Fluid control apparatus

A fluid control apparatus, comprising:

• a valve including
• a first main plate,
• a second main plate having one principal surface opposite to one principal surface of the first main plate, and
• a side plate connecting the first main plate and the second main plate to each other,
• the valve having a valve chamber surrounded by the first main plate, the second main plate, and the side plate,
• the first main plate having one or more first apertures through which the valve chamber communicates with outside of the valve chamber,
• the second main plate having a second aperture through which the valve chamber communicates with outside of the valve chamber,
• the valve further including
• a valve diaphragm disposed inside the valve chamber, the valve diaphragm being configured to switch between a state in which the first aperture and the second aperture communicate with each other and a state in which the first aperture and the second aperture do not communicate with each other;
• and
• a pump including
• a vibration unit having a piezoelectric device and a vibrating plate and disposed so as to be opposite to another principal surface of the second main plate,
• the pump having a pump chamber defined by the vibration unit and the second main plate,
• the pump chamber communicating with the valve chamber through the second aperture, wherein
• in flexural vibration of the vibration unit, a frequency coefficient of the first main plate is smaller than a frequency coefficient of the second main plate, and
• a frequency coefficient ratio of the first main plate to the second main plate is greater than 0.85 and smaller than 1.

A fluid control apparatus, comprising:

• a valve including
• a first main plate,
• a second main plate having one principal surface opposite to one principal surface of the first main plate, and
• a side plate connecting the first main plate and the second main plate to each other,
• the valve having a valve chamber surrounded by the first main plate, the second main plate, and the side plate,
• the first main plate having one or more first apertures through which the valve chamber communicates with outside of the valve chamber,
• the second main plate having a second aperture through which the valve chamber communicates with outside of the valve chamber,
• the valve further including
• a valve diaphragm disposed inside the valve chamber, the valve diaphragm being configured to switch between a state in which the first aperture and the second aperture communicate with each other and a state in which the first aperture and the second aperture do not communicate with each other;
• and
• a pump including
• a vibration unit having a piezoelectric device and a vibrating plate and disposed so as to be opposite to another principal surface of the second main plate,
• the pump having a pump chamber defined by the vibration unit and the second main plate,
• the pump chamber communicating with the valve chamber through the second aperture, wherein
• the first main plate and the second main plate are comprised of the same material,
• a thickness of the first main plate is smaller than a thickness of the second main plate in a direction normal to respective principal surfaces,
• the first main plate has a plurality of the first apertures, and
• a gap between the first main plate and the second main plate is smaller than a minimum opening width of each of the first apertures.

A fluid control apparatus, comprising:

• a valve including
• a first main plate,
• a second main plate having one principal surface opposite to one principal surface of the first main plate, and
• a side plate connecting the first main plate and the second main plate to each other,
• the valve having a valve chamber surrounded by the first main plate, the second main plate, and the side plate,
• the first main plate having one or more first apertures through which the valve chamber communicates with outside of the valve chamber,
• the second main plate having a second aperture through which the valve chamber communicates with outside of the valve chamber,
• the valve further including
• a valve diaphragm disposed inside the valve chamber, the valve diaphragm being configured to switch between a state in which the first aperture and the second aperture communicate with each other and a state in which the first aperture and the second aperture do not communicate with each other;
• and
• a pump including
• a vibration unit having a piezoelectric device and a vibrating plate and disposed so as to be opposite to another principal surface of the second main plate,
• the pump having a pump chamber defined by the vibration unit and the second main plate,
• the pump chamber communicating with the valve chamber through the second aperture, wherein
• the first main plate and the second main plate are comprised of the same material,
• a thickness of the first main plate is smaller than a thickness of the second main plate in a direction normal to respective principal surfaces, and
• a frequency coefficient ratio of the first main plate to the second main plate is greater than 0.85 and smaller than 1.