WO2021172388A1

WO2021172388A1 - Valve device

Info

Publication number: WO2021172388A1
Application number: PCT/JP2021/006953
Authority: WO
Inventors: 世傑徐; 矢野　健; 昭雄矢野; 伊藤　隆文
Original assignee: 有限会社メカノトランスフォーマ; 株式会社サタケ
Priority date: 2020-02-27
Filing date: 2021-02-24
Publication date: 2021-09-02
Also published as: JP2021134916A; KR20220144795A; TW202200922A; JP2021134855A; CN115151748A; JP7461045B2; JP6893710B1

Abstract

Provided is a valve device with which a drive system can be controlled in a simple manner and the change in a flow rate characteristic is small even when there has been a temperature change in a valve device body. The valve device comprises an actuator, a valve function module, and a housing. The actuator is provided with: a base section serving as a foundation; a piezoelectric element of which one end is connected to an attachment surface of the base section and which extends in a first longitudinal direction; a support member of which one end is attached to the attachment surface alongside the piezoelectric element and which extends in a second longitudinal direction intersecting the first longitudinal direction; and an actuating section that is connected to the other ends of both the piezoelectric element and the support member and that is displaced in a displacement direction, which is different from both the first longitudinal direction and the second longitudinal direction, in association with expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element, to drive a valve section. The housing is provided with a supply port to which a fluid is supplied, a discharge port that discharges the fluid supplied from the supply port due to separation of the valve section and a valve seat, and a holding section that ensures a gap between the valve function module and the housing to hold the valve function module.

Description

Valve device

[Related application]
This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-031577 entitled "Valve Device" filed on February 27, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Is done.
The present invention relates to a valve device.

Conventionally, a piezoelectric element (piezo element) has existed as an element that generates a required displacement at a relatively low voltage. A piezoelectric element is an element having a structure in which a substance having a piezoelectric effect and thin electrodes are alternately stacked, and has a function of converting a force into a voltage or converting a voltage into a force. Since the piezoelectric element can be slightly expanded and contracted by controlling the voltage, it is used in various fields such as an ink injection mechanism of an inkjet printer and a control mechanism such as an actuator. The piezoelectric element expands and contracts when a voltage is applied, but since the displacement generated is small, an actuator is used that expands the displacement of the expanding and contracting piezoelectric element to act on the object.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an actuator capable of effectively expanding and outputting a displacement amount by displacing two piezoelectric elements.

In addition, there is a technology for controlling the contact and separation with the valve seat by driving the valve portion by utilizing the displacement of the piezoelectric element in the valve device that controls the passage and stop of the fluid. The valve portion driven by the piezoelectric element allows the fluid to pass through by being separated from the valve seat, or stops the fluid by being brought into close contact with the valve seat.

For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a piezoelectric valve device having a valve seat attached to a valve body and a valve portion displaced by a piezoelectric element. The displacement of the piezoelectric element is expanded by the actuator to drive the valve portion to bring the valve portion into contact with the valve seat.

International Publication No. 2019/090535 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-192192

However, since the conventional actuator uses two piezoelectric elements, it is necessary to control the drive of each piezoelectric element, and there is a problem that it is difficult to control the drive system for obtaining the desired displacement.

In addition, the valve device body may be installed in various temperature environments, and the temperature of the displacement expansion function may change due to the temperature change of the valve device body. Since the displacement expansion function expands a small displacement of the piezoelectric element, when the temperature of the displacement expansion function changes, the positional relationship or contact pressure between the valve and the valve seat changes due to the thermal expansion or contraction of the displacement expansion function, resulting in a fluid. In some cases, the flow rate characteristics of the

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a valve device in which the drive system can be easily controlled and the change in flow rate characteristics is small even when the valve device body has a temperature change.

