A metering valve has a closing member and a valve seat. The closing member is movable between a closed position on the valve seat sealing a material outlet, and an open position raised above the valve seat leaving the outlet clear. An actuating element rigidly connected to the closing member is arranged between first and second piezo-actuators at a distance from the first piezo-actuator in the closed position less than the maximum length change of the first piezo-actuator, or lies loosely thereon and at a distance from the second piezo-actuator longer than the maximum length change of the first piezo-actuator. The actuating element in the open position is arranged at a distance from the second piezo-actuator less than the maximum length change of the second piezo-actuator, or lies loosely thereon and at a distance from the first piezo-actuator greater than the maximum length change of the second piezo-actuator.

A flow rate control method performed in a flow control device 100 having a first control valve 6 provided in the flow path, a second control valve 8 provided downstream of the first control valve, and a pressure sensor 3 for measuring a fluid pressure upstream of the first control valve and downstream of the second control valve, comprises, at the time of flow rate raise, a step (a) of determining a pressure remaining downstream of the first control valve by using a pressure sensor in a state of closing the second control valve, and a step (b) of controlling the pressure remaining downstream of the first control valve by adjusting the opening degree of the second control valve on the basis of the output from the pressure sensor, and flowing a fluid at the first flow rate downstream the second control valve.

A valve arrangement for controlling gas flow. A gas block includes a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and a gas cavity fluidly connecting the gas inlet to the gas outlet. A diaphragm is configured for controlling gas flow between the gas inlet and the gas outlet. An actuator is configured to vary the position of the diaphragm so as to control the gas flow. The actuator comprises a tubular housing; a plunger positioned inside the housing and having an actuating extension extending outside of the housing and coupled to the diaphragm, the plunger configured to be slidable inside the housing; a piezoelectric body positioned inside the plunger; and a pre-loader applying force to the plunger so as to press the plunger against the piezoelectric body.

A piezoelectric element-driven valve 1 including a main body, a valve element, piezoelectric actuators, a plurality of cylindrical actuator boxes arranged in series, a cylindrical outer connecting jig detachably connecting the adjacent actuator boxes and having an opening for drawing out wiring, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators accommodated in the actuator box respectively in the same direction, and a cylindrical inner connecting jig slidably accommodated in the outer connecting jig and having an opening for positioning the adjacent piezoelectric actuators and drawing out wiring.

Example embodiments relate to microfluidic devices for controlling pneumatic microvalves. One embodiment includes a microfluidic device for independently controlling a plurality of pneumatic microvalves. The microfluidic device is couplable to a pressure source. The microfluidic device includes a first substrate. The microfluidic device also includes a flexible membrane covering the first substrate. Additionally, the microfluidic device includes a second substrate covering the flexible membrane. Further, the microfluidic device includes one or more fluidic channels at least partially defined in the first substrate. In addition, the microfluidic device includes a pressure couplable to the pressure source and branching into a plurality of pressure channels. Still further, the microfluidic device includes at least one pressure control switch per pressure channel.

A first lever portion includes a first point-of-effort portion, a first fulcrum portion, and a first point-of-load portion. A second lever portion has a second point-of-effort portion, a second fulcrum portion, and a second point-of-load portion. A first point-of-effort portion is located between a first fulcrum portion and a first point-of-load portion in a direction orthogonal to an axis of a stem. A second fulcrum portion is located between a second point-of-effort portion and a second point-of-load portion in the direction orthogonal to the axis. A distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-load portion is configured longer than a distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-effort portion. The second point-of-load portion of the second lever portion is displaced toward the stem and moves the stem toward the piezoelectric element by means of displacement of the intermediate member to the second lever portion side.

Provided is a flow rate control apparatus capable of being used continuously when the apparatus is used in equipment that operates continuously, and a flow rate control method for the flow rate control apparatus. A flow rate of a fluid is controlled via any one of control valves disposed in branch passages, respectively. When replacement of the one control valve is determined to be necessary on the basis of a signal outputted from a monitoring portion of the one control valve, the one control valve performing flow rate control is closed, and another control valve disposed in another one of the branch passages, is opened, to perform flow rate control with a flow rate equivalent to that before the replacement. Furthermore, on-off valves disposed at upstream and downstream sides of the closed control valve are closed.

A flow rate control method performed using a flow rate control device 100 comprising a first control valve 6 provided in a flow path, a second control valve 8 provided downstream of the first control valve, and a pressure sensor 3 for measuring fluid pressure downstream of the first control valve, the method comprising steps of: (a) closing the opening of the first control valve from a state in which, while controlling the opening of the first control valve based on an output of the pressure sensor so as to be the first flow rate, maintaining the opening of the second control valve in an open state, and flowing a fluid at the first flow rate; and (b) based on the output of the pressure sensor, the pressure remaining downstream of the first control valve is controlled by adjusting the opening of the second control valve, and flowing the fluid at the second flow rate downstream of the second control valve.

A process control device has an electropneumatic control unit which is used for activating a pneumatic actuating drive. The control unit has a fastening module by means of which it is fastened to a drive housing of the actuating drive. The control unit includes an interface plate which is separate from the fastening module, is mounted on a top side of the fastening module and is fluidically connected, through the fastening module, to the actuating drive. The control unit includes an electrically actuatable control valve device which is fixed to the fastening module by being mounted on the interface plate fixed to the fastening module. In this way, a process control device can be produced in an easily and variably configurable manner.

An execution system (100) for a fluid micro-injection device and a fluid micro-injection device are provided. The execution system (100) has a base body (110), a movable member (120), an executor and an adjusting member (130). The adjusting member (130) is disposed in the executor mounting cavity (110) and connected with the executor. The adjusting member (130) is adjustable for adjusting a pre-tightening force of the executor.