Patent · US Expired

Piezoelectric flow control valve

US4728074A · kind A · utility

36Cited by
3References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 31, 1986
Grant dateMar 1, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 31, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T10/40
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A piezoelectric flow control valve comprising a slidable closure member (22) for controlling a flow of fluid through a fluid passage (42) between a fluid inlet (40) and a fluid outlet (32). The closure member (22) is biased toward a normally closed position by a plunger (70) responsive to a hydraulic pressure in a pressure chamber (78) which is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet (40) through a restriction and with a pumping chamber (96) of a piezoelectric pump (72). In order to prevent fluid leakage under situations wherein the fluid pressure at the fluid inlet (40) is not high enough to ensure closure of the member (22), the present invention provides spring biased pressure mechanism (106) for biasing the closure member (22) toward the normally closed position and override means (130) for overriding the pressure mechanism (106) in response to a predetermined pressure at the fluid inlet (40).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.