Piezoelectric diaphragm with aperture(s)

A method of making diaphragms comprising

• providing plural piezoelectric diaphragm members, each of the piezoelectric diaphragm members having an aperture extending in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric diaphragm member, the aperture of each of the plural piezoelectric diaphragm members having an essentially same aperture size;
• selecting a selected type of diaphragm fixture from plural diaphragm fixture types, the diaphragm fixtures of each of the plural diaphragm fixture types having essentially a same fixture size suitable for insertion into the aperture of each of the plural piezoelectric diaphragm members;
• inserting diaphragm fixtures of the selected type into at least some of the plural piezoelectric diaphragm members.

A pump comprising:

• a pump body having an inlet port and an opposed outlet port;
• a piezoelectric diaphragm member positioned internally in the pump body for at least partially defining an intake chamber substantially between the inlet port and the piezoelectric diaphragm and for at least partially defining an exhaust chamber substantially between the outlet port and the piezoelectric diaphragm, the piezoelectric diaphragm member having a diaphragm aperture provided therein;
• wherein the piezoelectric diaphragm member carries a valve flap for selectively opening and closing the diaphragm aperture in response to movement of the piezoelectric diaphragm and thereby selectively allowing fluid communication between the intake chamber and the exhaust chamber.