Valves and valve actuation – Heat or buoyancy motor actuated
Patent
1992-05-29
1993-12-21
Chambers, A. Michael
Valves and valve actuation
Heat or buoyancy motor actuated
251331, 25112901, 356345, 60528, 60529, F16K 714
Patent
active
052715973
ABSTRACT:
A microactuator of a silicon substrate having a frame with a central circular flexible diaphragm suspended from the substrate by a hinge. The hinge is a layer of silicon dioxide of uniform thickness which is formed by etching a groove in the silicon substrate and then conformally forming a silicon dioxide layer of uniform thickness in the groove. The substrate backside is then etched to the desired diaphragm thickness, exposing the bottom portion of the silicon dioxide layer which thereby becomes the hinge. Further a split hinge structure includes two such hinges which are parallel in part and so overlap in length, with a silicon bridge portion of the diaphragm lying therebetween. The electrical traces which extend from the frame to the central portion of the diaphragm are deposited on the silicon bridge, minimizing the mechanical stress on the traces due to hinge flexing. The resulting structure has low thermal conductivity and sufficient strength to carry the vertical loads generated by the bimetallic diaphragm. The split hinge allows the metal traces to be substantially planar with the original silicon surface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4318071 (1982-03-01), Shepherd
patent: 4756508 (1988-07-01), Giachino et al.
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patent: 5058856 (1991-10-01), Gordon et al.
patent: 5069419 (1991-12-01), Jerman
IEEE CH2783-9/90/0000-0065$01.00 1990, Hal Jerman "Electrically-Activated, Micromachined Diaphragm Valves".
IEEE Conf. Jun. 1991, Hal Jerman "Electrically-Activated, Normally-Closed Diaphragm Valves".
Chambers A. Michael
IC Sensors Inc.
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