In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configuration described in the claims is adopted. This example discloses at least the following:
(1) The valve device is a valve device including an actuator for driving the valve portion, a valve function module having a valve seat that is in contact with and separated from the valve portion, and a housing for accommodating the valve function module. A second portion that is connected to a base portion that is a base and a mounting surface of the base portion and extends in the first longitudinal direction, and one end portion that is attached to the mounting surface alongside the piezoelectric element and intersects the first longitudinal direction. It is connected to the support member extending in the longitudinal direction and the other end of each of the piezoelectric element and the support member, and is displaced in the displacement direction, which is a direction different from each of the first longitudinal direction and the second longitudinal direction as the piezoelectric element expands and contracts. The housing includes a supply port for supplying fluid, a discharge port for discharging the fluid supplied from the supply port by separating the valve part from the valve seat, and a valve function. A holding portion for holding a valve function module by ensuring a gap between the module and the housing is provided.

(2) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the holding portion may secure a gap with the valve function module by holding the first surface of the valve function module.

(3) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the holding portion may hold the valve function module by fastening the valve function module to the holding portion by fastening parts.

(4) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the actuator may be further provided with a compression member which is connected to each of the base portion and the action portion and compresses the piezoelectric element in the first longitudinal direction.

(5) Further, the valve device of the embodiment may further include a drive unit that supplies a voltage or a current to the piezoelectric element to expand and contract the piezoelectric element.

(6) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, at least one end or the other end of the piezoelectric element may be connected via a connecting member having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the support member. ..

(7) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the connecting member may be integrally formed with the base portion.

(8) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the connecting member may be integrally formed with the working portion.

(9) In order to solve the above problems, the valve device includes a plurality of actuators for individually driving a plurality of valve portions and a valve function module having a plurality of valve seats individually connected to and separated from the plurality of valve portions. , A valve device including a housing for accommodating a valve function module, each of a plurality of actuators having a base portion as a base and a piezoelectric element having one end connected to a mounting surface of the base portion and extending in the first longitudinal direction. One end of the piezoelectric element is attached to the mounting surface alongside the piezoelectric element, and the support member extending in the second longitudinal direction intersecting the first longitudinal direction is connected to the other end of each of the piezoelectric element and the support member. The housing includes a supply port to which a fluid is supplied, and a working portion that drives the valve portion by being displaced in a displacement direction that is different from each of the first longitudinal direction and the second longitudinal direction as the valve expands and contracts. A valve function is provided by securing a gap between the valve function module and the housing and a plurality of discharge ports for individually discharging the fluid supplied from the supply port by separating the plurality of valve portions from the valve seats that are individually contacted and separated from each other. A holding unit for holding the module is provided.

(10) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the holding portion may secure a gap with the valve function module by holding the first surface of the valve function module.

(11) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the holding portion may hold the valve function module by fastening the valve function module to the holding portion by fastening parts.

(12) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, each actuator may be further provided with a compression member which is connected to each of the base portion and the action portion and compresses the piezoelectric element in the first longitudinal direction.

(13) Further, the valve device of the embodiment may further include a drive unit that individually supplies a voltage or a current to the piezoelectric elements included in each actuator to individually expand and contract the piezoelectric elements.

(14) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, at least one end or the other end of the piezoelectric element may be connected via a connecting member having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the support member. ..

(15) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the connecting member may be integrally formed with the base portion.

(16) Further, in the valve device of the embodiment, the connecting member may be integrally formed with the working portion.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the valve device comprises a valve that includes an actuator that drives the valve portion, a valve function module having a valve seat that is in contact with and separated from the valve portion, and a housing that houses the valve function module. In the device, the actuator has a base portion as a base, one end connected to a mounting surface of the base, a piezoelectric element extending in the first longitudinal direction, and one end mounted on the mounting surface along with the piezoelectric element. A support member extending in the second longitudinal direction intersecting the first longitudinal direction is connected to the other end of each of the piezoelectric element and the support member, and is different from the first longitudinal direction and the second longitudinal direction as the piezoelectric element expands and contracts. The housing is provided with an acting portion that drives the valve portion by being displaced in the displacement direction, which is a direction, and the housing receives the fluid supplied from the supply port by separating the supply port from which the fluid is supplied and the valve portion and the valve seat. By providing a discharge port for discharging and a holding portion for holding the valve function module by securing a gap between the valve function module and the housing, the drive system can be easily controlled and the temperature of the valve device main body can be controlled. It is possible to provide a valve device in which the change in flow rate characteristics is small even when there is a change.

