TY - GEN
T1 - A piezoelectrically-driven high flow rate axial polymer microvalve with solid hydraulic amplification
AU - Wu, Xiaosong
AU - Kim, Seong Hyok
AU - Ji, Chang Hyeon
AU - Allen, Mark G.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - We report a piezoelectrically-driven and hydraulically-amplified axial polymer microvalve. The microvalve is normally open, and is fabricated and assembled primarily with stereolithographically fabricated polymer components. An incompressible elastomer is used as a solid hydraulic medium to convert the small axial displacement of a piezoelectric actuator into a large valve head stroke while maintaining a large blocking force. Also, the axial design of the microvalve enables densely-packed valve arrays. One application of this microvalve is in pneumatic tactile displays, some of which require operation against gas pressures up to approximately 90kPa and switching speeds between 1-200Hz. The current valve design has a maximum static hydraulic amplification ratio of 5 at 30V driving voltage and a maximum valve head stroke of 37μm at 150V. Under a 94.4kPa differential pressure, the flow rate of the valve and the closing voltage measure 785mL/min and 150V, respectively. In addition, the function of the microvalve as an on-off switch for a pneumatic microbubble tactile actuator is demonstrated.
AB - We report a piezoelectrically-driven and hydraulically-amplified axial polymer microvalve. The microvalve is normally open, and is fabricated and assembled primarily with stereolithographically fabricated polymer components. An incompressible elastomer is used as a solid hydraulic medium to convert the small axial displacement of a piezoelectric actuator into a large valve head stroke while maintaining a large blocking force. Also, the axial design of the microvalve enables densely-packed valve arrays. One application of this microvalve is in pneumatic tactile displays, some of which require operation against gas pressures up to approximately 90kPa and switching speeds between 1-200Hz. The current valve design has a maximum static hydraulic amplification ratio of 5 at 30V driving voltage and a maximum valve head stroke of 37μm at 150V. Under a 94.4kPa differential pressure, the flow rate of the valve and the closing voltage measure 785mL/min and 150V, respectively. In addition, the function of the microvalve as an on-off switch for a pneumatic microbubble tactile actuator is demonstrated.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=50149090684&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/MEMSYS.2008.4443708
DO - 10.1109/MEMSYS.2008.4443708
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:50149090684
SN - 9781424417933
T3 - Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
SP - 523
EP - 526
BT - MEMS 2008 Tucson - 21st IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems
T2 - 21st IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, MEMS 2008 Tucson
Y2 - 13 January 2008 through 17 January 2008
ER -