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Thermally buckling control microvalve

  • US 5,785,295 A
  • Filed: 08/27/1996
  • Issued: 07/28/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A thermally buckling control microvalve, comprising:

  • an upper layer having an inlet for entrance of a fluid;

    an electrically conductive intermediate layer lying against a lower rim of said upper layer, a lower rim of one end of said intermediate layer having a pressure distribution chamber;

    a lower layer lying against a lower rim of said intermediate layer and having a fluid outlet at one end, said outlet communicating with said pressure distribution chamber via a valve nozzle; and

    a pressure chamber disposed between said upper layer and said intermediate layer and having one side communicating with said pressure distribution chamber of said intermediate layer, said pressure chamber communicating with said inlet of said upper layer via a microflow channel and said pressure chamber having a bottom wall region with a part thereof forming a suspension which is located at a region above said valve nozzle, said suspension having at least two sides each being provided with a thin bridge structure, an upper side of said suspension being provided with an electrical thermal membrane which may deflect as a result of thermal buckling when said intermediate layer is supplied with electric currents;

    said valve nozzle having a raised continuous valve seat sealing tightly with the bottom rim of said suspension, causing said suspension to always be maintained in an upwardly facing and slightly curved state along its length.

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