FIG. 1 is an example of a front view of the valve device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is an example of a side view of the valve device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an example of a side view of the valve device according to the first modification. FIG. 4 is an example of a front view of the actuator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is an example of a perspective view of the actuator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is an example of a front view of the compression member according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is an example of a front view of the actuator according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is an example of a front view of the compression member according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is an example of a front view of the actuator according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is an example of a front view of the compression member according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is an example of a hexagonal view and a perspective view showing another modified example of the actuator. FIG. 12 is an example of a hexagonal view and a perspective view in which the compression member is attached to another modified example of the actuator.

Hereinafter, the valve device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the description of the same reference numerals that are duplicated in each figure may be omitted.

First, the valve device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a front view of the valve device according to the embodiment.

In FIG. 1, the valve device 100 includes an actuator 1, a valve function module 2, and a housing 3 according to the first embodiment.

The actuator 1 according to the first embodiment drives the valve portion 11. The actuator 1 includes a base portion 12, a piezoelectric element 13, a support member 14, an action portion 15, and a connecting member 16.

The base portion 12 is a portion that becomes the base of the actuator 1, and the actuator 1 is attached to the valve function module 2 via the base portion 12. The base portion 12 has a mounting hole 122, and for example, the actuator 1 is valved by mounting a screw through the mounting hole 122 in a tap hole provided in the valve function module 2 corresponding to the mounting hole 122. It can be attached to the function module 2. The base 12 can be made of, for example, stainless steel.

In the piezoelectric element 13, one end of the piezoelectric element 13 is connected to the mounting surface of the base 12. A mounting portion 121 formed in pairs with the base portion 12 is mounted on the mounting surface of the base portion 12, and the piezoelectric element 13 is mounted on the base portion 12 via the mounting portion 121. The piezoelectric element 13 is formed in an elongated shape extending in the first longitudinal direction D1. The piezoelectric element 13 can be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped, for example, as shown in FIG.

The piezoelectric element 13 contracts in the first longitudinal direction D1 when a voltage or current is supplied. As the main material constituting the piezoelectric element 13, a piezoelectric material having a piezoelectric effect, for example, PZT (lead zirconate titanate) can be used. The piezoelectric element 13 may have a laminated structure in which thin electrodes and thin piezoelectric bodies are alternately stacked. With such a laminated structure, it is possible to realize a large displacement even at a low voltage. Although the case where the piezoelectric element 13 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped is illustrated in FIG. 1, the shape is not limited to the rectangular parallelepiped. The piezoelectric element 13 may be formed in a triangular columnar shape or a columnar shape, for example.

In the present embodiment, the piezoelectric element 13 is attached to the base 12 via the connecting member 16. The connecting member 16 is used for the purpose of compensating for the influence of the thermal expansion of the piezoelectric element 13 on the actuator 1. The effect on thermal expansion will be described later.

One end of the support member 14 is attached to the attachment surface of the base 12 along with the piezoelectric element 13. The support member 14 is attached to the base portion 12 via the attachment portion 121. The support member 14 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped so as to extend in the direction of the second longitudinal direction D2 intersecting the first longitudinal direction D1, but the shape of the support member 14 is not limited to this.

The working portion 15 is connected to the other end of each of the piezoelectric element 13 and the support member 14. A valve portion 11 is attached to the tip of the working portion 15. As the piezoelectric element 13 expands and contracts, the acting portion 15 is displaced in the displacement direction D4, which is a direction different from each of the first longitudinal direction D1 and the second longitudinal direction D2, to drive the valve portion 11. For example, when the piezoelectric element 13 is extended, the support member 14 is also deformed accordingly, so that the valve portion 11 attached to the tip of the working portion 15 can be moved in the downward direction shown in the displacement direction D4. On the other hand, when the piezoelectric element 13 contracts, the support member 14 also deforms accordingly, so that the valve portion 11 attached to the tip of the working portion 15 can be moved in the upward direction shown in the displacement direction D4. The valve portion 11 attached to the tip of the working portion 15 is moved in the displacement direction D4 with a predetermined stroke as the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 13 moves as the acting portion 15 moves. That is, the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 13 in the first longitudinal direction D1 is expanded to the stroke of the valve portion 11 in the displacement direction D4 by the length of the action portion 15 in the illustrated left-right direction.

