Electrostrictive valve for modulating a fluid flow
First Claim
1. An electrostrictive micro-valve for modulating a fluid flow, comprising:
- a valve body having a passageway for conducting a flow of said fluid;
a valve element formed from a piece of viscoelastic material and disposed in said passageway, and a control assembly coupled to said viscoelastic material for controlling the shape of said material to open and close said passageway, wherein said control assembly includes first and second electrodes mounted on opposite sides of said viscoelastic material, and wherein said control assembly includes a source of electrical voltage connected to said first and second electrodes, and a switching means for selectively applying a voltage from said source across said electrodes to generate an electrostatic force therebetween that changes the shape of said viscoelastic material, wherein a valving action is created by said shape change of said viscoelastic material, and a restorative force generated in said material in reaction to said shape change when said electrostatic force is terminated.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrostrictive micro-valve is provided for modulating a fluid flow through a cannula or other narrow liquid conduit. The micro-valve includes a valve body having a passageway for conducting a flow of fluid, a valve element formed from a piece of viscoelastic material and disposed in the passageway, and a control assembly coupled to the viscoelastic material for electrostatically controlling the shape of the material to open or close the passageway. The valve element has a flat lower side connected to an inner wall of the passage of the valve body, and an upper side which faces an opposing wall within the passageway. The control assembly includes a pair of electrodes disposed over the upper and lower sides of the valve element. The electrode facing the lower side of the element is patterned so that localized electrostatic forces are generated across the viscoelastic material when a voltage is applied across both electrodes. Localized electrostatic forces generate a sinusoidal ripple throughout the viscoelastic material forming the valve element whose peak portions act as obstructions throughout the valve body that partially or completely obstruct a fluid flow.
56 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An electrostrictive micro-valve for modulating a fluid flow, comprising:
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a valve body having a passageway for conducting a flow of said fluid;
a valve element formed from a piece of viscoelastic material and disposed in said passageway, and a control assembly coupled to said viscoelastic material for controlling the shape of said material to open and close said passageway, wherein said control assembly includes first and second electrodes mounted on opposite sides of said viscoelastic material, and wherein said control assembly includes a source of electrical voltage connected to said first and second electrodes, and a switching means for selectively applying a voltage from said source across said electrodes to generate an electrostatic force therebetween that changes the shape of said viscoelastic material, wherein a valving action is created by said shape change of said viscoelastic material, and a restorative force generated in said material in reaction to said shape change when said electrostatic force is terminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An electrostrictive micro-valve for modulating a fluid flow, comprising:
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a valve body having a passageway for conducting a flow of said fluid;
a valve element formed from a piece of viscoelastic material and disposed on a wall in said passageway, and a control assembly including first and second electrodes mounted on opposite sides of said viscoelastic material for controlling the shape of said material by the selective generation of an electrostatic field to open and close said passageway, and wherein said control assembly includes a source of electrical voltage, and a switching means for selectively applying a voltage from said source across said electrodes to generate an electrostatic force therebetween that changes the shape of the viscoelastic material, wherein a valving action is created by said shape change of said viscoelastic material, and a restorative force generated in said material in reaction to said shape change when said electrostatic force is terminated. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification