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. 16, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 14, 1998
Leslie A Field, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Stefano Schiaffino, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Phillip W Barth, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Storrs T Hoen, Brisbane, CA (US);
Naoto A Kawamura, Corvallis, OR (US);
David K Donald, Mountain View, CA (US);
Channing R Robertson, Stanford, CA (US);
Jonathan D Servaites, Anapolis, MD (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A bubble valve that comprises a liquid delivery channel and a localized heating arrangement. The liquid delivery channel includes an upstream portion and a constriction downstream of the upstream portion. The constriction has a smaller cross-sectional area than the upstream portion. The localized heating arrangement is located in the liquid delivery channel and generates heat to nucleate and enlarge a bubble in the liquid. The constriction is shaped to form a seal with the bubble. The localized heating arrangement additionally generates heat to move the bubble relative to the constriction to control the flow of the liquid. A pressure regulator that comprises a liquid delivery channel connected to a liquid outlet, a sensor located adjacent the liquid outlet, a controller that operates in response to the sensor and a localized heating arrangement. The liquid delivery channel includes an upstream portion, and a constriction located between the upstream portion and the liquid outlet. The constriction has a smaller cross-sectional area than the upstream portion. The localized heating arrangement is located in the liquid delivery channel and generates heat in response to the controller to nucleate and enlarge a bubble in the liquid. The constriction is shaped to form a seal with the bubble. The localized heating arrangement additionally generates heat to move the bubble relative to the constriction to control the flow of the liquid to the liquid outlet.