The valve portion 11 is moved in the displacement direction D4 with a predetermined stroke to contact and separate from the valve seat 21 formed in the valve function module 2. The valve portion 11 is formed of, for example, rubber. The valve seat 21 has a contact surface with the valve portion 11 corresponding to the shape of the valve portion 11. The shape of the valve seat 21 is formed, for example, by making a discharge hole in the flat surface portion of the valve function module 2. Further, the shape of the valve seat 21 may be formed by providing a chimney-shaped protrusion on the valve function module 2. By making the shape of the valve seat 21 a chimney-shaped protrusion, the contact area with the valve portion 11 can be reduced and the contact pressure can be improved. Further, by making the shape of the valve seat 21 a chimney-shaped protrusion, it is possible to stabilize the flow rate of the fluid or increase the flow rate. By bringing the valve portion 11 and the valve seat 21 into contact with each other, a valve function of shutting off or passing a fluid is realized. The valve device 100 in the present embodiment exemplifies an air valve when the fluid is air, but the fluid is not limited to air, and may be, for example, a liquid, a powder, a gel, or the like. Further, the fluid may contain impurities such as solids.

The valve portion 11 can create a closed state of the valve by coming into contact with the valve seat 21 and block the passage of air between the air pressure chamber 5 and the discharge port 24. By contacting the valve portion 11 with the valve seat 21 with a predetermined contact pressure, the air blocking force can be enhanced. On the other hand, the valve portion 11 can create an open state of the valve by separating from the valve seat 21 and allow air to pass between the air pressure chamber 5 and the discharge port 24. Generally, a valve has a valve characteristic (flow rate characteristic) represented by a change in the flow rate with respect to the opening degree of the valve. In the present embodiment, the flow rate characteristic is determined by the moving stroke of the valve portion 11 in the displacement direction D4, that is, the distance between the valve portion 11 and the valve seat 21. Therefore, the flow rate characteristic of the valve device 100 is determined by the movement of the working unit 15 in the displacement direction D4.

The housing 3 houses the valve function module 2 to which the actuator 1 is attached. The housing 3 functions as a protective frame that protects the housed actuator 1 from dust and the like outside the valve device 100. The housing 3 includes a holding portion 33. The holding portion 33 is a portion that holds the valve function module 2 and secures a gap 4 between the valve function module 2 and the housing 3. The holding portion 33 is in contact with the first surface 22 of the valve function module 2 and is fastened to the valve function module 2 by a fastening component 331 (for example, a screw) to hold the valve function module. The gap 4 can increase the thermal resistance between the housing 3 and the valve function module 2 (reduce heat conduction), and make it difficult for the temperature change of the housing 3 to be transmitted to the valve function module. Since the thermal resistance due to the contact between the holding portion 33 and the first surface 22 is smaller than the thermal resistance of the void 4 (the thermal conductivity is large), the holding portion 33 and the first surface 22 are used to reduce the thermal conductivity. It is preferable that the contact area is small. Therefore, the first surface 22 may have a shape that reduces the contact area (for example, an uneven shape). Further, a member (heat insulating material) having a small thermal conductivity may be sandwiched between the holding portion 33 and the first surface 22.

Since the actuator 1 expands the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 13 to move the valve portion 11, thermal expansion or contraction due to a temperature change of each part of the actuator affects the amount of movement of the valve portion 11, and the flow rate characteristic of the valve is affected. Change. By creating a gap 4 between the housing 3 and the valve function module 2, the contact area between the housing 3 and the valve function module 2 becomes smaller, the heat conduction between the housing 3 and the valve function module 2 becomes smaller, and the housing 3 becomes smaller. Even if there is a temperature change in the valve function module 2, the temperature change of the valve function module 2 to which the actuator 1 is attached becomes small, and thus the change in the flow rate characteristic can be made small.

The first surface 22 of the valve function module 2 has a discharge port 24 for discharging the air discharged when the valve portion 11 and the valve seat 21 are separated from each other. The housing 3 has a discharge port 32 for discharging the air discharged from the discharge port 24 against the discharge port 24 in the holding portion 33.

