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A fluid-control electro-active device includes a piezo-diaphragm made from a ferroelectric material sandwiched by first and second electrode patterns configured to introduce an electric field into the ferroelectric material when voltage is applied thereto. The electric field originates at a region o

A fluid-control electro-active device includes a piezo-diaphragm made from a ferroelectric material sandwiched by first and second electrode patterns configured to introduce an electric field into the ferroelectric material when voltage is applied thereto. The electric field originates at a region of the ferroelectric material between the first and second electrode patterns, and extends radially outward from this region of the ferroelectric material and substantially parallel to the plane of the ferroelectric material. The piezo-diaphragm deflects symmetrically about this region in a direction substantially perpendicular to the electric field. An annular region coupled to and extending radially outward from the piezo-diaphragm perimetrically borders the piezo-diaphragm. A housing is connected to the annular region and defines at least one fluid flow path therethrough with the piezo-diaphragm disposed therein.

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1. An electro-active device for control of fluid movement, comprising:a ferroelectric material defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface, wherein said first surface and said second surface lie in substantially parallel planes; a first electrode pattern coupled to a po

1. An electro-active device for control of fluid movement, comprising:a ferroelectric material defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface, wherein said first surface and said second surface lie in substantially parallel planes; a first electrode pattern coupled to a portion of said first surface to define a first side of a piezo-diaphragm; a second electrode pattern coupled to a portion of said second surface to define a second side of said piezo-diaphragm, wherein said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern are configured to introduce an electric field into said ferroelectric material when said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern have voltage applied thereto, said electric field originating at a region of said ferroelectric material between said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern, said electric field extending radially outward from said region of said ferroelectric material and substantially parallel to said first surface and said second surface, whereby said piezo-diaphragm correspondingly deflects symmetrically about said region in a direction substantially perpendicular to said electric field; means for coupling said piezo-diaphragm, said means for coupling extending radially outward from said piezo-diaphragm so as to define an annular region that circumferentially surrounds said piezo-diaphragm; and a housing connected to said annular region, said housing defining at least one fluid flow path therethrough, said piezo-diaphragm being disposed in said at least one fluid flow path. 2. An electro-active device as in claim 1 further comprising valve means integrated into said annular region wherein fluid can pass therethrough when said valve means is opened.3. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a stacked arrangement of plates for defining said at least one fluid flow path.4. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises first and second elements sandwiching said piezo-diaphragm and said annular region therebetween, said first and second elements configured to interlock with one another while simultaneously defining a cavity on at least one side of said piezo-diaphragm and forming a seal with said annular region.5. An electro-active device as in claim 4 wherein said annular region has a circular perimeter, and wherein said first and second elements interlock with one another when rotated with respect to one another in a plane that is substantially parallel to said first surface and said second surface.6. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said piezo-diaphragm has a general shape selected from the group of shapes consisting of circles, triangles and polygons.7. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein a portion of said housing adjacent at least one of said first side and said second side of said piezo-diaphragm has an interior wall contoured to correspond to the known shape of deflection of said piezo-diaphragm during the presence of said electric field.8. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern are mirror images of one another.9. An electro-active device as in claim 8 wherein each of said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern comprises at least two independent electrodes having opposite polarity and arranged in an alternating sequence as they extend radially outward from said region of said ferroelectric material, said alternating sequence being defined with respect to a cross-sectional view of said piezo-diaphragm.10. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern are staggered with respect to one another along a direction substantially perpendicular to said substantially parallel planes, and wherein said first electrode pattern is energized with a voltage of a first polarity and said second electrode pattern is energized with a voltage of a second polarity that is opposite that of said first polarity.11. An electro-active device as in claim 1 further comprising a shaped electrode electrically coupled to a center portion each of said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern, wherein each said center portion is aligned with one another to define a common perimeter, wherein voltage applied to said center portion of said first electrode pattern is an opposite polarity with respect to voltage applied to said center portion of said second electrode pattern, and wherein said ferroelectric material aligned with said common perimeter defines said region of said ferroelectric material at which said electric field originates.12. