Patent ID: 7845210

Claim:
A fluid control device for controlling the flow of a fluid, the fluid control device comprising: a valve comprising: a port plate comprising ports through which fluid may flow, the ports being associated so as to have alpha pairs of the ports and beta pairs of the ports; a manifold plate adapted to receive and distribute actuation gas, the manifold plate comprising: opposing first and second end surfaces; alpha and beta passages for receiving actuation gas; and an annular first groove formed in the first end surface and an annular second groove formed in the second end surface, the first groove being connected to the alpha passage and the second groove being connected to the beta passage; and wherein the first end surface has a plurality of alpha and beta depressions formed therein, the alpha and beta depressions being arranged in a circular configuration and in an alternating manner, with the alpha depressions being separated from each other by the beta depressions and the beta depressions being separated from each other by the alpha depressions, the alpha depressions being connected to the alpha passage and being associated with the alpha pairs of the ports, and the beta depressions being connected to the beta passage and being associated with the beta pairs of the ports; and a diaphragm disposed between the port plate and the manifold plate, the diaphragm being deflectable in response to the distribution of actuation gas by the manifold plate to move the valve between alpha and beta operating states, wherein in the alpha operating state, the ports in each of the alpha pairs are connected and the ports in each of the beta pairs are disconnected, and in the beta operating state, the ports in each of the beta pairs are connected and the ports in each of the alpha pairs are disconnected; wherein when the alpha passage does not receive the actuation gas, the fluid deflects the diaphragm into the alpha depressions, thereby connecting the ports in each of the alpha pairs, and when the alpha passage receives the actuation gas, the fluid does not deflect the diaphragm into the alpha depressions, thereby disconnecting the ports in each of the alpha pairs; and wherein when the beta passage does not receive the actuation gas, the fluid deflects the diaphragm into the beta depressions, thereby connecting the ports in each of the beta pairs, and when the beta passage receives the actuation gas, the fluid does not deflect the diaphragm into the beta depressions, thereby disconnecting the ports in each of the beta pairs.