Electroactive material fluid control apparatus

1. A method of forming an electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ), comprising:

forming a layered assembly ( 110 ) comprised of forming and disposing a dielectric layer ( 120 ) between a first plate ( 130 ) and a second plate ( 140 );

forming a first fluid port ( 130 a, 130 b ) in an outer surface of the layered assembly ( 110 );

forming at least one fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) comprised of forming and disposing an electrode ( 212 - 512 ) between the first plate ( 130 ) and a dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ), and attaching the electrode ( 212 - 512 ) to the dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ), wherein the dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ) is configured to contract in a direction that is perpendicular to a plane formed by the dielectric layer to displace the electrode away from the first plate when exposed to an electric field from the electrode such that a selectively formed channel ( 238 , 338 ) is formed by the dielectric layer ( 120 ) and the first plate ( 130 );

forming a fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 );

forming a connector ( 150 ) that extends away from the layered assembly ( 110 ) in a direction substantially parallel to the dielectric layer ( 120 ); and

fluidly coupling the fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) to the first fluid port ( 130 a,b ) via the fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ) and coupling the electrode ( 212 - 512 ) to the connector ( 150 ).

2. The method of forming the electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising forming a second fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ) and fluidly coupling the second fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) to the first fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) via the fluid path ( 127 , 128 ).

3. The method of forming the electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising forming the fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) with the first plate ( 130 ), the dielectric layer ( 120 ), and the second plate ( 140 ).

4. The method of forming the electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the selectively formed channel ( 238 , 338 , 518 b ) is formed by the dielectric layer ( 120 ), the first plate ( 130 ), and the second plate ( 140 ).

5. The method of forming the electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprised of opening the selectively formed channel ( 238 , 518 a ) in the fluid control device ( 200 , 500 ) by displacing the electrode ( 232 , 512 ) away from the first plate ( 130 ).

6. The method of forming the electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the selectively formed channel ( 338 ) in the fluid control device ( 300 ) closes when the dielectric deformable material ( 334 ) presses against an adjacent surface ( 337 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ).

7. The method of forming the electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprised of forming a valve ( 330 ) in the fluid control devices ( 300 ) comprised of:

forming a casing ( 335 ) partially surrounding the dielectric deformable material ( 334 );

forming an extending portion ( 334 e ) of the dielectric deformable material ( 334 ); and

forming the selectively formed channel ( 338 ) between the extending portion ( 334 e ) and an adjacent surface ( 337 ) of the dielectric layer ( 120 ).

8. The method of forming the electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprised of forming a valve ( 230 ) by forming a valve chamber ( 236 a,b ) partially surrounding the dielectric deformable material ( 234 ).

9. The method of forming the electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising forming and coupling a second fluid port ( 130 c ) to the first fluid port ( 130 a, 130 b ) via the fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ).

10. A method of controlling a fluid flow in an electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ), the method comprising:

providing a layered assembly ( 110 ) comprised of a dielectric layer ( 120 ) disposed between a first plate ( 130 ) and a second plate ( 140 );

providing a first fluid port ( 130 a, 130 b ) formed in an outer surface of the layered assembly ( 110 );

providing a connector ( 150 ) that extends away from the layered assembly ( 110 ) in a direction parallel to the dielectric layer ( 120 ), wherein the connector ( 150 ) is coupled to an electrode ( 212 - 512 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 );

flowing the fluid between the first fluid port ( 130 a, 130 b ) and one or more fluid control devices ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) via a fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ) by applying a voltage to the electrode ( 212 - 512 ) with the connector ( 150 ), wherein the one or more fluid control devices ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) is comprised of the electrode ( 212 - 512 ) disposed between the first plate ( 130 ) and a dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ), the dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ) being configured to contract in a direction that is perpendicular to a plane formed by the dielectric layer to displace the electrode away from the first plate when exposed to an electric field from the electrode, wherein the electrode ( 212 - 512 ) is attached to the dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ),

providing a selectively formed channel ( 418 , 518 a ) in the fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) formed by the dielectric layer ( 120 ) and the first plate ( 130 ) and opening the selectively formed channel ( 418 , 518 a ) by displacing the electrode ( 212 , 432 ) away from the first plate ( 130 ).

11. An electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ), comprising:

a layered assembly ( 110 ) comprised of a dielectric layer ( 120 ) disposed between a first plate ( 130 ) and a second plate ( 140 );

a first fluid port ( 130 a, 130 b ) formed in an outer surface of the layered assembly ( 110 ); and

at least one fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) comprised of an electrode ( 212 - 512 ) disposed between the first plate ( 130 ) and a dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ), wherein the electrode ( 212 - 512 ) is attached to the dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ), wherein the dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 514 ) is configured to contract in a direction that is perpendicular to a plane formed by the dielectric layer to displace the electrode away from the first plate when exposed to an electric field from the electrode;

wherein the at least one fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) is fluidly coupled to the first fluid port ( 130 a, 130 b ) via a fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ) and the electrode ( 212 - 512 ) is coupled to a connector ( 150 ) that extends away from the layered assembly ( 110 ) in a direction parallel to the dielectric layer ( 120 ); and

wherein the fluid control device ( 200 , 300 ,) is comprised of a selectively formed channel ( 238 , 338 ) formed by the dielectric layer ( 120 ) and the first plate ( 130 ) when the electrode ( 212 - 332 ) displaces away from the first plate ( 130 ).

12. The electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising a second fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ) and fluidly coupled to the first fluid control device ( 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 ) via the fluid path ( 127 , 128 ).

13. The electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) is formed by the first plate ( 130 ), the dielectric layer ( 120 ), and the second plate ( 140 ).

14. The electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising a second electrode ( 212 - 332 ) between the dielectric deformable material ( 214 - 334 ) and the second plate ( 140 ), wherein the selectively formed channel ( 238 , 338 ) is formed by the dielectric layer ( 120 ), the first plate ( 130 ), and the second plate ( 140 ) when the first and second electrodes ( 212 - 332 ) displace away from the first and second plates ( 130 , 140 ).

15. The electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the selectively formed channel ( 338 , 518 b ) is closed when the dielectric deformable material ( 334 , 534 ) presses against an adjacent surface ( 337 , 517 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ).

16. The electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the fluid control device ( 300 ) is a valve ( 330 ) comprised of:

a casing ( 335 ) partially surrounding the dielectric deformable material ( 334 );

an extending portion ( 334 e ) of the dielectric deformable material ( 334 ); and

the selectively formed channel ( 338 ), wherein the selectively formed channel ( 338 ) is between the extending portion ( 334 e ) and an adjacent surface ( 337 ) of the dielectric layer ( 120 ).

17. The electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the fluid control device ( 200 ) is a valve ( 230 ) further comprised of a valve chamber ( 236 a,b ) partially surrounding the dielectric deformable material ( 234 ).

18. The electroactive material fluid control apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , further comprising a second fluid port ( 130 c ) fluidly coupled to the first fluid port ( 130 a, 130 b ) via the fluid path ( 127 , 128 ) in the dielectric layer ( 120 ).