The housing 3 has a supply port 31 for supplying air. The compressed air supplied from the supply port 31 is introduced into the air pressure chamber 5 through the gap 4. The compressed air introduced into the air pressure chamber 5 is discharged from the discharge port 32 when the valve portion 11 and the valve seat 21 are separated from each other. The compressed air supplied from the supply port 31 may be introduced into the air pressure chamber 5 by forming a flow path so as to cool the actuator 1, the piezoelectric element 13, or the support member 14, for example.

The compression member 60 is connected to each of the base portion 12 and the working portion 15, and compresses the piezoelectric element 13 in the first longitudinal direction D1. The compression member 60 can prevent damage to the piezoelectric element 13 by making it difficult for the weight in the tensile direction to be applied to the piezoelectric element 13 which is easily damaged by the load in the tensile direction (D1). Details of the shape of the compression member 60 will be described later.

The drive unit 70 supplies a voltage or current to the piezoelectric element 13 to expand and contract the piezoelectric element 13. The drive unit 70 can control the shutoff or discharge of compressed air by driving the piezoelectric element 13 based on an input signal from a control device (not shown).

The valve device 100 may be normally closed in which the discharge of compressed air is cut off in a state where no voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 13, while no voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 13. In the state, it may be normally open in which compressed air is discharged. That is, the valve device 100 can perform both normal closing and normal opening depending on the combination of the position of the valve portion 11 with respect to the valve seat 21 when the piezoelectric element 13 is not energized and the expansion / contraction direction of the piezoelectric element 13 when the piezoelectric element 13 is energized. It will be possible. The position of the valve portion 11 with respect to the valve seat 21 when not energized can be set when the screw is fastened, for example, by increasing the size of the mounting hole 122. Further, the expansion / contraction direction of the piezoelectric element 13 when energized can be set by changing the polarity of the voltage or the like supplied from the drive unit 70.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the valve device 100 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 2, the valve device 100 has a housing 3 and a lid 35 attached to the housing 3.

A resin material such as aluminum die-cast or PPS can be applied to the housing 3 and the lid 35. The lid 35 is attached to the housing 3 to seal the inside of the housing 3 and maintain the pressure of the introduced compressed air. For example, a rubber packing may be sandwiched between the housing 3 and the lid 35.

The valve function module 2 is held by two upper and lower fastening parts 331 in the holding portion 33 of the housing 3 on the first surface 22. Therefore, a gap 4 is created between the valve function module 2 and the housing 3. Therefore, the contact area between the housing 3 and the valve function module is reduced, the heat conduction between the housing 3 and the valve function module is reduced, and the actuator 1 is attached even when the temperature of the housing 3 changes. The temperature change of the valve function module is small, and the change in flow rate characteristics is small.

Next, a first modification of the valve device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view of the valve device according to the first modification.

The valve device 100a according to the first modification is different from the valve device 100 described with reference to FIG. 2 in that the valve function module 2a is in contact with the housing 3 on the second surface 23. By contacting the bottom of the housing 3 on the two surfaces of the first surface 22 and the second surface 23, the valve function module 2a improves the mechanical strength such as reducing the vibration of the actuator 1 with respect to vibration or the like. Can be done. Although the position of the second surface 23 in FIG. 3 is provided at the left end of the valve function module 2a in the drawing, the position and number of the second surface 23 are arbitrary. For example, the position of the second surface 23 may be provided at the right end in the drawing so as to be in contact with the bottom of the housing 3. Further, one or more second surfaces 23 may be provided so as to be in contact with the housing 3 or the lid 35. Since the other parts in FIG. 3 overlap with the description in FIG. 2, the description will be omitted.

Next, the details of the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a front view of the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment.

In FIG. 4, as described with reference to FIG. 1, the acting portion 15 is displaced in the displacement direction D4 as the piezoelectric element 13 expands and contracts to drive the valve portion 11. Therefore, when the piezoelectric element 13 is thermally expanded or contracted due to a temperature change, it affects the position of the valve portion 11 or the contact pressure with the valve seat 21, and affects the flow rate characteristics. Here, compensation for expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 13 with respect to a temperature change using the connecting member 16 will be described.

