A fluid bladder valve for a pneumatic vehicle seat adjustment device is disclosed. The valve comprises a first chamber configured to be connected to a fluid source, a second chamber configured to be connected to the fluid bladder, a third chamber configured to be connected to an environment, a fourth chamber connected to the first chamber via a first fluid passage, connected to the second chamber via a second fluid passage, and connected to the third chamber via a third fluid passage; and an actuator comprising a membrane disposed in the fourth chamber and an actuator element disposed in the third chamber and coupled to the membrane and configured to move the membrane between a first position wherein the first fluid passage is opened and the third fluid passage is closed, and a second position wherein the first fluid passage is closed and the third fluid passage is opened.

Provided is a piezoelectric actuator that can reduce a risk of air leakage due to weakening of pressing force of a valve element against a valve seat surface and airtightness. The piezoelectric actuator is used for a piezoelectric valve that opens and closes a valve utilizing displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric actuator includes: a valve element; a laminated piezoelectric element that generates a driving force, required for operation of the valve element, as a displacement; and a displacement enlargement mechanism that enlarges a displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element and causes the enlarged displacement to act on the valve element. In the piezoelectric actuator, a surface of the valve element to be in contact with a valve seat of the piezoelectric valve is made flat and smooth in a state in which a tensile load is applied to the laminated piezoelectric element.

A method of setting a handover position of a gripping device at a laboratory automation system is presented. A position of a position determining device held by the gripping device is detected using position sensors in order to determine the handover position. A laboratory automation system configured to perform such a method is also presented.

A fluidic valve includes a valve seat, a valve sealing body placeable at the valve seat when the fluidic valve is closed and being displaced with respect to the valve seat when the fluidic valve is open, a force transmission element coupled with the valve sealing body, and an actuator mechanism configured for actuating the force transmission element for triggering the valve sealing body to carry out an additional movement different from an opening movement and a closing movement of the valve sealing body.

The pressure-type flow control device includes: a main body provided with a fluid channel communicating between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and an exhaust channel communicating between the fluid channel and an exhaust outlet; a pressure control valve fixed to a fluid inlet side of the main body for opening or closing the upstream side of the fluid channel; a first pressure sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the fluid channel on the downstream side of the control valve; an orifice provided in the fluid channel on the downstream side of the point of branching of the exhaust channel; an on/off valve for opening or closing the fluid channel on the downstream side of the first pressure sensor; and an exhaust valve for opening or closing the exhaust channel.

A method for closed-loop controlling, in particular closed-loop pressure controlling, a piezo valve device, including the steps: calculating a control error integral signal representing a time integral of a control error of the closed-loop control of the piezo valve device, adjusting, based on the control error integral signal, at least one control opening voltage value defining within the closed-loop control an opening voltage value of a piezo valve of the piezo valve device, and using the adjusted at least one control opening voltage value, providing at least one drive voltage for driving the piezo valve within the closed-loop control.

A diaphragm valve includes: a valve body having flow paths of fluids formed therein and having a diaphragm-arrangement portion on one surface; a diaphragm arranged in the diaphragm-arrangement portion and can open and close the flow path and adjust the opening degree of by elastic deformation; and a driving unit having a stem for pressing the diaphragm to elastically deform and an actuator for driving the stem, wherein the stem is axially movably held via a resin sleeve by a bonnet fixed to the valve body side.

A piezoelectric adjustment apparatus has a piezo element whose movement is transmitted via a lever to a plunger. The plunger can be set against an abutment that is arranged at one side of the lever and a second abutment is provided at the other side of the lever.

A diaphragm valve includes: a valve body having flow paths of fluids formed therein and having a diaphragm-arrangement portion on one surface; a diaphragm arranged in the diaphragm-arrangement portion and can open and close the flow path and adjust the opening degree of by elastic deformation; and a driving unit having a stem for pressing the diaphragm to elastically deform and an actuator for driving the stem, wherein the stem is axially movably held via a resin sleeve by a bonnet fixed to the valve body side.

To provide a valve control device, a drive control device, and a fluid control device, which are suitable for adjusting a valve. The valve control device comprises: a rod-shaped rotor provided so as to rotate about a rotation axis, wherein one end of the rotor is directly or indirectly connected to a valve body, at least a part of the valve body being positioned in a flow path for fluid, wherein the rotor changes a relative position between the valve body and a valve seat that is closed by the valve body or a contact force between the valve body and the valve seat; a pair of contacts for sandwiching the rotor and for rotating the rotor; a moving unit comprising a piezoelectric element for causing the pair of contacts to perform relative movement; and a drive control unit for controlling the relative position between the valve body and the valve seat or the contact force between the valve body and the valve seat by applying a voltage waveform having a rising slope and a falling slope different from the rising slope to the piezoelectric element so as to cause the pair of contacts to rotate the rotor in a desired direction, wherein a steeper slope of the rising slope and the falling slope causes a slip between the rotor and the pair of contacts.