US 2014/0109995 A1Published application

Mass Flow Controller Driven by Smart Material Actuator with Mechanical Amplification

AssigneeViking AT, LLC

InventorJeffery B. Moler

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Abstract

An improved mass flow controller with a body having an inlet and an outlet; a sensor adapted to sense the flow of material out of the outlet; a controller adapted to receive a signal from the sensor; a proportional valve operatively connected between the inlet and the outlet; and a mechanically-amplified smart material actuator electrically connected to the controller and operatively connected to the proportional valve. The mechanically-amplified actuator comprises a smart material device, a compensator, a movable supporting member, at least two mechanical webs, at least two actuating arms, and a second stage assembly.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A mass flow controller comprising:

(a) a body having an inlet and an outlet;
(b) a sensor adapted to sense the flow of material out of said outlet;
(c) a controller adapted to receive a signal from said sensor;
(d) a proportional valve operatively connected between said inlet and said outlet;
(d) a mechanically-amplified smart material actuator electrically connected to said controller;
and operatively connected to said proportional valve, said actuator comprising a smart material device, a compensator, a movable supporting member, at least two mechanical webs, at least two actuating arms, and a second stage assembly connected to said actuating arms wherein
(i) said compensator has a first mounting surface,
(ii) said mechanical webs comprise an inner resilient member connected to said movable supporting member, and an outer resilient member connected to an arm mounting surface;
(iii) said movable supporting member comprises a second mounting surface opposed and substantially parallel to said first mounting surface,
(iv) said actuating arms comprise a first actuating arm end attached to one said arm mounting surface and an opposed second actuating arm end;
(v) said smart material device is affixed within said compensator, between said first mounting surface and said second mounting surface;
(vi) said second stage assembly comprises at least one second stage resilient member having a first second stage resilient member end attached to said second actuating arm end and a second second stage resilient member end attached to a second stage mounting block;
whereby application of an electrical potential by said controller causes said smart material device to expand substantially without angular movement, thereby urging said movable supporting member away from said first mounting surface and causing said resilient members to flex, thereby moving said actuating arms toward said smart material device, thereby causing said second stage resilient members to urge said second stage mounting block in a direction substantially parallel to said smart material device such that motion of said second stage mounting block is across a distance greater than the expansion of said smart material device and adjusting said proportional valve to increase or decrease the flow of material out of said outlet based on said signal.

10 more elements

A mass flow controller comprising:

(a) a body having an inlet and an outlet;
(b) a sensor adapted to sense the flow of material out of said outlet;
(c) a controller adapted to receive a signal from said sensor;
(d) a mechanically-amplified smart material actuator electrically connected to said controller;
(e) a semi-spherical second stage operatively connected to said actuator and adapted to form a portion of a plenum having adjustable volume, said plenum being operatively connected to said inlet and said outlet;
wherein said controller causes said actuator to adjust the volume of said plenum based on said signal from said sensor whereby said mass flow controller is adapted to control a flow of material from said inlet through said outlet.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A mass flow controller comprising:

(a) a body having an inlet and an outlet;
(b) a sensor adapted to sense the flow of material out of said outlet;
(c) a controller adapted to receive a signal from said sensor;
(d) a proportional valve operatively connected between said inlet and said outlet;
(d) a mechanically-amplified smart material actuator electrically connected to said controller;
and operatively connected to said proportional valve, said actuator comprising a smart material device, a compensator, a movable supporting member, at least two mechanical webs, at least two actuating arms, and a second stage assembly connected to said actuating arms wherein
(i) said compensator has a first mounting surface,
(ii) said mechanical webs comprise an inner resilient member connected to said movable supporting member, and an outer resilient member connected to an arm mounting surface;
(iii) said movable supporting member comprises a second mounting surface opposed and substantially parallel to said first mounting surface,
(iv) said actuating arms comprise a first actuating arm end attached to one said arm mounting surface and an opposed second actuating arm end;
(v) said smart material device is affixed within said compensator, between said first mounting surface and said second mounting surface;
(vi) said second stage assembly comprises at least one second stage resilient member having a first second stage resilient member end attached to said second actuating arm end and a second second stage resilient member end attached to a second stage mounting block;
whereby application of an electrical potential by said controller causes said smart material device to expand substantially without angular movement, thereby urging said movable supporting member away from said first mounting surface and causing said resilient members to flex, thereby moving said actuating arms toward said smart material device, thereby causing said second stage resilient members to urge said second stage mounting block in a direction substantially parallel to said smart material device such that motion of said second stage mounting block is across a distance greater than the expansion of said smart material device and adjusting said proportional valve to increase or decrease the flow of material out of said outlet based on said signal.

10 more elements