Asymmetrical thermal actuation in a microactuator
First Claim
1. A method for asymmetrical thermal activation of a microactuator, comprising the steps of:
- providing an actuator member in the microactuator, said actuator member having an actuator face on a central body and having a plurality of spaced, layered regions extending from said central body to a peripheral region, wherein first and second layers of said layered regions have substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion; and
effecting asymmetrical thermal actuation of said layered regions wherein said asymmetrical thermal actuation causes rotational displacement of said actuator face from a first rest position to a second actuated position.
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Abstract
A microminiature valve having an actuator member that includes a central body suspended on radially spaced legs, with each leg having first and second layers of materials having substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion. The legs include heating elements and are fixed at one end to allow radial compliance as selected heating of the legs causes flexure. An actuator member includes a boss having an actuator face. A seat substrate having a flow via defined by a valve seat is aligned with the actuator face. Asymmetrical thermal actuation of the actuator member moves the actuator face from the valve seat in a rotational displacement relative to the flow orifice, thereby offering improved control of the fluid flow through the orifice.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for asymmetrical thermal activation of a microactuator, comprising the steps of:
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providing an actuator member in the microactuator, said actuator member having an actuator face on a central body and having a plurality of spaced, layered regions extending from said central body to a peripheral region, wherein first and second layers of said layered regions have substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion; and effecting asymmetrical thermal actuation of said layered regions wherein said asymmetrical thermal actuation causes rotational displacement of said actuator face from a first rest position to a second actuated position. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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2. A microactuator, comprising:
an actuator member having an actuator face on a central body having a plurality of spaced, layered regions extending from said central body to a peripheral region, wherein first and second layers of said layered regions have substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion, and means, thermally coupled to said layered regions, for effecting asymmetrical thermal actuation of said layered regions, wherein said means for asymmetrical thermal actuation causes rotational displacement of said actuator face from a first rest position to a second actuated position.
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8. A microminiature valve for controlling the flow of a fluid comprising:
a seat substrate having a flow orifice defined therethrough, a flexural member coupled to said seat substrate to selectively block said flow orifice, said flexural member having an actuator face on a central body in alignment with said flow orifice and having a plurality of spaced, layered regions extending from said central body to a peripheral region, first and second layers of said layered regions having substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion, and means, thermally coupled to said layered regions, for asymmetrical thermal actuation of said layered regions wherein said means for asymmetrical thermal actuation, when operated, causes rotational displacement of said actuator face relative to said flow orifice. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
Specification