Mesovalve modulator

• US 7,445,017 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cabuz, Cleopatra, Cabuz, Eugen I., Banu, Virgil Claudiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Krishnamurthy; Ramesh
• Application Number:
  US10/905,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20060169326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 137/14, 137/486, 137/487.5, 137/514, 137/906, 251/50, 251/118, 251/129.01, 251/331, 251/335.2
• US Class Current: 137/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/14 arranged to be deformed against a flat seat
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/785 With retarder or dashpot

Abstract

A mesovalve having a diaphragm situated between a first chamber and a second chamber. There may be an inlet and an outlet in the first chamber. The diaphragm may provide an orifice between the first and second chambers. There may be a first electrode on the diaphragm and a second electrode on an inside surface of the second chamber. The diaphragm may have first and second positions, or numerous variable positions. Applying a voltage across the electrodes may electrostatically move the diaphragm to the second position during which the outlet is at least partially opened for fluid communication with the inlet, the orifice is closed and the diaphragm is stopped in the second position by a cushioning fluid pressure in the second cavity to prevent pull-in. Removing the voltage from the electrodes may let the diaphragm return to the first position, open the orifice and close the outlet.

Claims

1. An electrostatic valve comprising:

a first structure having an inlet and outlet;

diaphragm situated on the first structure to form a first cavity;

a second structure situated on an opposite side of the diaphragm from the first structure to form a second cavity, the second cavity having a closed buffer volume;

a first electrode attached to the diaphragm; and

a second electrode attached to an inside surface of the second structure; and

wherein the diaphragm has a closable orifice between the first and second cavities.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm has a first position and a second position.

3. The valve of claim 2, wherein:

the outlet is closed when the diaphragm is in the first position;

the orifice is open when the diaphragm is in the first position;

the outlet is at least partially open when the diaphragm is in the second position; and

the orifice is closed when the diaphragm is in the second position.

4. The valve of claim 3, wherein as the diaphragm moves from the first position to the second position the diaphragm is stopped by a pressure of a fluid in the second cavity.

5. The valve of claim 4, wherein the inlet is normally open.

6. The valve of claim 5, wherein:

applying a voltage across the first and second electrodes may cause the diaphragm to move to the second position; and

removing the voltage from across the first and second electrodes may cause the diaphragm to move to the first position.

7. The valve of claim 6, further comprising a third cavity coupled to the second cavity.

8. The valve of claim 7, further comprising a sensor proximate to the inlet.

9. The valve of claim 8, further comprising a processor connected to the sensor, and the first and second electrodes.

10. A valve mechanism comprising:

a body having a diaphragm forming a first chamber and a second chamber; and

a first port and a second port formed in the first chamber; and

wherein;

the diaphragm has a first position that restricts fluid from flowing between the first port and the second port, and a second position that allows fluid to flow between the first port and the second port, wherein when the diaphragm is in the second position, the second chamber is closed;

a first electrode secured to the diaphragm; and

a second electrode secured in the second chamber to the body.

11. The mechanism of claim 10, wherein the diaphragm is actuated between the first position and the second position when a voltage is applied to the first and second electrodes.

12. The mechanism of claim 11, wherein the diaphragm going toward the second position is increasingly resisted in movement by a compressing of a volume in the second chamber by the diaphragm.

13. The mechanism of claim 12, wherein:

the diaphragm has an orifice between the first and second chambers;

the orifice is open when the diaphragm is in the first position; and

the orifice is closed when the diaphragm is approaching the second position.

14. The mechanism of claim 13, wherein the diaphragm being actuated towards the second position encounters an air spring effect of the second chamber when stopped.

15. The mechanism of claim 14, wherein the input port has a restrictor.

16. The mechanism of claim 15, wherein the output port has a restrictor.

17. The mechanism of claim 14, further comprising:

a third chamber having a buffer volume connected to the second chamber; and

wherein the buffer volume is coupled to the volume in the second chamber resulting in a combined volume that is a sum of the buffer volume and the volume in the second chamber.

18. The mechanism of claim 14, further comprising a controller connected to the first and second electrodes.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising:

a flow sensor proximate to the input port; and

wherein the flow sensor is connected to the controller.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the controller may provide modulation of a flow entering the input port according to a preset flow setting and a flow indication from the flow sensor and the controller may provide an output which determines when and how much voltage is applied to the first and second electrode layers.

21. A valve device comprising:

a base structure having an input port and an output port;

a top structure situated on the base structure;

a diaphragm situated between the top structure and the base structure;

a first electrode layer formed on an inner surface of the top structure; and

a second electrode formed on a top surface of the diaphragm; and

wherein;

the diaphragm has a central portion and an outer circumference;

the outer circumference is secured between the top structure and the bottom structure;

a cavity is formed between the inner surface of the top structure and the diaphragm;

the diaphragm in a first position has the central portion on the bottom structure and the second port is closed;

the diaphragm in the second position has the central portion away from the bottom structure and the second port is open resulting in a fluid continuity with the first port and the cavity being closed; and

a voltage applied to the first and second electrodes may cause the diaphragm to move to the second position.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the diaphragm in the second position may compress a volume in the cavity.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the volume in the cavity provides some resistance to the diaphragm moving to the second position.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the volume prevents the diaphragm from a pull-in between the first and second electrode layers.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the volume limits the movement of the diaphragm to the second position.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the diaphragm has an orifice which initially prevents the volume from being a resistance to the diaphragm moving to the second position until the diaphragm has moved a certain distance where a portion of the central portion of the diaphragm containing the orifice contacts a corresponding portion of the inner surface of the top structure and closes the orifice thereby sealing the volume.

27. The device of claim 26, upon removing the voltage from the first and second electrode layers, the diaphragm may move to the first position thereby opening the orifice and closing the second port.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein fluid may flow from the first port into the volume via the orifice when the diaphragm is in the first position.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein a controller may determine when the voltage is to be applied to the first and second electrode layers.

30. The device of claim 29, further comprising:

a enclosure having a buffer volume connected to the top structure; and

wherein the buffer volume is coupled to the volume in the cavity resulting in a combined volume that is a sum of the buffer volume and the volume in the cavity.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the buffer volume is adjustable.

32. The device of claim 31, further comprising:

a flow sensor proximate to the input port to monitor a flow in the input port; and

wherein the flow sensor is connected to the controller.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the controller may provide modulation of a flow entering the input port according to a preset flow and a flow indication from the flow sensor with an output which determines when and how much voltage is applied to the first and second electrode layers.

34. The device of claim 31, further comprising:

a pressure sensor proximate to the input port to monitor a pressure in the input port; and

wherein the pressure sensor is connected to the controller.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the controller may provide modulation of a pressure of a fluid at the input port according to a preset pressure and a pressure indication from the pressure sensor with an output which determines when and how much voltage is applied to the first and second electrode layers.

36. The device of claim 21, wherein:

the base structure is a plastic molded part; and

the top structure is a plastic molded part.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein:

the first electrode layer comprises a metal layer deposited on the inner surface of the top structure; and

the second electrode layer comprises a metal layer deposited on the top surface of the diaphragm.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein:

the first electrode layer further comprises a dielectric layer deposited on the metal layer; and

the second electrode layer further comprises a dielectric layer deposited on the metal layer.