of a medical solution injection path from a container accommodating medical solution into a living body and capable of adjusting a flow rate of the medical solution, the pump apparatus comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate, at least a part of the second substrate being bonded to the first substrate; and

piezoelectric materials;

wherein

the first substrate includes first and second separation sections, each of the sections having a thickness equivalent to a thickness of the first substrate where the first substrate is bonded to the second substrate,

first and second flow paths and a liquid chamber are formed in the first substrate, the first flow path and the liquid chamber being separated from each other by the first separation section, the liquid chamber and the second flow path being separated from each other by the second separation section,

the piezoelectric materials are adhered to respective positions on a surface of the second substrate, the respective positions corresponding to positions of the first separation section, the second separation section, and the liquid chamber, the surface being opposite to a surface facing the first substrate, and

the first substrate is not bonded to the second substrate near the first separation section and the second separation section.