Thermally-actuated microminiature valve
US5058856A · kind A · utility
240Cited by
5References
19Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 8, 1991 |
| Grant date | Oct 22, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 8, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N30/20
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A microminiature valve having radially spaced, layered spider legs, with each leg having first and second layers of materials having substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion. The legs include heating elements and are fixed at one end to allow radial compliance as selected heating of the legs causes flexure. Below the legs is a semiconductor substrate having a flow orifice aligned with a valve face. Flexure of the legs displaces the valve face relative to the flow orifice, thereby controlling fluid flow through the orifice.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.