Patent ID: 8733731

Claim:
A valve device comprising: a fluid path through which a fluid passes; a valve member that opens and closes the fluid path; a contraction-type polymer gel actuator that includes a plurality of planar cathode plates, a plurality of mesh-like anode plates, and polymer gel layers; and a case including the fluid path, a substantially cylindrical housing portion, a groove portion, and a drain chamber to receive an excess fluid from the fluid path, the drain chamber including an entrance opening facing the valve member, wherein the plurality of cathode plates and the plurality of anode plates are alternately stacked one on top of the other with the polymer gel layers sandwiched therebetween, wherein the contraction-type polymer gel actuator includes a substantially cylindrical outer shape having an axial direction aligned with an alternate stack direction of the plurality of cathode plates and the plurality of anode plates, wherein, in the valve device, the fluid path is opened and closed by driving the valve member, the valve member being driven due to expansion and contraction deformation of the contraction-type polymer gel actuator, the expansion and contraction deformation of the contraction-type polymer gel actuator occurring due to control of a voltage applied to the contraction-type polymer gel actuator, wherein, the cathode plates adjacent to each other are connected to each other using a belt-like wiring portion, the connected plurality of cathode plates forming an integrated cathode member, wherein, the anode plates adjacent to each other are connected to each other using a belt-like wiring portion, the connected plurality of anode plates forming an integrated anode member, wherein the substantially cylindrical housing portion houses the substantially cylindrical contraction-type polymer gel actuator, and the groove portion is disposed on an inner side of the housing portion to house the belt-like wiring portion of the contraction-type polymer gel actuator and serve as a flow path for a second fluid moving in the housing portion, wherein the contraction-type polymer gel actuator is housed in the housing portion while being compressed in the axial direction so as to apply a preset load to the valve member such that the fluid path is closed by the valve member and the entrance opening of the drain chamber is opened, and wherein, by applying the voltage to the contraction-type polymer gel actuator, the preset load applied to the valve member is released to open the fluid path and close the entrance opening of the drain chamber.