Back to results
US 6,283,440 B1Granted
Apparatus and method for regulating fluid flow with a micro-electro mechanical block
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorJohn Evans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A Micro-Electro Mechanical device includes a movable mechanical structure and a bias mechanism. A bubble confinement region is defined by at least a portion of the movable mechanical structure. A bubble generation mechanism produces a bubble within the bubble confinement region. The bubble displaces the movable structure and alters the configuration of the bias mechanism, thereby producing useful work.
Claims42
A Micro-Electro Mechanical device, comprising:
- a movable mechanical structure;
- a bias mechanism;
- a bubble confinement region defined by at least a portion of said movable mechanical structure;
- and
- a bubble generation mechanism to produce a bubble within said bubble confinement region, said bubble displacing said movable structure to produce useful work, while altering the configuration of said bias mechanism, wherein said bias mechanism alters the position of said movable mechanical structure after said bubble is evacuated from said bubble confinement chamber.
2 more elements
A Micro-Electro Mechanical device, comprising:
- a movable mechanical structure;
- a bias mechanism;
- a bubble confinement region defined by at least a portion of said movable mechanical structure;
- and
- a bubble generation mechanism to produce a bubble within said bubble confinement region, said bubble displacing said movable structure to produce useful work, while altering the configuration of said bias mechanism, wherein said bubble confinement region is configured such that for said bubble to escape said bubble confinement region, said bubble must decrease its radius of curvature.
2 more elements
A Micro-Electro Mechanical device, comprising:
- a movable mechanical structure;
- a bias mechanism;
- a bubble confinement region defined by at least a portion of said movable mechanical structure;
- and
- a bubble generation mechanism to produce a bubble within said bubble confinement region, said bubble displacing said movable structure to produce useful work, while altering the configuration of said bias mechanism, wherein selective operation of said bubble generation mechanism forces said bubble to escape from said bubble confinement region.
2 more elements
A Micro-Electro Mechanical device, comprising:
- a movable mechanical structure;
- a bias mechanism;
- a bubble confinement region defined by at least a portion of said movable mechanical structure;
- a bubble generation mechanism to produce a bubble within said bubble confinement region, said bubble displacing said movable structure to produce useful work, while altering the configuration of said bias mechanism;
- and
- a bubble evacuation mechanism to facilitate vapor phase movement of said bubble from said bubble confinement region.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.