Patent ID: 6561479
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: B81B,F03G,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A valve assembly, comprising:a valve body having a piston channel with a first end, a second end spaced apart from the first end, and an orifice between the first and second ends, wherein the valve body includes a silicon substrate and the piston channel is formed in the silicon substrate; a piston disposed in the piston channel and movable within the piston channel from a first position with the piston spaced apart from the orifice to a second position with the piston blocking the orifice when at least a portion of the piston engaged with surfaces of the piston channel is in a flowable state; and a piston heater positioned proximate to the piston channel to heat the at least a portion of the piston from a solid state to the flowable state.