Microminiature slide action valve requires power only during actuation and can be used as an on-off or single inlet to alternately selected outlets

Charlton, K. W.

Sipman, R.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

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June 1970	 Brief 70-10171 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage corniiicrcal 
application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical 
Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Division, NASA, Code UT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
An Elect rothermally Actuated Micro Valve 
Diaphragm	 Housing
Spring	 Slide 
Cutaway Drawing of Micro Valve 
The device described in this Tech Brief is a micro-
miniature valve which requires power only during 
actuation and can be used as an on-off or single in-
let to alternately selected outlets. 
The innovation consists of a slide action valve (see 
figure) housed between two-way bellows assemblies. 
The figure illustrates a valve with one inlet and two 
outlets, although the configuration lends itself to 
multi-port designs. The slide is held to the left or right 
by Belleville springs, and at each end there is a dia-
phragm which is pressed between the end of the slide 
and the anvil (dependent upon which direction the 
slide was last pushed). 
Electrical current applied to the conductor and 
bellows will cause the wax to expand and push the 
anvil against the diaphragms until the springs snap 
over center. This action causes the slide to move 
until the right end seats against the diaphragm at the 
right end of the valve and stops flow at outlet 2 (flow 
at outlet I continued).
(continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
(,overnment nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19700000165 2020-03-17T00:29:43+00:00Z
Notes: 
The information contained in this Tech Brief may 
be of interest to personnel working with gas or 
liquid control gas chromatographs. 
No additional documentation is available. Specific 
questions, however, may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
NASA Pasadena Office 
4800 Oak Grove Drive 
Pasadena, California 91103 
Reference: B70-10171
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: Robert Sipman and Kyle W. Charlton of 
Caltech/JPL 
under contract to 
NASA Pasadena Office 
(NPO- 10730) 
Brief 70-10171	 Category 07


An electrothermally actuated micro valve

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