A micro-valve comprises a floating armature, wherein the floating armature is within a fluid flow path through the valve and comprises three or more channels extending along the armature in the direction of fluid flow.

A fluid system includes a fluid active region, a fluid channel, a convergence chamber and plural valves. The fluid active region includes at least one fluid-guiding unit. The fluid-guiding unit is enabled under control to transport fluid to be discharged out through the outlet aperture. The fluid channel is in communication with the outlet aperture of the fluid active region, and has plural branch channels to split the fluid discharged from the fluid active region. The convergence chamber is in communication with the fluid channel. The valves each of which is disposed in the corresponding branch channel, wherein the fluid is discharged out through the branch channels according to opened/closed states of the valves under control. The fluid system of the present disclosure is capable of acquiring required flow rate, pressure and amount of the fluid to be transported.

A fluid system includes a fluid active region, a fluid channel, a convergence chamber, a sensor and plural valves. The fluid active region includes at least one fluid-guiding unit. The fluid-guiding unit is enabled under control to transport fluid to be discharged out through an outlet aperture. The fluid channel is in communication with the outlet aperture of the fluid active region, and has plural branch channels for splitting the fluid discharged from the fluid active region. The convergence chamber is in communication with the fluid channel. The sensor is disposed in the fluid channel for measuring fluid. The valves each of which is disposed in the corresponding branch channel, wherein the fluid is discharged out through the branch channels according to opened/closed states of the valves under control. The fluid system is capable of acquiring required flow rate, pressure and amount of the fluid to be transported.

A fluid system includes a fluid actuating region, a fluid channel, a convergence chamber, a sensor and a plurality of valves. The fluid actuating region includes one or a plurality of fluid-guiding units. Each of the fluid-guiding units includes an inlet plate, a substrate, a resonance plate, an actuating plate, a piezoelectric member and an outlet plate, which are stacked sequentially. When the piezoelectric member drives the actuating plate to undergo a bending vibration in resonance, the fluid is transported into the fluid-guiding units and is pressurized to be discharged out. The fluid channel has a plurality of branch channels for splitting the fluid transported in the fluid actuating region. The convergence chamber is in communication with the fluid channel. The sensor is disposed in the fluid channel for measuring the fluid within the fluid channel.

A microfluidic valve includes: a first structural layer and a second structural layer; a microfluidic circuit having a first microfluidic conduit and a second microfluidic conduit, which are defined in a superficial portion of the first structural layer, are adjacent, and are separated by a wall; a membrane set between the first structural layer and the second structural layer and delimiting the microfluidic circuit on one side; and a recess containing a gaseous fluid in the second structural layer. The membrane is movable in response to an actuation stimulus between a closed position, in which the first and second microfluidic conduits are fluidly decoupled, and an open position, in which the membrane is at least in part retracted into the recess and the first and second microfluidic conduits are fluidly coupled by means of a fluidic passage defined between the wall and the membrane.

A micro-valve includes an orifice plate including an orifice and a cantilevered beam coupled in spaced relation to the orifice plate and moveable between positions where the orifice is closed and opened by the cantilevered beam. The cantilevered beam includes one or more piezoelectric layers that facilitate bending of the cantilevered beam in response to the application of one or more electrical signals to the one or more piezoelectric layers. In response to respective application and termination of the one or more electrical signals to the one or more piezoelectric layers the cantilevered beam either: moves from a starting position spaced from the orifice plate toward the orifice plate and returns back to the starting position spaced from the orifice plate; or moves from a starting position adjacent the orifice plate away from the orifice plate and returns back to the starting position adjacent the orifice plate.

A functional ink that includes a precursor sol-gel solution and a solvent is provided. The precursor sol-gel solution is used for forming an oxide dielectric film having a perovskite structure represented by a general formula ABO.sub.3, and has been subjected to a partial hydrolysis process in which a viscosity change resulting from the partial hydrolysis process is controlled to be less than or equal to 50%, and water contained in the precursor sol-gel solution is controlled to be greater than or equal to 0.50 times and less than or equal to 10 times by molar ratio with respect to a B site atom contained in the precursor sol-gel solution. The functional ink has a metal oxide concentration and a viscosity that renders the functional ink suitable for being discharged from a nozzle of a liquid droplet discharge apparatus included in a thin film fabrication apparatus.

A valve comprises an orifice plate (1) having one or more orifices (4) through which a fluid may flow, and one or more piezo-electric elements (2). Each element (2) has a face positioned to contact the orifice plate at an orifice. Each element has a first state in which it abuts the plate to prevent flow of fluid through the associated orifice and a second state in which the face is spaced from the plate to allow flow through the associated orifice. A controller (50) selectively applies a first voltage to an elements to cause it to adopt the first state and applies a second voltage to the one or more elements to cause the elements to adopt the second state.

A valve includes a valve seat having a hole configured as a flow path, a valve body configured to open/close the flow path due to relative movement with respect to the valve seat, an opening member having a first surface fixed to one of the valve seat and the valve body, a second surface configured to separate away and abut the other one of the valve seat and the valve body, a third surface which intersects the first and second surfaces, and an opening penetrating the first and second surfaces, a fixing member that fixes the first surface to the one of the valve seat and the valve body, and an inclined portion, which makes an interval between the one of the valve seat and the valve body and the first surface long in a direction from the opening to the third surface.

A valve comprises an orifice plate (1) having one or more orifices (4) through which a fluid may flow, and one or more piezo-electric elements (2). Each element (2) has a face positioned to contact the orifice plate at an orifice. Each element has a first state in which it abuts the plate to prevent flow of fluid through the associated orifice and a second state in which the face is spaced from the plate to allow flow through the associated orifice. A controller (50) selectively applies a first voltage to an elements to cause it to adopt the first state and applies a second voltage to the one or more elements to cause the elements to adopt the second state.