초록 ▼

A valve is provided that can selectively change the size of a flow channel in a valve in order to modulate the fluid flow through the valve. In one illustrative embodiment, the valve includes a housing that defines a cavity, with an inlet and an outlet extending into the cavity. A diaphragm is posi

A valve is provided that can selectively change the size of a flow channel in a valve in order to modulate the fluid flow through the valve. In one illustrative embodiment, the valve includes a housing that defines a cavity, with an inlet and an outlet extending into the cavity. A diaphragm is positioned in the cavity, where at least part of the diaphragm defines at least part of the fluid path. One or more electrodes are fixed relative to the diaphragm, and one or more electrodes are fixed relative to the housing such that the diaphragm can be electrostatically actuated to modulate the fluid flow through the valve.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A valve, comprising: a housing that defines a cavity; an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; an outlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; a fluid path within the cavity that extends between the inlet port and the outlet port, the fluid path having a c

What is claimed is: 1. A valve, comprising: a housing that defines a cavity; an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; an outlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; a fluid path within the cavity that extends between the inlet port and the outlet port, the fluid path having a cross-sectional area; a diaphragm positioned in the cavity, at least part of the diaphragm defining at least part of the fluid path; at least three electrodes for use in electrostatically actuating at least part of the diaphragm between at least three stable positions, wherein each stable position results in a different cross-sectional area of the fluid path, and wherein the different cross-sectional areas are sized such that fluid can flow between the inlet port and the outlet port in at least two of the stable positions; wherein, in at least one of the stable positions, the diaphragm is in a generally planar configuration; and wherein at least two of the three or more electrodes are fixed relative to the diaphragm and spaced side-by-side from one another in a lateral direction, and at least one of the at least three electrodes is fixed relative to the housing. 2. The valve of claim 1 wherein the cavity is at least partially defined by two opposing sides. 3. The valve of claim 2 wherein at least one of the two opposing sides includes a portion that extends down closer to the diaphragm. 4. The valve of claim 3 wherein the portion that extends down closer to the diaphragm includes an electrode. 5. The valve of claim 4 wherein a part of the diaphragm adjacent to the portion of the at least one of the two opposing sides that extends down closer to the diaphragm includes an electrode. 6. The valve of claim 1 wherein at least part of at least one of the two opposing sides is corrugated having alternating ridges and grooves. 7. The valve of claim 6 wherein the means for electrostatically actuating at least part of the diaphragm includes one or more electrodes fixed relative to the corrugated side(s). 8. The valve of claim 7 wherein the means for electrostatically actuating at least part of the diaphragm includes one or more spaced electrodes fixed relative to the diaphragm, wherein at least selected spaced electrodes are positioned adjacent to corresponding grooves in the corrugated side(s). 9. The valve of claim 3 further comprising a biasing element for biasing the diaphragm away from one of the two opposing sides. 10. The valve of claim 9 wherein the biasing element comprises a spring. 11. The valve of claim 10 wherein the biasing element comprises two or more springs. 12. The valve of claim 9 wherein the biasing element bias the diaphragm in a position that closes or substantially closes the fluid path. 13. The valve of claim 1 wherein one of the at least three stable positions is a fully closed position. 14. The valve of claim 13 wherein one of the at least three stable positions is a fully open position. 15. The valve of claim 14 wherein one of the at least three stable positions is a partially open position. 16. The valve of claim 1 wherein one of the at least three stable positions is a first partially open position, and another of the at least three stable positions is a second but different partially open position. 17. A valve, comprising: a housing that defines a cavity; an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; an outlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; a fluid path within the cavity that extends between the inlet port and the outlet port, the fluid path having a cross-sectional area; a diaphragm positioned in the cavity, at least part of the diaphragm defining at least part of the fluid path; and at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes fixed relative to the diaphragm; and at least one housing electrode fixed relative to the housing; the at least two diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode are configured such that when a sufficient voltage is applied between a first one of the diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode at least part of the diaphragm is actuated to provide a first cross-sectional area of the fluid path, and when a sufficient voltage is applied between a second one of the diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode at least part of the diaphragm is actuated to provide a second cross-sectional area of the fluid path; wherein the diaphragm assumes a generally planar configuration when no voltage is applied between the at least two diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode. 18. The valve of claim 17 wherein the at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes are spaced side-by side in a spacing direction along at least part of the diaphragm. 