Peizoelectric valve assembly

1 . A valve assembly, said valve assembly comprising:

a housing comprising a cavity and including a port forming an opening in said cavity;

a manifold at said housing;

a piezoelectric assembly disposed at least partially in said cavity;

wherein said piezoelectric assembly comprises an elongated piezoelectric layer and comprises a sealing pad and an electrical contact, wherein said electrical contact is disposed outside of said cavity and is configured to receive a voltage signal, and wherein when said piezoelectric assembly receives a voltage signal at said electrical contact said piezoelectric layer deforms to cause said sealing pad to selectively seal or unseal said port;

wherein said housing includes a first housing passage extending between said cavity and an outer surface of said housing, and wherein flow through said first housing passage is selectively enabled via said sealing pad selectively sealing or unsealing said port;

wherein said manifold includes a first manifold passage aligned with a first manifold port, and wherein flow through said first manifold passage and said first manifold port is selectively enabled via said sealing pad selectively sealing or unsealing said port;

wherein said manifold is disposed on said outer surface of said housing at said first housing passage and is selectively moveable relative to said housing, with said manifold being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said outer surface to selectively orient said first manifold port relative to said housing.

2 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said piezoelectric assembly comprises a pair of opposed ends with said sealing pad disposed at one of said ends and said electrical contact disposed at the opposite of said ends.

3 . The valve assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a circuit board disposed within said housing with said circuit board in electrical communication with said electrical contact and configured for selectively applying a voltage signal to said electrical contact.

4 . The valve assembly of claim 3 , wherein the circuit board is mounted to said piezoelectric assembly.

5 . The valve assembly of claim 4 , wherein the circuit board comprises a resistor for damping said piezoelectric assembly.

6 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a wall at least partially defining said cavity, and wherein said piezoelectric assembly extends through said wall such that said electrical contact of said piezoelectric assembly extends out of said cavity.

7 . The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein said housing comprises a body and a cover.

8 . The valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein said housing further comprises an end cap disposed over said electrical contact of said piezoelectric assembly.

9 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member engaged with said piezoelectric assembly to provide a biasing force to said piezoelectric assembly, and wherein when said piezoelectric assembly receives a voltage signal said piezoelectric assembly moves against the biasing force.

10 . The valve assembly of claim 9 , wherein said biasing member is configured to bias said piezoelectric assembly into a normally closed position in which said sealing pad is engaged with a seat at said port.

11 . The valve assembly of claim 10 , wherein said biasing member comprises a spring.

12 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a second housing passage extending between said cavity and said outer surface of said housing, and wherein flow through said second housing passage is selectively enabled via said sealing pad selectively sealing or unsealing said port;

wherein said manifold includes a second manifold passage aligned with a second manifold port, and wherein flow through said second manifold passage and said second manifold port is selectively enabled via said sealing pad selectively sealing or unsealing said port; and

wherein said manifold is disposed on said outer surface of said housing to be in fluid communication with said first and second housing passages, and wherein said manifold is rotatable about said outer surface to selectively orient said first and second port relative to said housing.

13 . The valve assembly of claim 12 , wherein in a first orientation of said manifold said first manifold passage is aligned with said first housing passage and said second manifold passage is aligned with said second housing passage, and wherein in a second orientation of said manifold said first manifold passage is aligned with said second housing passage and said second manifold passage is aligned with said first housing passage.

14 . The valve assembly of claim 12 , wherein said first manifold port and said second manifold port comprise barbs extending from said manifold.

15 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein an o-ring is disposed between said manifold and said housing.

16 . A valve assembly, said valve assembly comprising:

a housing comprising an outer surface and a cavity and including a port forming an opening in said cavity;

a manifold disposed at said outer surface of said housing, and wherein said manifold is selectively moveable relative to said housing, with said manifold being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said outer surface to selectively orient said manifold relative to said housing;

a piezoelectric assembly disposed at least partially in said cavity;

wherein said piezoelectric assembly comprises an elongated piezoelectric layer and comprises a sealing pad and an electrical contact, wherein said electrical contact is disposed outside of said cavity and is configured to receive a voltage signal, and wherein when said piezoelectric assembly receives a voltage signal at said electrical contact said piezoelectric layer deforms to cause said sealing pad to selectively seal or unseal said port;

wherein said housing includes a first housing passage aligned with said port and extending between said cavity and said outer surface of said housing, and wherein said housing includes a second housing passage extending between said cavity and said outer surface of said housing;

wherein said manifold includes a first manifold passage in fluid communication with a first manifold port, and wherein said manifold includes a second manifold passage in fluid communication with a second manifold port;

wherein said first housing passage is aligned with and in fluid communication with said first manifold passage and said second housing passage is aligned with and in fluid communication with said second manifold passage;

wherein flow through said first manifold port and said second manifold port is selectively enabled via said sealing pad selectively sealing or unsealing said port; and

wherein said manifold is selectively moveable relative to said housing to selectively orient said first manifold port and said second manifold port relative to said housing.

17 . The valve assembly of claim 16 , wherein said first manifold port and said second manifold port comprise barbs extending from said manifold.

18 . The valve assembly of claim 16 , wherein in a first orientation of said manifold said first housing passage is aligned with and in fluid communication with said first manifold passage and said second housing passage is aligned with and in fluid communication with said second manifold passage, and wherein in a second orientation of said manifold said first housing passage is aligned with and in fluid communication with said second manifold passage and said second housing passage is aligned with and in fluid communication with said first manifold passage.

19 . The valve assembly of claim 16 , wherein said piezoelectric assembly comprises a pair of opposed ends with said sealing pad disposed at one of said ends and said electrical contact disposed at the opposite of said ends.

20 . The valve assembly of claim 19 , further comprising a circuit board disposed within said housing with said circuit board in electrical communication with said electrical contact and configured for selectively applying a voltage signal to said electrical contact.