Pre-biased membrane valve
First Claim
1. A valve for a fluidic system having a predetermined target cracking pressure, comprising:
- a housing including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a one-piece orifice portion including an inner wall having a first height and an outer wall having a second height, the first height being different than the second height by a height differential, the outer wall being disposed about the inner wall; and
a flexible membrane anchored within the housing to form a reference chamber on a first side of the flexible membrane and a fluid flow channel on a second opposing side of the membrane, the reference chamber having a reference chamber pressure, the flexible membrane being configured to flex and selectively open and close the fluid flow channel to permit fluid to flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the flexible membrane configured to control flow through the fluid flow channel from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet by deflecting in response to pressure differentials of the reference chamber pressure and the fluid flow channel pressure acting on the first and second opposing sides of the flexible membrane,wherein the flexible membrane is anchored to the housing in a valve-closed position when the pressure differential is zero,wherein the inner wall includes a valve seat disposed in a manner that selectively contacts a central zone of the flexible membrane and seals the fluid inlet with a central zone of the flexible membrane, wherein the height differential displaces the membrane from a neutral condition to a biased condition, resulting in the valve having the predetermined target cracking pressure.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a valve for a fluid system is described herein. The method comprises determining a target cracking pressure for the valve of the fluid system, providing an inner wall having a first height and an outer wall having a second height, the first height varying from the second height by a height differential, and attaching a flexible membrane to the outer wall at the second height, wherein a central zone of the flexible membrane is in contact with the inner wall at the first height and the inner wall biases the flexible membrane from a neutral condition. The height differential is selected to provide resistance to displacement from the inner wall until pressure acting on the membrane exceeds the target cracking pressure.
50 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A valve for a fluidic system having a predetermined target cracking pressure, comprising:
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a housing including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a one-piece orifice portion including an inner wall having a first height and an outer wall having a second height, the first height being different than the second height by a height differential, the outer wall being disposed about the inner wall; and a flexible membrane anchored within the housing to form a reference chamber on a first side of the flexible membrane and a fluid flow channel on a second opposing side of the membrane, the reference chamber having a reference chamber pressure, the flexible membrane being configured to flex and selectively open and close the fluid flow channel to permit fluid to flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the flexible membrane configured to control flow through the fluid flow channel from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet by deflecting in response to pressure differentials of the reference chamber pressure and the fluid flow channel pressure acting on the first and second opposing sides of the flexible membrane, wherein the flexible membrane is anchored to the housing in a valve-closed position when the pressure differential is zero, wherein the inner wall includes a valve seat disposed in a manner that selectively contacts a central zone of the flexible membrane and seals the fluid inlet with a central zone of the flexible membrane, wherein the height differential displaces the membrane from a neutral condition to a biased condition, resulting in the valve having the predetermined target cracking pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A valve for a fluidic system having a predetermined target cracking pressure, comprising:
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a housing including an inner wall surrounding a fluid inlet and an outer wall disposed about the inner wall to define a fluid outlet between the inner wall and the outer wall, the inner wall having a first height and the outer wall having a second height, the first height being greater than the second height by a height differential; and a flexible membrane anchored within the housing to form a reference chamber on a first side of the flexible membrane and a fluid flow channel on a second opposing side of the membrane, the reference chamber having a reference chamber pressure and the fluid flow channel having a fluid flow channel pressure, the flexible membrane being configured to flex and selectively open and close the fluid flow channel to permit fluid to flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the flexible membrane configured to control flow through the orifice portion by deflecting in response to a pressure differential across the flexible membrane of the reference chamber pressure and the fluid flow channel pressure acting on the first and second opposing sides of the flexible membrane, wherein the height differential displaces the membrane from a neutral condition to a biased condition, resulting in the valve having the predetermined target cracking pressure. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification