Patent ID: 11927281
Assignee: CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL RESEARCH INITIATIVES
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A 3-way microvalve device comprising:
a first, second and a third fluidic ports;
a first piezoelectric actuator;
a second piezoelectric actuator;
a spacer attached to a first movable membrane of a pre-determined thickness positioned over the first fluidic port between the first and second piezoelectric actuators, wherein the movable membrane is in physical contact with sealing rings located around a perimeter of the first fluidic port forming a normally-closed component of the microvalve;
a third piezoelectric actuator attached to a second movable membrane of a pre-determined thickness positioned over the second fluidic port wherein the second movable membrane is not in physical contact with sealing rings located around the perimeter of the second fluidic port forming a normally-open component of the microvalve; and
a fluid flow channel connecting the third fluidic port, the normally-open and normally-closed components of the microvalve,
wherein the first, second and third piezoelectric actuators are configured to generate applied forces to open and close one or more of the first, second and third fluidic ports to the flow of fluids through the microvalve.