Micro-electromechanical valve having transformable valve actuator

• US 7,152,960 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zamtec Limited (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, An H.
• Application Number:
  US11/442,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20060227184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 210 Days
• Field of Search: 347/54, 347/56, 347/65
• US Class Current: 347/54
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1635 dividing the wafer into individual chips
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1639 sacrificial molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 : in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 : Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 : Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 : by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 : using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7458 : the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]

Abstract

A micro-electromechanical valve is provided having a channel defined by a substrate and circuitry thereon so as to terminate at an aperture, a closure member arranged to be displaceable between first and second positions at which the aperture is respectively covered and uncovered and fluid is respectively inhibited and permitted from flowing through the channel, and an elongate actuator for displacing the closure member between the first and second positions. One end of the actuator is anchored to the substrate and the other end is connected to the closure member. A portion of the actuator in electrical contact with the circuitry is configured to transform between straightened and arcuate shapes when respectively heated and cooled by respective receipt and withdrawal of electrical current from the circuitry. The actuator displaces the closure member between the first and second positions in response to the transformation of the portion.

Claims

1. A micro-electromechanical valve comprising:

a channel defined by a substrate and by circuitry on the substrate so as to terminate at an aperture;

a closure member arranged to be displaceable between first and second positions at which the aperture is respectively covered and uncovered and fluid is respectively inhibited and permitted from flowing through the channel; and

an elongate actuator for displacing the closure member between the first and second positions, the actuator anchored at one end to the substrate and connected to the closure member at the other end,

wherein a portion of the actuator is in electrical contact with the circuitry, the portion being configured to transform between straightened and arcuate shapes when respectively heated and cooled by respective receipt and withdrawal of electrical current from the circuitry, the actuator displacing the closure member between the first and second positions in response to the transformation of the portion;

wherein the aperture defines an aperture plane, and wherein movement of the actuator between the first and second positions is in a plane substantially parallel to the aperture plane.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator incorporates resiliently flexible material having a coefficient of thermal expansion which is such that the material expands to perform work when heated, said portion being positioned in the material and defining a heating circuit.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heating circuit incorporates a heater and a return trace, the heater being positioned proximate an inside edge of the material and the return trace being positioned outwardly of the heater, so that an inside region of the material is heated to a relatively greater extent with the result that the inside region expands to a greater extent than a remainder of the material.

4. A valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the heater is defined by a serpentine length of metal.

5. A valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the material is polytetrafluoroethylene and the heating circuit is formed of copper.

6. A valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator defines a coil that partially uncoils when said portion transforms from the arcuate shape to the straightened shape.