US 6,981,520 B2 | ||
Microvalve for controlling fluid flow | ||
Faiz Feisal Sherman, West Chester, Ohio (US); Vladimir Gartstein, Cincinnati, Ohio (US); and Daniel Jonathan Quiram, West Chester, Ohio (US) | ||
Assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio (US) | ||
Filed on Aug. 19, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/923,177. | ||
Application 10/923177 is a division of application No. 10/048082, previously published as PCT/US00/19785, filed on Jul. 24, 2002. | ||
Claims priority of provisional application 60/175152, filed on Jan. 07, 2000. | ||
Claims priority of provisional application 60/146625, filed on Jul. 30, 1999. | ||
Prior Publication US 2005/0016605 A1, Jan. 27, 2005 | ||
Int. Cl. F16K 11/10 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 137—625.33 | 16 Claims |
1. A fluid-breathing voltaic battery, comprising:
(a) a container;
(b) a voltaic cell disposed within said container; and
(c) a fluid exchange system comprising:
(1) a microvalve having a first state and a second state, said microvalve being disposed in said container such that said
microvalve as located between a fluid flow and said cell, wherein said microvalve is adapted to allow a fluid into said cell
when said microvalve is in said first state and to substantially prevent said fluid from flowing into said cell when said
microvalve is in said second state;
(2) a controller electrically connected to said microvalve, said controller being adapted to initiate a change of state in
said microvalve; and
(3) a latching mechanism for retaining said microvalve in one of said first and second states.
(d) wherein said microvalve comprises:
(1) a body portion having a plurality of spaced openings formed therein;
(2) a wafer located adjacent and substantially parallel with said body portion, said wafer comprising a shutter integral thereto,
said shutter having a plurality of spaced openings formed therein;
(3) said wafer further comprising a drive mechanism integral thereto for causing said shutter to move with respect to said
body portion so that said spaced openings of said shutter are brought into and out of alignment with said spaced openings
of said body portion, said drive mechanism being electrically connected to said controller; and,
wherein said wafer further comprises said latching mechanism.
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