Valve element and process of producing the same

Claim 2

A valve comprising a nozzle plate 5 having formed therein a nozzle opening 4 through which fluid can pass; an insulator layer 14 adjacent said nozzle plate 5 except in the location of said nozzle opening 4; an electrode plate 11 covering said insulator layer; and a valve beam 19 made of a conductive substance and located in an opposing spaced relationship by a predetermined distance from said nozzle plate, said valve beam having a yieldable portion including a valve member juxtaposed said nozzle opening, said member being movable between an open and a closed position in response to changes in potential difference between said electrode plate and said valve beam.

Claim 3

A valve as claimed in claim 1, including means for generating and controlling a difference in potential to appear between said electrode plate and said valve beam.

Claim 4

A valve as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the difference in potential between said electrode plate and said valve beam is controlled on a binary basis.

Claim 5

A valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the difference in potential between said electrode plate and said valve beam is controlled on an infinite basis.

Claim 6

A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said nozzle plate is made of nickel.

Claim 7

A valve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said nozzle plate comprises a metal film plated with nickel.

Claim 8

A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said nozzle plate is formed from a glass plate or a resin film having a photosensitive property.

Claim 9

A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said nozzle is formed into a configuration in which said nozzle tapers toward an end, and wherein said valve member is profiled to extend along said nozzle.

Claim 10

A valve as claimed in claim 8, wherein said valve is formed into an actuate profile wherein the slope of a tangential line to said valve comes close to the axis of said nozzle toward the end of said nozzle.

Claim 11

A valve as claimed in claim 9, wherein said insulator layer has a configuration wherein said insulator is contiguous to the arcuate profile of said nozzle.

Claim 12

A valve as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a ceramic film formed on said insulator layer.

Claim 13

A valve as claimed in claim 11, wherein said ceramic film is made of a material selected from one or more of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Si₃N₄.

Claim 14

A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said valve beam is opposed to said nozzle plate in a spaced relationship by a distance H while said electrode is opposed to said nozzle plate in a spaced relationship by a distance h smaller than the distance H on the valve beam side around said nozzle.

Claim 15

A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said nozzle plate has an additional nozzle or nozzles formed in a row therein, and an additional valve or valves are provided in a corresponding relationship to said additional nozzle or nozzles.

Claim 16

A valve as claimed in claim 14, wherein said yieldable portion of each of valve beams is supported in an integral relationship in a configuration of a both ends supported beam by way of a pair of supporting portions which has a smaller width than said yieldable portion.

Claim 17

A valve as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of said valve beams is inclined relative to a direction perpendicular to the direction of the row of said yieldable portions.

Claim 18

A process of producing a valve element, comprising: a nozzle pattern forming step of forming a photo-resist layer corresponding to a nozzle on a surface of a substrate; a nozzle plate forming step of forming a metal film on the surface of said substrate and removing said photo-resist layer to form a nozzle plate having a nozzle therein; a first insulator layer forming step of forming a first insulator layer on a surface of said nozzle plate such that openings may be formed at a location opposing to said nozzle and other predetermined locations; an electrode pattern forming step of forming a photo-resist layer on a surface of said first insulator layer around a location opposing to said nozzle; an electrode plate forming step of forming a metal film on a surface of said first insulator layer and removing said photo-resist layer to form an electrode plate; a second insulator layer forming step of forming on the surface of said first insulator layer a second insulator layer which covers said electrode plate such that openings may be formed in an opposing relationship to said openings of said first insulator layer; a spacer forming step of forming a spacer of a material different from a material of said nozzle plate on a surface of said second insulator layer including a location opposing to said nozzle and an area around the location; a valve beam pattern forming step of forming a photo-resist layer on a surface of said spacer except a location opposing to said nozzle and a location opposing to a peripheral portion of said spacer; a valve beam forming step of forming a metal film on the surface of said spacer to form a valve beam which is contigous at an end portion thereof to said nozzle plate via one of said openings and which has a valve at a yieldable portion thereof and then removing said photo-resist; and a separating step of removing a central portion of said spacer including a portion opposing to said nozzle and then exfoliating said substrate from said nozzle plate.

Claim 19

A process of producing a valve element, comprising: a nozzle pattern forming step of forming a photo-resist layer corresponding to a nozzle on a surface of a substrate; a nozzle plate forming step of forming a metal film on the surface of said substrate and removing said photo-resist layer to form a nozzle plate having a nozzle therein; a first insulator layer forming step of forming a first insulator layer on a surface of said nozzle plate such that openings may be formed at a location opposing to said nozzle and other predetermined locations; an electrode pattern forming step of forming a photo-resist layer on a surface of said first insulator layer around a location opposing to said nozzle; an electrode plate forming step of forming a metal film on a surface of said first insulator layer and removing said photo-resist layer to form an electrode plate; a second insulator layer forming step of forming on the surface of said first insulator layer a second insulator layer which covers said electrode plate such that openings may be formed in an opposing relationship to said openings of said first insulator layer; a spacer forming step of forming a spacer of a material different from a material of said nozzle plate on a surface of said second insulator layer including a location opposing to said nozzle and an area around the location; a valve beam pattern forming step of forming a photo-resist layer on a surface of said spacer except a location opposing to said nozzle and a location opposing to a peripheral portion of said spacer; a valve beam forming step of forming a metal film on the surface of said spacer to form a valve beam which is contigous at an end portion thereof to said nozzle plate via one of said openings and which has a valve at a yieldable portion thereof and then removing said photo-resist; and a separating step of removing a central portion of said spacer including a portion opposing to said nozzle and then exfoliating said substrate from said nozzle plate.