The piezoelectric element 13 is attached to the base 12 via the connecting member 16. Here, the connecting member 16 is made of a material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the supporting member 14. For example, when the coefficient of thermal expansion of the piezoelectric element 13 is α1 and the length of the first longitudinal direction D1 is L1, the change in length dL1 at a temperature rise of 1 ° C. is dL1 = α1 × L1. Similarly, when the coefficient of thermal expansion of the connecting member 16 is α2 and the length of the first longitudinal direction D1 is L2, the change in length dL2 at a temperature rise of 1 ° C. is dL2 = α2 × L2, and the heat of the support member 14 When the expansion coefficient is α3 and the length of the second longitudinal direction D2 is L3, the change in length dL3 at a temperature rise of 1 ° C. is dL3 = α3 × L3.

Since the coefficient of thermal expansion α1 of the piezoelectric element 13 is, for example, -4.32PPM / ° C, which is a negative value, the change dL1 + dL2 combined with the piezoelectric element 13 is dL1 + dL2 = α2 × L2-α1 × L1 (α1 is positive). Value). Here, by designing each parameter so that dL1 + dL2 = dL3, the displacement in the displacement direction D4 can be compensated. For example, if dL1 + dL2 = dL3, then α2 × L2-α1 × L1 = α3 × L3. Here, if L1 + L2 = L3, then α2 / α3 = 1 + (L1 / L2) × (1 + α1 / α3)> 1, and α2> α3. That is, by using a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion α2 of the connecting member 16 higher than the coefficient of thermal expansion α3 of the support member 14, it is possible to compensate for the flow rate characteristic with respect to the thermal expansion of the actuator 1.

The connecting member 16 may be arranged at the other end of the piezoelectric element 13 instead of one end of the piezoelectric element 13. That is, the connecting member 16 may connect the other end portion of the piezoelectric element 13 and the acting portion 15. Further, the connecting member 16 may be arranged at one end and the other end of the piezoelectric element 13. That is, one end of the connecting member 16 connects the one end portion of the piezoelectric element 13 and the base portion 12, and the other end of the connecting member 16 connects the other end portion of the piezoelectric element 13 and the acting portion 15. It may be.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 5, the actuator 1 has two compression members 60. The two compression members 60 are arranged at positions sandwiching the piezoelectric element 13 and the support member 14, respectively. By using the two compression members 60, it is possible to apply a compressive force evenly to the piezoelectric element 13, and it is possible to prevent damage to the piezoelectric element 13.

The compression member 60 can prevent damage to the piezoelectric element 13 by making it difficult for the weight in the tensile direction to be applied to the piezoelectric element 13 which is easily damaged by the load in the tensile direction (D1).

Next, the details of the compression member 60 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of the compression member 60 according to the first embodiment.

In FIG. 6, the compression member 60 extends in a third longitudinal direction D3 that intersects each of the first longitudinal direction D1 and the second longitudinal direction D2 in a plan view. The compression member 60 is formed with an expansion / contraction portion 61 and a fixing portion 62 that can be expanded / contracted in the third longitudinal direction D3.

The telescopic portion 61 extends in the third longitudinal direction D3 in a plan view and is formed in a bellows shape that repeatedly curves. In the illustrated example, the structure is curved at three points in the third longitudinal direction, but the structure is not limited to this example, and the shape can be arbitrarily changed. The expansion / contraction portion 61 is formed in the intermediate portion of the compression member 60 in the third longitudinal direction D3. The fixing portions 62 are formed at both ends of the compression member 60 in the third longitudinal direction D3. The fixing portion 62 is formed to have a large width dimension which is a dimension in a direction orthogonal to the third longitudinal direction D3, and is connected to each of the base portion 12 and the acting portion 15 as shown in FIG.

Next, the actuator according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a front view of the actuator according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a front view of the compression member according to the second embodiment.

The position where the compression member 60B is attached to the actuator 1a according to the second embodiment is different from that of the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment. That is, one of the two compression members 60B extends in the first longitudinal direction D1 along the piezoelectric element 13, and the other compression member 60B extends in the second longitudinal direction D2 along the support member 14. .. The compression member 60B extending in the first longitudinal direction D1 is formed with a stretchable portion 61B that can be expanded and contracted in the first longitudinal direction D1 as shown in FIG.

