Patent ID: 8899944

Claim:
A piezoelectric micro-blower comprising: a piezoelectric element; a diaphragm to which the piezoelectric element is attached; a diaphragm supporting unit configured to support a periphery of the diaphragm and including a principal surface parallel or substantially parallel to a principal surface of the diaphragm and side surfaces extending perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the principal surface of the diaphragm; and a blower chamber configured to change in volume in response to bending of the diaphragm caused by application of a voltage to the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric micro-blower being configured to allow compressive fluid to be conveyed by the change in volume of the blower chamber; wherein one of the side surfaces of the diaphragm supporting unit is provided with an outlet that communicates with the blower chamber; the outlet is open to a side surface of the blower chamber; the blower chamber is sized to allow internal pressure to be substantially uniformly changed by vibration of the diaphragm in a state in which the piezoelectric element is driven by an alternating voltage of about 15 kHz or higher; the diaphragm supporting unit includes an inlet flow path configured to draw the compressive fluid into the blower chamber and an outlet flow path configured to blow the compressive fluid out from the blower chamber to the outlet; and at least a portion of the inlet flow path and at least a portion of the outlet flow path are defined by a common path.