The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 14, 2019
Filed:
Dec. 04, 2013
Intelligent Energy Limited, Loughborough, Leicestershire, GB;
Hossein Ostadi, Loughborough, GB;
Paul Leonard Adcock, Loughborough, GB;
Christopher James Kirk, Loughborough, GB;
Zachary Elliott, Loughborough, GB;
Intelligent Energy Limited, Loughborough, GB;
Abstract
A microvalve assembly () is integrated into a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate (). An aperture () in the PCB substrate includes a closure member () extending into the aperture. A flexible fluid pipe () is disposed between the closure member and a closure edge () of the aperture. A displacement member () is coupled to the PCB and is configured for thermal actuation to displace the closure member so as to vary the cross-sectional profile of the flexible fluid pipe. The closure member may be a cantilever section of the PCB substrate. Displacement of the closure member to vary the cross-sectional profile of the flexible fluid pipe can occur entirely within the plane of the PCB substrate and movement of the displacement member to displace the closure member can also occur entirely within the plane of the PCB substrate, providing a very low profile of microvalve particularly suited for integration into a fuel cell stack ().