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AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsLeslie A. Field, Stefano Schiaffino, Phillip W. Barth, Storrs T. Hoen, Naoto A. Kawamura, David K. Donald, Channing R. Robertson, Jonathan D. Servaites
Estimating the term…
A bubble valve that comprises a liquid delivery channel and a localized heating arrangement. The liquid delivery channel includes an upstream portion and a constriction downstream of the upstream portion. The constriction has a smaller cross-sectional area than the upstream portion. The localized heating arrangement is located in the liquid delivery channel and generates heat to nucleate and enlarge a bubble in the liquid. The constriction is shaped to form a seal with the bubble. The localized heating arrangement additionally generates heat to move the bubble relative to the constriction to control the flow of the liquid. A pressure regulator that comprises a liquid delivery channel connected to a liquid outlet, a sensor located adjacent the liquid outlet, a controller that operates in response to the sensor and a localized heating arrangement. The liquid delivery channel includes an upstream portion, and a constriction located between the upstream portion and the liquid outlet. The constriction has a smaller cross-sectional area than the upstream portion. The localized heating arrangement is located in the liquid delivery channel and generates heat in response to the controller to nucleate and enlarge a bubble in the liquid. The constriction is shaped to form a seal with the bubble. The localized heating arrangement additionally generates heat to move the bubble relative to the constriction to control the flow of the liquid to the liquid outlet.
A bubble valve for controlling flow of a liquid in a flow direction, the bubble valve comprising:
A pressure regulator for regulating pressure at which liquid is delivered to a liquid outlet, the pressure regulator comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.