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said means for coupling comprises a dielectric material encasing said ferroelectric material with said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern coupled thereto.13. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said ferroelectric material comprises a single sheet of ferroelectric material.14. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said means for coupling comprises: a first piece of dielectric material with said first electrode pattern coupled thereto; anda second piece of dielectric material with said second electrode pattern coupled thereto; said first piece of dielectric material joined to said second piece of dielectric material beyond the perimeter defined by said piezo-diaphragm to thereby form said annular region. 15. An electro-active device as in claim 1 wherein said ferroelectric material comprises a ceramic piezoelectric material.16. An electro-active device for control of fluid movement, comprising:a composite ferroelectric material defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface, wherein said first surface and said second surface lie in substantially parallel planes; a first electrode pattern coupled to a portion of said first surface to define a first side of a piezo-diaphragm; a second electrode pattern coupled to a portion of said second surface to define a second side of said piezo-diaphragm, wherein said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern are configured to introduce an electric field into said ferroelectric material when said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern have voltage applied thereto, said electric field originating at a region of said ferroelectric material between said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern, said electric field extending radially outward from said region of said ferroelectric material and substantially parallel to said first surface and said second surface, whereby said piezo-diaphragm correspondingly deflects symmetrically about said region in a direction substantially perpendicular to said electric field; a dielectric material encasing said piezo-diaphragm and extending radially outward from said piezo-diaphragm so as to define an annular region that circumferentially surrounds said piezo-diaphragm; and a housing connected to said annular region, said housing defining at least one fluid flow path therethrough, said piezo-diaphragm being disposed in said at least one fluid flow path. 17. An electro-active device as in claim 16 further comprising valve means integrated into said annular region wherein fluid can pass therethrough when said valve means is opened.18. An electro-active device as in claim 16 wherein said housing includes a stacked arrangement of plates for defining said at least one fluid flow path.19. An electro-active device as in claim 16 wherein said housing comprises first and second elements sandwiching said piezo-diaphragm and said annular region therebetween, said first and second elements configured to interlock with one another while simultaneously defining a cavity on at least one side of said piezo-diaphragm and forming a seal with said annular region.20. An electro-active device as in claim 19 wherein said annular region has a circular perimeter, and wherein said first and second elements interlock with one another when rotated with respect to one another in a plane that is substantially parallel to said first surface and said second surface.21. An electro-active device as in claim 16 wherein said piezo-diaphragm has a general shape selected from the group of shapes consisting of circles, triangles and polygons.22. An electro-active device as in claim 16 wherein a portion of said housing adjacent at least one of said first side and said second side of said piezo-diaphragm has an interior wall contoured to correspond to the known shape of deflection of said piezo-diaphragm during the presence of said electric field.23. An electro-active device as in claim 16 wherein said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern are mirror images of one another.24. An electro-active device as in claim 23 wherein each of said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern comprises at least two independent electrodes having opposite polarity and arranged in an alternating sequence as they extend radially outward from said region of said ferroelectric material, said alternating sequence being defined with respect to a cross-sectional view of said piezo-diaphragm.25. An electro-active device as in claim 16 wherein said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern are staggered with respect to one another along a direction substantially perpendicular to said substantially parallel planes, and wherein said first electrode pattern is energized with a voltage of a first polarity and said second electrode pattern is energized with a voltage of a second polarity that is opposite that of said first polarity.26. An electro-active device as in claim 16 further comprising a shaped electrode electrically coupled to a center portion each of said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern, wherein each said center portion is aligned with one another to define a common perimeter, wherein voltage applied to said center portion of said first electrode pattern is an opposite polarity with respect to voltage applied to said center portion of said second electrode pattern, and wherein said ferroelectric material aligned with said common perimeter defines said region of said ferroelectric material at which said electric field originates.27. An electro-active device as in claim 16 wherein said ferroelectric material comprises a single sheet of ferroelectric material.28. An electro-active device as in claim 16 wherein said ferroelectric material