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US 6,068,010 AGranted
Microvalve and microthruster for satellites and methods of making and using the same
AssigneeMarotta Scientific Controls, Inc.
InventorRobert H. Reinicke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microvalve and microthruster are provided. Both include a housing with an interior in which an armature can travel and abut a valve seat to provide an electromagnetic valve. The armature acts as a valve body that is maintained in a or normally closed position by a permanent magnet, and is opened by interaction with a selectively activatable electromagnet. A microthruster is provided by fashioning the valve discharge as a nozzle, preferably of a material that is permanently and selectively magnetizable, so that the nozzle functions as the permanent magnet and which magnetism can be adjusted to assure proper opening and closing of the valve portion. The valve body is guided without any sliding fit mechanism and is suitable for controlling gas or liquid fluid flows.
Claims38
A micromachined microvalve, comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable magnet;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature disposed within the interior space and displaceable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized magnet, said armature being sized relative to said interior space such that, during a portion of said displacement, a clearance is established between the entire outer surface of said armature and said inner surface of said valve housing;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized magnet, said permanent and selectively energizable magnets being positioned relative to said valve housing to maintain said armature in a predetermined transverse alignment relative to the direction of said displacement throughout said clearance-established portion of said displacement;
- and
- e. a valve seat disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal the fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is displaced into fluid sealing abutting relationship with the entrance or the exit.
3 more elements
A micromachined microvalve, comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable magnet;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature disposed within the interior space and displaceable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized magnet;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized magnet;
- and
- e. a valve seat disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal such fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is displaced into fluid sealing abutting relationship with the entrance or the exit, wherein the valve seat comprises a photoetched single crystal material.
3 more elements
A microvalve, comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable electromagnet;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature being disposed within the interior space and displaceable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized electromagnet;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized electromagnet;
- e. a valve seat disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal the fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is displaced into fluid-sealing abutting relationship with the entrance or the exit;
- and
- f. a multilayer body disposed in the interior space, said body having a fluid-flow path provided therein, said body including said valve seat. said body being disposed between said armature and said entrance or exit which is effectively sealed by said valve seat;
- and said body comprising three layers, the outer two comprising a single crystal material and the inner layer comprising an amorphous or polycrystalline glass, said layers being bonded integrally together.
5 more elements
A microvalve, comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable electromagnet;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature disposed within the interior space and travelable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized electromagnet;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized electromagnet;
- e. a valve seat of photoetched single-crystal material disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal the fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is moved into fluid sealing abutting relationship with the entrance or the exit;
- and
- f. a body disposed in the interior space, said body having a fluid-flow path provided therein, said body disposed between said armature and said entrance or exit and including said valve seat;
- and said valve seat comprising a combination of an elastomeric material carried by said armature and positioned to abut a valve seat formation disposed on said body adjacent thereto.
5 more elements
A micromachined microvalve, comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable magnet;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature disposed within the interior space and displaceable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized magnet;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized magnet;
- and
- e. a valve seat disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal such fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is displaced into fluid sealing abutting relationship with the entrance or the exit, wherein the valve seat opens into a nozzle having a nozzle extension, the nozzle extension being a magnetized or magnetizable material.
3 more elements
A micromachined microvalve, comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable magnet;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature disposed within the interior space and displaceable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized magnet;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized magnet;
- e. a valve seat disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal such fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is displaced into fluid sealing abutting relationship with the entrance or the exit;
- and
- f. means for guiding said armature between said fluid entrance and said fluid exit, wherein the guide means comprises a leaf spring.
4 more elements
A micromachined microvalve, comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable magnet;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature disposed within the interior space and displaceable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized magnet;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized magnet;
- e. a valve seat disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal such fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is displaced into fluid sealing abutting relationship with the entrance or the exit;
- and
- f. means for guiding said armature between said fluid entrance and said fluid exit, wherein the means for guiding the armature is a non-magnetic material.
4 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve housing defining a fluid entrance, a fluid exit, and an interior;
- a freely-retained ferromagnetic valve body disposed in the interior and moveable therein;
- a unitary valve seat comprising a micromachined single crystal material;
- said valve body and valve seat adapted to engage in sealing and opening relationship.
1 more element
A valve comprising:
- a valve housing defining a fluid entrance, a fluid exit, and an interior;
- a freely-retained ferromagnetic valve body disposed in the interior and movable therein;
- a unitary valve seat comprising a micromachined single crystal material;
- said valve body and valve seat adapted to engage in sealing and opening relationship;
- and an internal filter disposed between the valve seat and the fluid exit.
2 more elements
A method for controlling the flow of a gas, comprising:
- (a) providing a housing in fluid flow stream, said housing comprising a fluid flow path through a fluid entrance, an internal space, and a fluid exit;
- (b) providing in said flow path adjacent said internal space a valve seat;
- (c) providing in said internal space a magnetically susceptible armature, the armature comprising means for sealing said valve seat when in abutting relation therewith;
- (d) supplying pressurized gas in fluid communication with said fluid entrance;
- and
- (e) subjecting said armature selectively to a magnetic force effective to abut said armature with said valve seat and prevent flow, or changing the application of said selectively applied magnetic force effect to cause said armature and said valve seat to move apart and thereby allow flow, the armature being sized relative to the internal space such that, during a portion of said moving apart of said armature and valve seat, a clearance is established between the entire outer surface of said armature and the inner surface of the housing.
3 more elements
A microvalve, comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable electromagnet;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature being disposed within the interior space and displaceable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized electromagnet;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized electromagnet;
- e. a valve seat disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal such fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is displaced into fluid-sealing abutting relationship with the entrance or the exit;
- and
- f. a solid-state body disposed in the interior space, said body comprising two silicon layers in bonded adjacency wherein one of the layers has a groove formation selected from the group consisting of micromachined and microetched groove formations, said groove formation being closed by the bonded adjacency of the other layer and which thereby defines a fluid-flow path within said body, said body being disposed between said armature and said entrance or exit and including said valve seat.
4 more elements
A microthruster, comprising an electrically operable microvalve having an inlet and an outlet, a source of pressurized gas in fluid communication with said inlet, and an electrical supply connected for operation of said microvalve, said microvalve comprising:
- a. a valve housing defining an interior space, a fluid entrance, and a fluid exit;
- b. a selectively energizable electromagnet connected for operational use of said electrical supply;
- c. an armature comprising a ferromagnetic material, the armature disposed within the interior space and displaceable therein between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit in response to the presence or absence of a magnetic field from the energized electromagnet;
- d. a permanent magnet for urging the armature in a direction opposite to the direction in which the armature is responsive to the energized electromagnet;
- e. a valve seat of photoetched single-crystal material disposed between said armature and said fluid entrance or said fluid exit effective to seal such fluid entrance or the fluid exit when the armature is displaced into fluid-sealing abutting relationship with such entrance or such exit;
- f. a micromachined body disposed in the interior space, said body having a fluid-flow path providing a filter in said path and disposed between said armature and said entrance or exit and including said valve seat;
- and
- g. a discharge nozzle formation constituting an integral part of said body.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.