# US 6,994,110 B2 · Piezoelectric valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,994,110 B2 - Document ID: US6994110B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/369,611 - Filed: 2003-02-21 - Published: 2003-08-28 - Granted: 2006-02-07 - Earliest claimed: 2002-02-26 - Assignees: Cedrat Technologies - Inventors: François Barillot; Gilles Patient; Ronan Le Letty - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6994110B2 ## CPC - F16K 31/004: {actuated by piezoelectric means} - F16K 31/126: the fluid acting on a diaphragm, bellows, or the like (F16K31/145, F16K31/165, F16K31/365, F16K31/385 take precedence) - F16K 41/10: with diaphragm, e.g. shaped as bellows or tube - Y10T 137/8242: Electrical - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The valve comprises a mobile needle having a movement in the valve body which is controlled by an amplified piezoelectric actuator. A bellows, surrounding an intermediate zone of the needle, is integral at a first end with the valve body and at a second end with the needle so as to isolate the actuator from the pressure chamber. At least one flexible guide blade of the needle is fixed on the one hand to the valve body and on the other hand to the needle. This flexible guiding enables any part sliding with respect to another part, liable to generate wear or contaminating particles, to be avoided, except for the seat and needle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A valve, comprising: a valve body; a seat situated in a pressure chamber and integral with the valve body; a mobile needle having a movement controlled by an amplified piezoelectric actuator; a bellows surrounding an intermediate zone of the needle and securely affixed, at a first end, to the valve body and, at a second end, to the needle so as to isolate the actuator from the pressure chamber; at least one flexible guide blade for guiding the needle being fixed on the one hand to the valve body and on the other hand to the needle; and a second flexible guide blade, the flexible guide blades being arranged on each side of the bellows. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, wherein the bellows is fixed in such a way that the inside of the bellows is placed in the pressure chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, wherein the bellows is fixed in such a way that the outside of the bellows is placed in the pressure chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, wherein the flexible guide blade comprises a central zone fixed to the needle and a peripheral zone fixed to the valve body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The valve according to claim 4, wherein the central zone of the flexible blade is connected to the peripheral zone of the blade by means of substantially radial arms. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The valve according to claim 5, wherein the arms are substantially S-shaped. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The valve according to claim 4, wherein the flexible guide blade is formed by a disk presenting apertures. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, comprising a cover securely affixed to the valve body, the first end of the bellows being fixed onto the cover, fixing of the flexible blade to the valve body being achieved by engagement between the cover and the valve body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, wherein, the actuator comprising a mobile base, facing the seat, and a top opposite the base and having a point integral with the valve body, the needle is fixed to the amplified piezoelectric actuator at a point of the base. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, wherein, the actuator comprising a base, facing the seat and integral with the valve body, and a mobile top opposite the base, the needle is fixed to the amplified piezoelectric actuator at a point of the top and passes through the actuator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The valve according to claim 10, wherein the second flexible guide blade is fixed to the needle close to the top of the actuator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The valve according to claim 10, wherein one end of the needle passes through the seat and is shaped in such a way as to press against the seat in the rest position of the valve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, comprising position detecting means for detecting the position of the needle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The valve according to claim 13, wherein the position detecting means comprise a strain gage bridge supported by one of the flexible guide blades. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The valve according to claim 13, wherein the position detecting means comprise a differential capacitive sensor arranged between the needle and a cover securely affixed to the valve body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, wherein the needle comprises an actuating rod and a tip, moving inside one end of the actuating rod and designed to come into contact with the seat, the valve comprising a third flexible blade connected between the tip and a collar integral to the bottom part of the actuating rod. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The valve according to claim 1, comprising, in the center of a set of piezoelectric elements of the actuator, inserts designed to thermomechanically compensate the expansions of the actuator. ### Claim 18 A valve, comprising: a valve body; a seat situated in a pressure chamber and integral with the valve body; a mobile needle having a movement controlled by an amplified piezoelectric actuator; a bellows surrounding an intermediate zone of the needle and securely affixed, at a first end, to the valve body and, at a second end, to the needle so as to isolate the actuator from the pressure chamber; at least one flexible guide blade for guiding the needle being fixed on the one hand to the valve body and on the other hand to the needle; a second flexible guide blade, the flexible guide blades being arranged on each side of the bellows; and a cover securely affixed to the valve body, the first end of the bellows being fixed onto the cover, fixing of the flexible blade to the valve body being achieved by engagement between the cover and the valve body.