comprises a ceramic piezoelectric material.29. An electro-active device for control of fluid movement, comprising:a piece of ferroelectric material defining a first surface and a second surface opposing said first surface, wherein said first surface and said second surface lie in substantially parallel planes; a first piece of a dielectric material larger than said piece of ferroelectric material; a second piece of a dielectric material larger than said piece of ferroelectric material; a first electrode pattern coupled to a portion of said first piece of dielectric material; a second electrode pattern coupled to a portion of said second piece of dielectric material; said first piece of dielectric material with said first electrode pattern coupled thereto and said second piece of dielectric material with said second electrode pattern coupled thereto sandwiching said piece of ferroelectric material, wherein said first electrode pattern is coupled to said first surface to define a first side of a piezo-diaphragm and said second electrode pattern is coupled to said second surface to define a second side of said piezo-diaphragm, wherein said first electrode pattern is aligned with said second electrode pattern to introduce an electric field into said piece of ferroelectric material when said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern have voltage applied thereto, said electric field originating at a region of said ferroelectric material between said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern, said electric field extending radially outward from said region of said ferroelectric material and substantially parallel to said first surface and said second surface, whereby said piezo-diaphragm correspondingly deflects symmetrically about said region in a direction substantially perpendicular to said electric field; said first piece of dielectric material being joined to said second piece of dielectric material beyond and all around the perimeter of said piezo-diaphragm to define an annular region of dielectric material that perimetrically borders said piezo-diaphragm; and a housing connected to said annular region, said housing defining at least one fluid flow path therethrough with said piezo-diaphragm disposed in said at least one fluid flow path. 30. An electro-active device as in claim 29 further comprising valve means integrated into said annular region wherein fluid can pass therethrough when said valve means is opened.31. An electro-active device as in claim 29 wherein said housing includes a stacked arrangement of plates for defining said at least one fluid flow path.32. An electro-active device as in claim 29 wherein said housing comprises first and second elements sandwiching said piezo-diaphragm and said annular region therebetween, said first and second elements configured to interlock with one another while simultaneously defining a cavity on at least one side of said piezo-diaphragm and forming a seal with said annular region.33. An electro-active device as in claim 32 wherein said annular region has a circular perimeter, and wherein said first and second elements interlock with one another when rotated with respect to one another in a plane that is substantially parallel to said first surface and said second surface.34. An electro-active device as in claim 29 wherein said piezo-diaphragm has a general shape selected from the group of shapes consisting of circles, triangles and polygons.35. An electro-active device as in claim 29 wherein a portion of said housing adjacent at least one of said first side and said second side of said piezo-diaphragm has an interior wall contoured to correspond to the known shape of deflection of said piezo-diaphragm during the presence of said electric field.36. An electro-active device as in claim 29 wherein said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern are mirror images of one another.37. An electro-active device as in claim 36 wherein each of said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern comprises at least two independent electrodes having opposite polarity and arranged in an alternating sequence as they extend radially outward from said region of said ferroelectric material, said alternating sequence being defined with respect to a cross-sectional view of said piezo-diaphragm.38. An electro-active device as in claim 29 wherein said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern are staggered with respect to one another along a direction substantially perpendicular to said substantially parallel planes, and wherein said first electrode pattern is energized with a voltage of a first polarity and said second electrode pattern is energized with a voltage of a second polarity that is opposite that of said first polarity.39. An electro-active device as in claim 29 further comprising a shaped electrode electrically coupled to a center portion each of said first electrode pattern and said second electrode pattern, wherein each said center portion is aligned with one another to define a common perimeter, wherein voltage applied to said center portion of said first electrode pattern is an opposite polarity with respect to voltage applied to said center portion of said second electrode pattern, and wherein said ferroelectric material aligned with said common perimeter defines said region of said ferroelectric material at which said electric field originates.40. An electro-active device as in claim 29 wherein said ferroelectric material comprises a ceramic piezoelectric material.41. An electro-active device as in claim 29 further comprising an electrically non-conductive adhesive between i) said first piece of dielectric material and said piece of ferroelectric material, ii) said second piece of dielectric material and said piece of ferroelectric material, and iii) portions of said first piece of dielectric material and portions of said second piece of dielectric material that lie beyond the perimeter of said piece of ferroelectric material.