19. The valve of claim 18 wherein the flow path extends normal or substantially normal to the spacing direction. 20. The valve of claim 18 wherein the at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes each have an electrode width along the spacing direction, and at least two of the electrodes have different electrode widths. 21. The valve of claim 20 wherein a series of the at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes have electrode widths of 2N, where N represents a series number of a particular electrode in the series of electrodes. 22. The valve of claim 18 wherein the at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes each have an electrode width along the spacing direction, and wherein the at least two electrodes have the same or substantially the same electrode widths. 23. The valve of claim 17 further comprising a biasing element for biasing the diaphragm away from the at least one housing electrode. 24. The valve of claim 23 wherein the biasing element comprises a spring. 25. The valve of claim 24 wherein the biasing element comprises two or more springs. 26. The valve of claim 24 wherein the biasing element comprises a spring for each of the at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes. 27. A valve, comprising: a housing that defines a cavity, wherein the cavity is at least partially defined by two opposing sides; an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; an outlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; a fluid path within the cavity that extends between the inlet port and the outlet port, the fluid path having a cross-sectional area; a diaphragm positioned in the cavity between the two opposing sides of the cavity, at least part of the diaphragm defining at least part of the fluid path; and at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes fixed relative to the diaphragm; at least one housing electrode fixed relative to the housing; the at least two diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode configured such that when a sufficient voltage is applied between a first one of the diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode at least part of the diaphragm corresponding to the first one of the diaphragm electrodes is actuated independently from the remainder of the diaphragm, and when a sufficient voltage is applied between a second one of the diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode at least part of the diaphragm corresponding to the second one of the diaphragm electrodes is actuated independently from the remainder of the diaphragm. 28. The valve of claim 27 wherein the at least two independently controllable housing electrodes are spaced side-by side in a spacing direction along at least part of the housing. 29. The valve of claim 28 wherein the flow path extends normal or substantially normal to the spacing direction. 30. The valve of claim 28 wherein the at least two independently controllable housing electrodes each have an electrode width along the spacing direction, and wherein the at least two electrodes have the same or substantially the same electrode widths. 31. The valve of claim 27 wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are provided on the same side of the housing. 32. The valve of claim 27 wherein the at least two diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode electrostatically actuate at least part of the diaphragm between at least three stable positions, wherein each stable position results in a different cross-sectional area of the fluid path, and wherein the different cross-sectional areas are sized such that fluid can flow between the inlet port and the outlet port in at least two of the stable positions. 33. The valve of claim 27 wherein the diaphragm is configured to be normally open, wherein when the diaphragm is normally open the diaphragm is in a generally planar configuration. 34. The valve of claim 27 wherein the diaphragm assumes a generally planar configuration when no voltage is applied between the diaphragm and housing electrodes. 35. The valve of claim 1 wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are provided on the same side of the housing. 36. The valve of claim 17 wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are provided on the same side of the housing. 37. A valve, comprising: a housing that defines a cavity; an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; an outlet port in fluid communication with the cavity; a fluid path within the cavity that extends between the inlet port and the outlet port, the fluid path having a cross-sectional area; a diaphragm positioned in the cavity, at least part of the diaphragm defining at least part of the fluid path; and at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes fixed relative to the diaphragm, wherein the at least two independently controllable diaphragm electrodes are spaced side-by side in a spacing direction along at least part of the diaphragm, and wherein the flow path extends normal or substantially normal to the spacing direction; at least one housing electrode fixed relative to the housing; and the at least two diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode are configured such that when a sufficient voltage is applied between a first one of the diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode at least part of the diaphragm is actuated to provide a first cross-sectional area of the fluid path, and when a sufficient voltage is applied between a second one of the diaphragm electrodes and the at least one housing electrode at least part of the diaphragm is actuated to provide a second cross-sectional area of the fluid path.