A displacement magnifying mechanism, polishing device, actuator, electronic component processing apparatus, dispenser, and air valve which can easily control a drive system. The displacement magnifying mechanism includes a base; a piezoelectric element of which an end is attached to a mounting surface of the base, the piezoelectric element extending along a first longitudinal direction; a support member of which an end is attached to the mounting surface side by side with the piezoelectric element, the support member extending along a second longitudinal direction which intersects with the first longitudinal direction; an operating portion attached to each of other ends of the piezoelectric element and the support member to allow the operating portion to be displaced, in response to an expansion/contraction of the piezoelectric element, along a displacement direction; and a compression member attached to the base and the operating portion so as to compress the piezoelectric element.

A valved manifold module is disclosed, constructed and arranged to be readily connected in a chain with similar modules to form a manifold assembly. The modular manifolds allows for expansion or modification of the manifold assembly to control a group of pneumatically or hydraulically driven pumps, valves or combinations thereof in a liquid flow control apparatus. The valved manifold module can be configured to accept a group of four substantially identical valve assemblies, and can be controlled by a local controller mounted to the manifold module, thus forming an independently programmable valved manifold module. The resulting modular system is expandable to allow for coordinated operations of a liquid flow control system, using substantially independent controller functions originating at the manifold assembly level.

The present invention relates to a device and a method for cleaning and sterilizing a filling valve of a beverage filling system for filling a container with a filling product. The device includes a cap for closing a filling product outlet of the filling valve during the cleaning and sterilization, and a valve for opening and closing the through-opening. The cap has a through-opening for discharging sterilization medium during the sterilization. The valve includes a shape-memory material for switching the valve between an open and closed position at a predetermined temperature.

A linear valve drive for connection to a valve body which has a valve seat is described, wherein said linear valve drive comprises a drive housing, a valve closure element and a piezoelectric actuator which is arranged within said drive housing. Said valve closure element is displaceable in the axial direction between an open position and a closed position by means of said piezoelectric actuator and an interposed actuating device. Said piezoelectric actuator is supported on said actuating device via its side directed towards the valve closure element. Said linear valve drive comprises an adjusting device which is configured such that an idle stroke of said linear valve drive is adjustable. A valve is also described.

A pressure balanced thermal actuator includes a flow housing having an inlet and an outlet, with the flow housing being affixed at opposing ends to two bellows housings, each of which contains a bellows. An actuation rod is operably coupled to each bellows and contains a fluid passage therewithin. When the temperature of the area surrounding the actuator increases, the pressure inside the bellows housings increases, and exerts a force on the bellows therein, compressing it. As a result, the actuation rod moves from a first position to a second position to align the fluid passage with the inlet and the outlet, enabling the controlled passage of a first fluid from the inlet, and through the fluid passage, to the outlet, to reduce the temperature of the area surrounding the valve assembly. The actuator is unaffected by changes in the ambient pressure, by working equally on two opposing bellows areas.

Valves may include an opening sized and shaped to permit a subject fluid to flow through the opening when the opening is unobstructed. A heat exchange element may be located proximate to the opening, the heat exchange element positioned and configured to induce a localized phase change in the subject fluid to form and unform a solid plug from the subject fluid around at least a portion of the heat exchange element. A heat transfer rate of the heat exchange element may be variable to control a rate of flow of the subject fluid through the valve by controlling a size of the solid plug from the subject fluid.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a flow control device can include, a first plate having one or more windows defining a flow path therethrough, a second plate configured to abut the first plate, and an actuator operatively connected to one or more of the first plate and/or the second plate. The actuator can be configured to drive the first plate and/or the second plate relative to one another to enlarge or reduce the flow path through the one or more windows in the first plate.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a system for active flow control includes one or more flow control devices configured to control flow between a fluid source and a fluid destination, and a control module configured to control a flow area of each of the one or more flow control devices with fluid provided from the fluid source flowing to the fluid destination through the one or more flow control devices.

A diaphragm valve including: a valve body having a flow path formed therein and a valve chamber recessed from an upper surface of the valve body; a diaphragm that is disposed in the valve chamber and elastically deformable to open and close the flow path and adjust an opening degree of the flow path; a stem for pressing the diaphragm to elastically deform the diaphragm; an actuator for driving the stem; a support mechanism that is fixed to the valve body and supports the stem and the actuator; wherein the stem includes a first stem member connected to the actuator via a displacement transmitting member, and a second stem member held by the support mechanism so as to be movable in the axial direction via a sleeve, the second stem member has an upper end portion which abuts against a lower end portion of the first stem member.

An actuator of a refrigerant valve is described, the actuator comprising a housing (5) having a chamber (12) with an opening (15) in an end face (26) of an end section (17) of the housing (5), the end section (17) having an outer thread (18), a tightening collar (6) having a radially inwardly protruding flange (20) and an inner thread (19) matching the outer thread (18), and an anchor ring (7) positionable between the tightening collar (6) and the end face (16), wherein the anchor ring (7) is elastically deformable at least in a radial direction with respect to an axis of the outer thread (18) and in a mounted condition at least partially overlaps the end face (16) and the flange (20) of the tightening collar (6), wherein a sealing ring (8) at the end face (16) shows a free side to the axial direction and is com-pressed by an axial force produced by screwing the tightening collar (6) onto the outer thread (18).