At both ends of the compression member 60B in the first longitudinal direction D1, fixed portions 62B having a large width dimension, which is a dimension in the direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction D1, are formed. The dimension L3 of the third longitudinal direction D3 between the two fixing portions 62B shown in FIG. 8 is shorter than the distance between the fixing slits formed in the acting portion 15 and the base portion 12 shown in FIG. 7.

Therefore, when the compression member 60B is attached to the slit for fixing the action portion 15 and the base portion 12, the compression member 60B is pulled in the first longitudinal direction D1 and attached in a slightly stretched state and elastically deformed. As a result, after the compression member 60B is mounted in the slit, it is restored and deformed in the third longitudinal direction D3 to apply the compressive force from the compression member 60B to the piezoelectric element 13 via the action portion 15 and the base portion 12. Can be done.

Next, the actuator according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a front view of the actuator according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a front view of the compression member according to the third embodiment.

In the actuator 1b according to the third embodiment, the shape of the compression member 60C is different from that of the compression member 60 of the actuator 1 according to the first embodiment. That is, the compression member 60C of the actuator 1b according to the third embodiment does not have a portion corresponding to the expansion / contraction portion 61 of the actuator 1, and the whole extends straight in the third longitudinal direction D3. The dimension L5 of the third longitudinal direction D3 between the two fixing portions 62 shown in FIG. 10 is the dimension L2 of the third longitudinal direction D3 between the fixing slits formed in the acting portion 15 and the base portion 12 shown in FIG. Is shorter than.

Therefore, when the compression member 60C is attached to the slits for fixing the action portion 15 and the base portion 12, the compression member 60C is pulled in the first longitudinal direction D1 and attached in a slightly stretched state and elastically deformed. As a result, after the compression member 60C is mounted, the compression force from the compression member 60C can be applied to the action unit 15 and the base portion 12 by restoring and deforming in the third longitudinal direction D3.

Further, as another embodiment, with respect to the piezoelectric element 13 and the support member 14, at least one end of the first longitudinal direction D1 of the piezoelectric element 13 and one end of the second longitudinal direction D2 of the support member 14 A hinge member that promotes deformation in the displacement direction D4 may be provided. Such a hinge member may be provided at at least one of the other end of the first longitudinal direction D1 of the piezoelectric element 13 and the other end of the second longitudinal direction D2 of the support member 14.

FIG. 11 is an example of a hexagonal view and a perspective view showing another modified example of the actuator.
The actuator 1 is required to convert the expansion / contraction deformation energy of the PZT into the energy of the displacement direction D4 of the working portion 15 with as little waste as possible. However, in order to convert the expansion and contraction deformation of the PZT into the displacement direction D4 (vertical movement) of the action unit 15, the PZT and the support member 14 must be deformed so as to bend up and down.
Energy is required to flex and deform, but there is a lot of waste in this energy to flex and deform. By forming a thin portion (hinge portion 30) in the central portion of the support member 14, the energy associated with the flexural deformation can be reduced, and the vertical kinetic energy of the acting portion can be increased by that amount, causing bending deformation. It will be easier.

On the other hand, if the width of the hinge portion 30 is too narrow, the rigidity of the support member 14 decreases, and the force of generating the vertical movement of the acting portion 15 decreases. Accordingly, the vertical kinetic energy of the acting unit 15 that can be taken out to the output also decreases. Therefore, there is an appropriate range for hinge width and length. As an example, it is desirable that the width of the hinge portion 30 is about 30% or less of the thickness of the support member 14, and the length is about 5% or more of the length of the support member 14. With this configuration, it can be expected that the vertical kinetic amplitude of the acting portion 15 is improved by about 10% or more and the vertical kinetic energy of the acting portion 15 that can be taken out is improved by about 5% or more as compared with the configuration without the hinge portion 30. ..

