US 4,585,209 AGranted

Miniature valve and method of making same

AssigneesHarry E. Aine, Barry Block

InventorsHarry E. Aine, Barry Block

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Abstract

In a miniature valve, a valve seat is formed by aperturing a plate. A cantilever leaf spring is disposed overlying the apertured plate for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough. An electrostatic potential applied between the cantilever leaf spring and the valve plate pulls the leaf spring over the apertured plate for variably controlling flow through the valve in accordance with the magnitude of the applied potential. In a preferred embodiment, the cantilever leaf springs are made in batch form by etching a silicon wafer. A flow controller is provided by measuring the electrical capacitance of the valve, comparing it with a reference voltage and deriving a feedback voltage applied to the valve for controlling flow therethrough. In one embodiment, the width of the cantilever leaf spring valve member is narrowed toward its free end for finer control of flow.

Claims17

Dependent claims

In an electrostatic miniature valve;

valve seat means having an opening therein through which the flow of fluid is to be controlled and having a valve seat electrode portion for receiving an operating potential in use;
valve means for disposition adjacent said valve seat means and having a cantilever leaf spring portion for overlaying said valve seat means and said opening and also including a valve member electrode portion mechanically operatively associated with said leaf spring portion for receiving an operating potential in use;
and
electrical insulator means for disposition between said electrode portion of said valve seat means and said valve member electrode portion of said valve means, the mutually opposed areas of said electrode portions and their spacings being dimensioned for allowing an electrical potential difference to be applied between said valve means and said valve seat means for pulling said cantilever leaf spring portion by electrostatic attraction over said opening in at least partially closing relation therewith for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.