Silicon valve

Claim 2

A silicon valve for controlling the flow of a fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passign the fluid; and a second silicon member, separate from said first silicon member, having a planar silicon surface aligned with and relative moveable to said orfice for selectively opeing and closing said orifice thereby controlling the flow of fluid through said orifice, said second silicon member having a plurality of mesa means, thicker than other portions of said second silicon member, having flat tops for sealing a plurality of orifices.

Claim 3

A silicon valve for contorlling the flow of a fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passing the fluid; a second silicon member having a planar silicon surface aligned with and relatively moveable with respect to said orifice for selectively opening and closing said orfice thereby controlling the flow of fluid through said orfice; said first silicon member having a reduced thickness portion, compared to other portions of said first silicon member, for providing a fluid flow passage between said first and second silicon members; and said second silicon member having a raised central mesa portion and a wall-like perimeter portion with an intermediate trough, the width of said wall-like perimeter portion being less than the extent, toward said central mesa portion, of said reduced thickness in said first silicon member so as to permit fuel to flow through said fluid flow passage and said trough to the central mesa of said second member.

Claim 4

A silicon valve for contorlling the flow of a fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passing the fluid; a second silicon member having a planar silicon surface aligned with and relatively moveable with respect to said orifice for selectively opening and closing said orfice thereby controlling the flow of fluid through said orfice; said first silicon member having a reduced thickness portion, compared to other portions of said first silicon member, for providing a fluid flow passage between said first and second silicon members; and said second silicon member having a raised central mesa portion and a wall-like perimeter portion with an intermediate trough, the width of said wall-like perimeter portion being less than the extent, toward said central mesa portion, of said reduced thickness in said first silicon member so as to permit fuel to flow through said fluid flow passage and said trough to the central mesa of said second member.

Claim 5

A silicon member as recited in claim 2 wherein said first member has a plurality of orifices aligned with said central mesa portion.

Claim 6

A silicon valve for controlling the flow of a fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passing the fluid; a second silicon member having a planar silicon surface aligned with and relatively moveable with respect to said orifice for selectively opening and closing said orifice thereby controlling the flow of fluid through said orifice; and said first silicon member having a reduced thickness region, compared to other portions of said first silicon member, adjacent said orifice for providing said first silicon member with increased flexiblity.

Claim 7

A silicon valve for controlling the flow of a fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passing the fluid; a second silicon member having a planar silicon surface aligned with and relatively moveable with respect to said orifice for selectively opening and closing said orifice thereby controlling the flow of fluid through said orifice; and said first silicon member having a reduced thickness region, compared to other portions of said first silicon member, adjacent said orifice for providing said first silicon member with increased flexiblity.

Claim 8

A silicon valve for controlling the flow of fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passing the flow and a fluid flow passage of reduced thickness, compared to other portions of said first silicon member, extending from an edge of said silicon member toward said orifice; and a second generally planar silicon member having a mesa means thicker than other portions of said second silicon member, alighed with said orifice and having a flat surface larger in area than said orifice, for sealing said orfice, having a raised perimeter portion for coupling to said first silicon member, said perimeter portion having a width less than the extent of said fluid flow passage toward said orifice, and having a reduced thickness membrane peripheral to said mesa means for providing said second silicon member with sufficient flexibility so that said mesa means can be positioned to seal said orfice to stop fluid flow and can move away from said orifice to permit the passage of fluid through said orifice, said reduced thickness membrane portion providing a fluid flow path between said mesa means and said fluid flow passage of said first silicon member.

Claim 9

A silicon valve for controlling the flow of fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passing the flow and a fluid flow passage of reduced thickness, compared to other portions of said first silicon member, extending from an edge of said silicon member toward said orifice; and a second generally planar silicon member having a mesa means thicker than other portions of said second silicon member, alighed with said orifice and having a flat surface larger in area than said orifice, for sealing said orfice, having a raised perimeter portion for coupling to said first silicon member, said perimeter portion having a width less than the extent of said fluid flow passage toward said orifice, and having a reduced thickness membrane peripheral to said mesa means for providing said second silicon member with sufficient flexibility so that said mesa means can be positioned to seal said orfice to stop fluid flow and can move away from said orifice to permit the passage of fluid through said orifice, said reduced thickness membrane portion providing a fluid flow path between said mesa means and said fluid flow passage of said first silicon member.

Claim 10

A silicon valve as recited in claim 5, wherein said first silicon member is generally square and has one of said fluid flow passages extending inwardly from each of the four sides of said first silicon member.

Claim 11

A silicon valve for controlling the flow of fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passing the flow and a reduced thickness portion peripheral to said orifice for increasing the flexibility of said first silicon member; and a second generally planar silicon member having a flat surface for sealing said orifice and an opening for passing an actuator through said second silicon member for moving said first silicon member away from said second silicon member thus opening said orifice for fluid flow.

Claim 12

A silicon valve for controlling the flow of fluid including: a first generally planar silicon member having an orifice for passing the flow and a reduced thickness portion peripheral to said orifice for increasing the flexibility of said first silicon member; and a second generally planar silicon member having a flat surface for sealing said orifice and an opening for passing an actuator through said second silicon member for moving said first silicon member away from said second silicon member thus opening said orifice for fluid flow.

Claim 13

A silicon valve as recited in claim 7 further comprising a fluid flow passage in said second silicon member which is in communication with said orifice when said first silicon member is deflected away from said second silicon member thereby providing for fluid flow through said orifice said is not in communication with said orifice when said first silicon member is not deflected thereby not providing for fluid flow through said orifice.

Claim 14

A silicon valve as recited in claim 8 wherein said fluid flow passage extends inwardly from a side of said second silicon member and is an indentation into the surface of said second silicon member facing said first siilcon member.

Claim 15

A silicon valve as recited in claim 8 wherein said fluid flow passage includes a portion extending through the thickness of said second silicon member.