Simplified piezoelectric valve

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity,
• (ii) a pair of generally opposed positioning members integral to the valve body, and
• (iii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat and a passageway in communication with the valve seat, the seat and the passageway being integrally formed in the valve body;
• and
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the valve cavity between the positioning members and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, and the second end being capable of flexing between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat, wherein the portion of the valve cavity containing the first end of the actuator has a volume less than or equal to four times the volume of the first end of the actuator within the portion.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity,
• (ii) a pair of generally opposed positioning members integral to the valve body, and
• (iii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat and a passageway in communication with the valve seat, the seat and the passageway being integrally formed in the valve body;
• and
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the valve cavity between the positioning members and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, and the second end being capable of flexing between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat, wherein the portion of the valve cavity containing the second end of the actuator has a volume less than or equal to four times the volume of the second end of the actuator within the portion.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity,
• (ii) a pair of generally opposed positioning members integral to the valve body, and
• (iii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat and a passageway in communication with the valve seat, the seat and the passageway being integrally formed in the valve body;
• and
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the valve cavity between the positioning members and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, and the second end being capable of flexing between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat, wherein the portion of the valve cavity containing the second end of the actuator is configured so that the second end of the actuator deflects through more than one quarter the volume of the portion when flexing between the closed position and the open position.

A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric actuated valve, the method comprising:

• providing a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity,
• (ii) a pair of generally opposed positioning members integral to the valve body,
• (iii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat and a passageway in communication with the valve seat, the seat and the passageway being integrally formed in the valve body, and
• (iv) a plurality of external surfaces, one of the external surfaces having a manifold mounting flange structure including openings for the first and second ports;
• and
• suspending a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, so that the first end contacts one of the positioning members and the second end contacts the valve seat without bending or flexing the actuator;
• and
• securing the first end of the piezoelectric actuator to the positioning members.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having an internal valve cavity, and first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat and a passageway in communication with the valve seat, the seat and the passageway being integrally formed in the valve body, the valve body including a plurality of external surfaces, one of the external surfaces having a manifold mounting flange structure including openings for the first and second ports;
• and
• a valve actuator capable of operating between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat,
• wherein the valve seat has a volcano shape including an end tip having a relatively small radius of curvature that gradually increases to a relatively larger radius of curvature so as to form a transition to the port passageway.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having an internal valve cavity, and first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat and a passageway in communication with the valve seat, the seat and the passageway being integrally formed in the valve body;
• and
• a valve actuator capable of operating between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat,
• wherein the valve seat has a volcano shape including an end tip having a relatively small radius of curvature that gradually increases to a relatively larger radius of curvature so as to form a transition to the port passageway, wherein the valve cavity has a volume less than or equal to four times the volume of the actuator within the cavity.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity,
• (ii) a pair of generally opposed positioning members integral to the valve body, which divide the cavity into an operating chamber and a potting chamber, wherein the operating chamber is defined in part by first and second chamber walls, and
• (iii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat and a passageway in communication with the valve seat, wherein the valve seat is located in a recess in the first wall;
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the valve cavity between the positioning members and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, and the second end being capable of flexing between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat;
• and
• a valve seat pad mounted on the second end of the piezoelectric actuator for sealing the valve seat when the piezoelectric actuator is in the closed position;
• wherein the valve seat pad extends into the recess, past a plane defined by the first wall, when the piezoelectric actuator is in the closed position.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity,
• (ii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat, and
• (iii) a plurality of external surfaces, one of the external surfaces having a manifold mounting flange structure and including openings for the first and second ports;
• and
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the valve cavity and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, and the second end being capable of flexing between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity, and
• (ii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat;
• and
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the valve cavity and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, and the second end being capable of flexing between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat, wherein the portion of the valve cavity containing the first end of the actuator has a volume less than or equal to four times the volume of the first end of the actuator within the portion.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity, and
• (ii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat;
• and
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the valve cavity and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, and the second end being capable of flexing between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat, wherein the portion of the valve cavity containing the second end of the actuator has a volume less than or equal to four times the volume of the second end of the actuator within the portion.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) an internal valve cavity, and
• (ii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat;
• and
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the valve cavity and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, and the second end being capable of flexing between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat, wherein the portion of the valve cavity containing the second end of the actuator is configured so that the second end of the actuator deflects through more than one quarter the volume of the portion when flexing between the closed position and the open position.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having:
• (i) a first valve body having an integral positioning member,
• (ii) a second valve body having an integral positioning member, the first and second valve bodies being attached to each other to form a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity separated by the integral positioning members located generally opposite each other, and
• (iii) first and second ports, at least one of the ports including a valve seat and a passageway in communication with the valve seat, the seat and the passageway being integrally formed in the valve body;
• and
• a piezoelectric actuator having first and second ends, the first end being secured within the first internal cavity between the positioning members by adhesive material, and having electrical contacts for providing an electric potential to control the position of the second end, the second end being capable of flexing within the second valve cavity between a closed position with respect to the valve seat and an open position with respect to the valve seat.