Fluid Automation Systems S.a.

Fas Medic S.a.

Nicolas Deperraz

Michael Baumgartner

Vincent Tanari

Pauline Labory

Raphael Alvarez

Pierre Sirdey

Lionel Gandin

Eric Pernette

Stephane Hager

Sadasing Kowlessur

Julien Solioz

Sebastien Matthey

Sébastien Matthey

Raphäel Alvarez

A valve assembly, comprising a first fluid port, a second fluid port, a valve seat comprising an inner valve seat and an outer valve seat, and a moveable plunger, being moveable between a closed position and an open position arranged to simultaneously seal the inner valve seat and the outer valve seat when in the closed position. A first fluid pathway passes via the inner valve seat, and a second fluid pathway passes via the outer valve seat between the first and second fluid ports when the movable plunger is in the open position. At least one fluid flow path is provided through the body of the moveable plunger. The cross-sectional area of the flow path through the moveable plunger is at least half of the cylindrical cross-sectional area of the gap between the plunger and the respective inner or outer valve seat.

Valve assembly

A valve assembly having an inner and outer concentric valve seat. The inner valve seat is arranged radially inward of the outer valve seat to provide an annular opening therebetween. A movable plunger moves between a closed position and an open position to vary a flow restriction at the inner and outer valve seats and simultaneously seal the inner and outer valve seats in the closed position. An inner and outer valve member comprise the inner and outer valve seats and are separate components mounted in fixed relation to one another. The inner and outer valves seats are radially aligned to maintain concentricity of the inner valve seat relative to the outer valve seat and axially aligned to maintain axial alignment of the inner valve seat relative to the outer valve along an axis, wherein the axis is substantially orthogonal to a plane of the inner and outer valve seats.

An electroactive material fluid control apparatus () is provided. The electroactive material fluid control apparatus () comprises a layered assembly () comprised of a dielectric layer () disposed between a first plate () and a second plate (). The electroactive material fluid control apparatus () also includes a first fluid port () formed in an outer surface of the layered assembly (), and at least one fluid control device () comprised of an electrode (-) disposed between the first plate () and a dielectric deformable material (-), wherein the electrode (-) is attached to the dielectric deformable material (-). The at least one fluid control device () is fluidly coupled to the first fluid port () via a fluid path () in the dielectric layer () and the electrode (-) is coupled to a connector () that extends away from the layered assembly () in a direction parallel to the dielectric layer ().

Electroactive material fluid control apparatus

A Shape Metal Alloy actuated valve assembly is provided with a support structure having electromechanical connection points arranged on its surface. Actuation of a SMA element, arranged to provide a connection between the support structure contact and the contact on the plunger, will cause the plunger to either move from an open position a closed position or vice versa. The support structure is provided with multiple contact or connection points for engaging an SMA element so that the valve assembly can be configured to provide a normally closed (NC), a normally open (NO), proportional or a latch valve assembly.

Shape memory alloy actuated valve assembly

A valve () including a housing () has a fluid inlet () and a fluid outlet (). The valve () includes a vibrating element () adapted to vibrate when energized. The valve () also includes an amplifying plate () that is coupled to the vibrating element (). The amplifying plate () includes a fluid passage (). The fluid passage () provides fluid communication between the fluid inlet () and the fluid outlet (). The valve () also includes a sealing ball () located between the fluid inlet () and the amplifying plate (). The sealing ball () is adapted to seal the fluid passage ().

Electrically actuated valve with a ball sealing element

A valve assembly () is provided. The valve assembly () comprises a housing () with a plurality of fluid ports (-). The housing () includes an actuator chamber () configured to receive a fluid. The housing () also includes a valve chamber () configured to receive the fluid after flowing through the actuator chamber (). The valve assembly () further includes one or more shape memory alloy elements (-) located within the actuator chamber (). One or more valve seals (-) located within the valve chamber () are provided. The shape memory alloy elements () are coupled to each of the valve seals (-) to selectively move the valve seals (-) between a first position and a second position upon heating the corresponding shape memory alloy element (-) above a transformation temperature.

Fluid cooled shape memory alloy actuated valve

A valve () is provided that comprises a housing () including a fluid inlet () and a fluid outlet (). The valve () also includes one or more vibrating elements () configured to vibrate when energized. The valve () further comprises an amplifying plate () including a fluid passage () and one or more pressure-balancing apertures () in fluid communication with the fluid inlet (), contacting the one or more vibrating elements (). A sealing ball () is positioned between the fluid inlet () and the fluid passage ().

Electrically actuated valve with a sealing ball

A valve assembly () is provided. The valve assembly () comprises a housing () including a plurality of fluid couplings (-). The valve assembly () further includes two or more valve members (-) movable within the housing () between a first position and a second position. A shape memory alloy element () is coupled to the two or more valve members (-) to independently actuate each of the two or more valve members (-) between the first and second positions upon heating a selected portion of the shape memory alloy element () above a transformation temperature.

A latching valve is provided. The latching valve comprises a valve seal movable between first and second positions to selectively open a fluid communication path between fluid inlet and outlet ports. The latching valve also includes a first pilot valve seal movable between first and second positions. The first pilot valve seal selectively provides a pressurized fluid to a pilot control chamber, wherein pressurized fluid within the pilot control chamber biases the valve seal towards the first position. The latching valve also includes a second pilot valve seal movable between a first position and a second position. The second pilot valve seal selectively exhausts the pressurized fluid in the pilot control chamber. The latching valve also includes one or more shape memory alloy elements to actuate one or more of the first and second pilot valve seals between the first and second positions upon heating above a transformation temperature.

Shape memory alloy actuated pilot controlled latching valve

A multiple coil solenoid valve () is provided. The multiple coil solenoid valve comprises a first solenoid coil (A) and at least a second solenoid coil (B). One or more magnetic cores () are positioned at least partially between the first and second solenoid coils (A,B). The multiple coil solenoid valve () also includes one or more movable armatures () movable between a first position and at least a second position. The one or more movable armatures () are positioned at least partially between the first and second solenoid coils (A,B).

Multiple coil solenoid valve

A valve (), including a fluid inlet () and a fluid outlet () formed in a housing () is provided. The valve () includes a valve seal () and a resilient member (). The resilient member () is coupled to the valve seal (). The valve () can also include one or more shape memory alloy component () or another electrically actuated component that is coupled to at least a first end () of the resilient member ().

Method and apparatus for actuating a valve

A valve () is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The valve () comprises a body () including a plurality of ports (). The valve () also comprises a valve actuator () positioned within the body (). The valve actuator () includes a slider () and one or more shape memory alloy elements (). The one or more shape memory alloy elements () are coupled to at least one side () of the slider (). The slider () is movable between a first position and at least a second position upon energizing at least one of the shape memory alloy elements () of the one or more shape memory alloy elements () in order to actuate the valve ().

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Bons en Chablais, France

Nicolas Deperraz