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US 2019/0285196 A1Published application
Piezoelectric valve module, method for manufacturing the valve module, method for operating the valve module, and respiratory aid device including one or more of the valve modules
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsDomenico GIUSTI, Oriana Rita Antonia DI MARCO, Igor VARISCO
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Abstract
A valve module includes a semiconductor body, cavities in the semiconductor body separated from each other by a distance, a cantilever structure suspended over each cavity to enable at least partial closing of the cavity, and a piezoelectric actuator for each cantilever structure. The piezoelectric actuator is configured for use to cause a positive bending of the respective cantilever structure and so modulate a rate of air flow through the valve module.
Claims18
A valve module, comprising:
- a semiconductor body including a plurality of cavities that are separated from each other by a distance;
- wherein portions of the semiconductor body form a plurality of cantilever structures, each cantilever structure suspended over a respective cavity and configured in a first position to at least partially close the respective cavity;
- and
- a plurality of piezoelectric actuators, each piezoelectric actuator being operatively coupled to a respective cantilever structure and configured, in use, to cause a bending of the respective cantilever structure in a second position to open the respective cavity;
- wherein actuation of the plurality of piezoelectric actuators modulates a rate of air flow through the cavities of the valve module.
2 more elements
A method for manufacturing a valve module, comprising:
- forming a plurality of cavities in the semiconductor body that are separated from each other by a distance from one another;
- forming a plurality of cantilever structures, wherein each cantilever structure is suspended over a respective cavity and configured in a first position to at least partially close the respective cavity;
- and
- coupling a piezoelectric actuator to each cantilever structure so that each piezoelectric actuator causes, in use, a bending of the respective cantilever structure in a second position to open the respective cavity;
- wherein actuation of the plurality of piezoelectric actuators modulates a rate of air flow through the cavities of the valve module.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.