In the configuration of FIG. 11, the support member 14 is integrally molded with the base portion 12, and the thickness t thereof is set to, for example, 1.6 mm to provide a more compact actuator 1. By integrally molding the support member 14 with the base portion 12, by adopting a construction method such as pressing, not only the number of parts can be reduced, but also the production cost can be suppressed. Further, since it is integrally molded, the fastening rigidity between the support member 14 and the base 12 becomes the strength of the material itself. As a result, the generated force of the piezoelectric element 13 is more transmitted to the acting unit 15, and as a result, the resonance frequency is increased, and there is an advantage that the kinetic energy that can be extracted from the acting unit 15 is also increased.
FIG. 12 is an example of a hexagonal view and a perspective view in which the compression member is attached to another modified example of the actuator.

As described above, according to the actuators 1 to 1b according to the present embodiment, the piezoelectric element and the support member are attached to the base portion, and the action portion is attached to these. Therefore, the piezoelectric element is displaced in the first longitudinal direction, so that the working portion can be displaced in the displacement direction. As a result, by configuring the actuator using only one piezoelectric element, the drive system can be easily controlled as compared with the case where two piezoelectric elements are used.

Further, since the actuators 1 to 1b are provided with a compression member, a preload in the compression direction can be applied to the piezoelectric element. As a result, it is possible to make it difficult for the piezoelectric element, which is easily damaged by the load in the tensile direction, to be loaded in the tensile direction.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be considered that the above embodiments are examples in all respects and are not restrictive. The above embodiments may be omitted, replaced or modified in various embodiments without departing from the scope and gist of the present invention.

For example, a plurality of actuators according to an embodiment of the present invention may be arranged in series or in parallel and used in combination. At that time, it is possible to connect a plurality of actuators in series, that is, to connect the base of the actuator and the acting part of another actuator, whereby the displacement can be further increased. In particular, such usage is effective in places where space is tightly restricted. Further, variations in the connection method such as connecting the two actuators so that the connection angle is 90 ° can be considered.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the piezoelectric element is used as the expansion / contraction element has been described, but the element is not particularly limited as long as it is an expansion / contraction element, and other elements having a expansion / contraction function such as a magnetostrictive element or a shape memory alloy can be used. It can also be used.

1 Actuator 11 Valve part 12 Base 121 Mounting part 122 Mounting hole 13 Piezoelectric element 14 Support member 15 Acting part 16 Connecting member 2 Valve function module 21 Valve seat 22 1st surface 23 2nd surface 24 Discharge port 3 Housing 31 Supply port 32 Discharge Outlet 321 1st discharge port 322 2nd discharge port 33 Holding part 331 Fastening part 34 Lid mounting part 35 Lid 4 Void 5 Air pressure chamber 60 Compressing member 61 Telescopic part 62 Fixed part 70 Driving part 100 Valve device

Claims

The actuator that drives the valve and
A valve function module having a valve seat that is in contact with and detached from the valve portion,
A valve device including a housing for accommodating the valve function module.
The actuator
The base and the base
A piezoelectric element having one end connected to the mounting surface of the base and extending in the first longitudinal direction,
A support member having one end attached to the mounting surface along with the piezoelectric element and extending in the second longitudinal direction intersecting the first longitudinal direction.
The valve is connected to the other end of each of the piezoelectric element and the support member, and is displaced in a displacement direction different from the first longitudinal direction and the second longitudinal direction as the piezoelectric element expands and contracts. With a working part that drives the part,
The housing is
The supply port to which the fluid is supplied and
A discharge port for discharging the fluid supplied from the supply port by separating the valve portion and the valve seat, and a discharge port.
A valve device including a holding portion that secures a gap between the valve function module and the housing and holds the valve function module.
The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion secures a gap with the valve function module by holding the first surface of the valve function module.
The valve device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the holding portion holds the valve function module by fastening the valve function module to the holding portion with a fastening component.
The valve device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the actuator is connected to each of the base portion and the acting portion, and further includes a compression member that compresses the piezoelectric element in the first longitudinal direction.
The valve device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a drive unit that supplies a voltage or a current to the piezoelectric element to expand and contract the piezoelectric element.
The valve device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one end or the other end of the piezoelectric element is connected via a connecting member having a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than that of the support member. ..
The valve device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting member is integrally formed with the base portion.
The valve device according to claim 6, wherein the connecting member is integrally formed with the working portion.
The valve device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the tip of the working portion is flat.