초록 ▼

A bistable valve useful for paper handling applications is disclosed. The valve can be batch fabricated in two dimensional valve arrays, with each valve in the array being controlled by passive matrix addressing. Typically, each valve includes a valve housing an electrically conductive movable eleme

A bistable valve useful for paper handling applications is disclosed. The valve can be batch fabricated in two dimensional valve arrays, with each valve in the array being controlled by passive matrix addressing. Typically, each valve includes a valve housing an electrically conductive movable element such as cantilever beam, diaphragm or film. Valve action is provided by use of housing embedded switching electrodes for moving the movable element between an aperture blocking position and an aperture open position. To reduce unswitched movement when the switching electrode bias is reduced or not present, electrostatic or mechanical catches can be used.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A passively addressable row and column array of bistable valves configurable to switch particular bistable valves comprisinga plurality of bistable valves, with each bistable valve defining an aperture therethrough, having electrically conductive switching electrodes ther

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A passively addressable row and column array of bistable valves configurable to switch particular bistable valves comprisinga plurality of bistable valves, with each bistable valve defining an aperture therethrough, having electrically conductive switching electrodes therein, and further having an electrically conductive bistable movable element for blocking the defined aperture, with the bistable movable element switchable between a stable aperture blocking position and a stable aperture open position upon application of a threshold switching voltage differential,a first switching voltage source connected to at least some of the bistable movable elements in the plurality of bistable valves for maintaining a first subset of the bistable movable elements at one of a non-switching and a switching voltage, anda second switching voltage source connected to at least some of the electrically conductive switching electrodes for maintaining a second subset of the electrically conductive switching electrodes at one of a non-switching and a switching voltage, with those bistable valves that are members of both the first subset maintained at the switching voltage and the second subset maintained at the switching voltage having an applied threshold switching voltage differential sufficient to switch only those bistable valves.