Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
Electrically operated switching valve comprising valve housing means provided with valve port means, valve member means for co-operation with valve seat means formed on said valve port means, valve actuating means for moving said valve member means into and out of engagement with said valve seat means, said valve actuating means including resilient plate means supported on said valve housing means and carrying said valve member means, strap means having opposite ends rigidly secured to the resilient plate means at two spaced apart portions and having a dimension smaller than the distance between said portions under a normal condition so that the plate means is deflected from a normal position, electric heating wire means for heating the strap means when energized, and means for energizing the heating wire means so as to generate heat in the heating wire means for producing thermal expansion of the strap means to allow the resilient plate means to return to its normal undeflected position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
Electrically operated switching valve comprising valve housing means provided with valve port means, valve member means for co-operation with valve seat means formed on said valve port means, valve actuating means for moving said valve member means into and out of engagement with said valve seat means, said valve actuating means including resilient plate means supported on said valve housing means and carrying said valve member means, strap means having opposite ends rigidly secured to the resilient plate means at two spaced apart portions and having a dimension smaller than the distance between said portions under a normal condition so that the plate means is deflected from a normal position, electric heating wire means for heating the strap means when energized, and means for energizing the heating wire means so as to generate heat in the heating wire means for producing thermal expansion of the strap means to allow the resilient plate means to return to its normal undeflected position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
Electrically operated switching valve in accordance with claim 1 in which said resilient plate means includes a rectangular plate having a longitudinal center line and being bent under an untensioned state in one direction along the longitudinal center line, said strap means extending between diagonally opposite corners of the rectangular plate to deflect it in the opposite direction along a line perpendicular to the longitudinal center line.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
Electrically operated switching valve in accordance with claim 2 in which said rectangular plate is provided with a hole at the center thereof for facilitating the deflection under tension of the strap menas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
Electrically operated switching valve in accordance with claim 1 in which said heating wire means is wound around said strap means and coated with an electrically insulating sheath.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
Electrically operated switching valve in accordance with claim 1 in which said valve housing means includes a pair of opposed valve ports and the valve member means is positioned between the valve ports so as to alternately close the valve ports.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
Electrically operated switching valve in accordance with claim 1 in which said valve actuating means is disposed in valve chamber defined in said valve housing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
Electrically operated switching valve in accordance with claim 1 in which said valve actuating means is disposed out of valve chamber defined in said valve housing.