Valve assemblies including at least three chambers and related methods
First Claim
1. A valve assembly comprising:
- a main housing defining at least three chambers, a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port wherein the second chamber is physically oriented between the first and third chambers;
a first electro-statically actuated valve between the first and second chambers wherein the first electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal;
a second electro-statically actuated valve between the second and third chambers wherein the second electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal; and
a controller configured to generate the electrical signals for the respective electro-statically actuated valves, the controller being further configured to apply a first electrical potential as the first electrical signal to actuate the first electro-statically actuated valve thereby substantially blocking fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, removing the first electrical potential as the first electrical signal, and after removing the first electrical potential, applying a second electrical potential as the first electrical signal to actuate the first electro-statically actuated valve thereby substantially blocking fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber wherein the first and second electrical potentials have reversed polarities.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A valve assembly may include a main housing and first and second electro-statically actuated valves. The main housing may define at least three chambers, with a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port. The first electro-statically actuated valve may be provided between the first and second chambers, and the first electro-statically actuated valve may allow or substantially block fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal. The second electro-statically actuated valve may be provided between the second and third chambers, and the second electro-statically actuated valve may allow or substantially block fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal. Related methods are also discussed.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A valve assembly comprising:
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a main housing defining at least three chambers, a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port wherein the second chamber is physically oriented between the first and third chambers; a first electro-statically actuated valve between the first and second chambers wherein the first electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal; a second electro-statically actuated valve between the second and third chambers wherein the second electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal; and a controller configured to generate the electrical signals for the respective electro-statically actuated valves, the controller being further configured to apply a first electrical potential as the first electrical signal to actuate the first electro-statically actuated valve thereby substantially blocking fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, removing the first electrical potential as the first electrical signal, and after removing the first electrical potential, applying a second electrical potential as the first electrical signal to actuate the first electro-statically actuated valve thereby substantially blocking fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber wherein the first and second electrical potentials have reversed polarities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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26. A valve assembly comprising:
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a main housing defining at Least three chambers, a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port wherein the second chamber is physically oriented between the first and third chambers; a first electro-statically actuated valve between the first and second chambers wherein the first electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal wherein the first electro-statically actuated valve comprises a substrate having an electro- statically actuated valve member thereon and a pair of terminals, and wherein the electro- statically actuated valve member is configured to allow fluid communication between the first and second chambers in an open position spaced apart from the substrate and to substantially block fluid communication between the first and second chambers in a closed position adjacent the substrate wherein the first electrical signal is applied to the pair of terminals; a second electro-statically actuated valve between the second and third chambers wherein the second electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal; and a controller configured to generate the electrical signals for the respective electro-statically actuated valves, the controller being further configured to apply a first electrical potential having a first magnitude as the first electrical signal applied to the pair of terminals when the valve member is in the open position spaced apart from the substrate to actuate the valve member to the closed position adjacent -the substrate substantially blocking fluid communication between the first and second chambers, and after actuating the valve member to the closed position adjacent the substrate, to apply a second electrical potential having a second magnitude as the first electrical signal applied to the pair of terminals to maintain the valve member in the closed position adjacent the substrate to thereby maintain substantial blocking of fluid communication between the first and second chambers, wherein the first magnitude is greater than the second magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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33. A valve assembly comprising:
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a main housing defining at least three chambers, a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port, wherein the second chamber is physically oriented between the first and third chambers; a first photo-lithographically fabricated valve between the first and second chambers wherein the first photo-lithographically fabricated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal wherein the first photo-lithographically fabricated valve comprises a substrate having an electro-statically actuated valve member thereon and a pair of terminals, and wherein the electro-statically actuated valve member is configured to allow fluid communication between the first and second chambers in an open position spaced apart from the substrate and to substantially block fluid communication between the first and second chambers in a closed position adjacent the substrate wherein the first electrical signal is applied to the pair of terminals; a second photo-lithographically fabricated valve between the second and third chambers wherein the second photo-lithographically fabricated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal; and a controller configured to generate the electrical signals for the respective photo -lithographically fabricated valves, the controller being further configured to apply a first electrical potential having a first magnitude as the first electrical signal applied to the pair of terminals when the valve member is in the open position spaced apart from the substrate to actuate the valve member to the closed position adjacent the substrate substantially blocking fluid communication between the first and second chambers, and after actuating the valve member to the closed position adjacent the substrate, to apply a second electrical potential having a second magnitude as the first electrical signal applied to the pair of terminals to maintain the valve member in the closed position adjacent the substrate to thereby maintain substantial blocking of fluid communication between the first and second chambers, wherein the first magnitude is greater than the second magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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46. A valve assembly comprising:
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a main housing defining at least three chambers, a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port; a first electro-statically actuated valve between the first and second chambers wherein the first electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal; a second electro-statically actuated valve between the second and third chambers wherein the second electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal; and a controller configured to generate the electrical signals for the respective electro- statically actuated valves, the controller being further configured to apply a first electrical potential as the first electrical signal to actuate the first electro-statically actuated valve thereby substantially blocking fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, removing the first electrical potential as the first electrical signal, and after removing the first electrical potential, applying a second electrical potential as the first electrical signal to actuate the first electro-statically actuated valve thereby substantially blocking fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber wherein the first and second electrical potentials have reversed polarities.
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47. A valve assembly comprising:
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a main housing defining at least three chambers, a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port; a first electro-statically actuated valve between the first and second chambers wherein the first electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal wherein the first electro-statically actuated valve comprises a substrate having an electro- statically actuated valve member thereon and a pair of terminals wherein the electro-statically actuated valve member is configured to allow fluid communication between the first and second chambers in an open position spaced apart from the substrate and to substantially block fluid communication between the first and second chambers in a closed position adjacent the substrate wherein the first electrical signal is applied to the pair of terminals; a second electro-statically actuated valve between the second and third chambers wherein the second electro-statically actuated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal; and a controller configured to generate the electrical signals for the respective electo- statically actuated valves, the controller being further configured to apply a first electrical potential having a first magnitude as the first electrical signal applied to the pair of terminals when the valve member is in the open position spaced apart from the substrate to actuate the valve member to the closed position adjacent the substrate substantially blocking fluid communication between the first and second chambers, and after actuating the valve member to the closed position adjacent the substrate, to apply a second electrical potential having a second magnitude as the first electrical signal applied to the pair of terminals to maintain the valve member in the closed position adjacent the substrate to thereby maintain substantial blocking of fluid communication between the first and second chambers, wherein the first magnitude is greater than the second magnitude.
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48. A valve assembly comprising:
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a main housing defining at least three chambers, a first chamber configured to be coupled to a high pressure supply port, a second chamber configured to be coupled to an output port, and a third chamber configured to be coupled to a low pressure exhaust port, wherein the second chamber is physically oriented between the first and third chambers; a first photo-lithographically fabricated valve between the first and second chambers wherein the first photo-lithographically fabricated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber responsive to a first electrical signal; a second photo-lithographically fabricated valve between the second and third chambers wherein the second photo-lithographical fabricated valve allows or substantially blocks fluid communication between the second chamber and the third chamber responsive to a second electrical signal; and a controller configured to generate the electrical signals for the respective photo- lithographically fabricated valves, the controller being further configured to apply a first electrical potential as the first electrical signal to actuate the first photo-lithographically fabricated valve thereby substantially blocking fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, removing the first electrical potential as the first electrical signal, and after removing the first electrical potential, applying a second electrical potential as the first electrical signal to actuate the first photo-lithographically fabricated valve thereby substantially blocking fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber wherein the first and second electrical potentials have reversed polarities.
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Specification