Patent ID: 8491286

Claim:
A micropump comprising: a tube unit which includes a tube having elasticity and a circular-arc-shaped part, a plurality of fingers extending in radial directions from a circular-arc center of the circular-arc-shaped part of the tube, and a tube guide frame which holds the tube and the plurality of fingers; a control unit including a cam for sequentially pressing the plurality of fingers from a fluid flow-in side to a fluid flow-out side of the tube, a rotor for giving rotational force to the cam, and an oscillator having a piezoelectric element that is actuated by a plurality of electrodes formed on a surface thereof, and the oscillator having a projection disposed at an end in a longitudinal direction to contact the rotor; a reservoir which communicates with a flow inlet portion of the tube; a control circuit unit which inputs a drive signal to the piezoelectric element; and a power source which supplies power to the control circuit unit, wherein the tube unit is attachable to and detachable from the control unit in a direction that is parallel with respect to a rotation flat plane of the cam, and the control unit completely encases the tube unit when the tube unit is inserted in the control unit, the plurality of electrodes include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode disposed between the first and second electrodes, the first and second electrodes being diagonally opposed to each other, and the oscillator is oscillated by applying alternating voltage to the piezoelectric element, rotational force is repeatedly given to the rotor from the projection, the plurality of fingers are sequentially pressed by the cam from the flow-in side to the flow-out side of the tube, and fluid is transported by repeating opening and closing of the tube.