Switchable fluidic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240622-B1
Application number	US-201715840977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 13, 2017
Priority date	Jan 30, 2017
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A fluidic device controls fluid flow in a channel conduit from a fluid entrance to a fluid exit. In some embodiments, the fluidic device comprises the channel conduit, a flexible element, a cross member, and a gate. The channel conduit is bounded by an inner surface that includes a protrusion. The flexible element is coupled to the inner surface of the channel conduit on a different side of the inner surface as the protrusion. The cross member has a first end that is coupled to a deformable surface that is part of the inner surface of the channel conduit and a second end that is coupled to the flexible element. The gate is configured to deform the deformable surface in accordance with a fluid pressure at the gate. An amount of deformation imparted by the gate controls a position of the flexible element via the cross member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic device comprising:
a channel conduit including a fluid entrance to the channel conduit and a fluid exit from the channel conduit, the channel conduit bounded by an inner surface that includes a protrusion that protrudes into the channel conduit;
a flexible element inside the channel conduit, the flexible element having at least one edge coupled to the inner surface of the channel conduit on a different side of the inner surface as the protrusion, the flexible element having an adjustable position; and
a deformable surface that is part of the inner surface of the channel conduit;
a gate configured to impart an amount of deformation to the deformable surface in accordance with an applied fluid pressure at the gate, and the amount of deformation controls the adjustable position of the flexible element via a cross member that couples the flexible element to the deformable surface.

2. The fluidic device of claim 1 , wherein a low pressure state of the gate corresponds to a first flow rate of the fluid in the channel conduit, and a high pressure state of the gate corresponds to a second flow rate of the fluid in the channel conduit, and the second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate.

3. The fluidic device of claim 2 , wherein at the low pressure state of the gate, an end of the flexible element is configured to be in contact with the protrusion to inhibit a flow rate within the channel conduit to the first flow rate.

4. The fluidic device of claim 2 , wherein at the high pressure state of the gate, an end of the flexible element is configured to be apart from the protrusion to allow a fluid to flow within the channel conduit at the second flow rate.

5. The fluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic device is a component of a wearable device.

6. The fluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic device is a component of a haptic glove.

7. A fluidic device comprising:
a channel conduit including a fluid entrance to the channel conduit and a fluid exit from the channel conduit, the channel conduit bounded by an inner surface that includes a protrusion that protrudes into the channel conduit;
a flexible element inside the channel conduit, the flexible element having at least one edge coupled to the inner surface of the channel conduit on a different side of the inner surface as the protrusion, the flexible element having an adjustable position;
a cross member with a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to a deformable surface and the deformable surface is part of the inner surface of the channel conduit and the second end is coupled to the flexible element; and
a gate configured to impart an amount of deformation to the deformable surface in accordance with an applied fluid pressure at the gate, and the amount of deformation controls the adjustable position of the flexible element via the cross member.

8. The fluidic device of claim 7 , wherein a low pressure state of the gate corresponds to a first flow rate of the fluid in the channel conduit, and a high pressure state of the gate corresponds to a second flow rate of the fluid in the channel conduit, and the second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate.

9. The fluidic device of claim 8 , wherein at the low pressure state of the gate, an end of the flexible element is configured to be in contact with the protrusion to inhibit a flow rate within the channel conduit to the first flow rate.

10. The fluidic device of claim 8 , wherein at the high pressure state of the gate, an end of the flexible element is configured to be apart from the protrusion to allow a fluid to flow within the channel conduit at the second flow rate.

11. A haptic device comprising:
at least one fluidic device, the fluidic device comprising:
a channel conduit including a fluid entrance to the channel conduit and a fluid exit from the channel conduit, the channel conduit bounded by an inner surface that includes a protrusion that protrudes into the channel conduit,
a flexible element inside the channel conduit, the flexible element having at least one edge coupled to the inner surface of the channel conduit on a different side of the inner surface as the protrusion, the flexible element having an adjustable position,
a cross member with a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to a deformable surface and the deformable surface is part of the inner surface of the channel conduit and the second end is coupled to the flexible element, and
a gate configured to impart an amount of deformation to the deformable surface in accordance with an applied fluid pressure at the gate, and the amount of deformation controls the adjustable position of the flexible element via the cross member.

12. The haptic device of claim 11 , wherein a low pressure state of the gate corresponds to a first flow rate of the fluid in the channel conduit, and a high pressure state of the gate corresponds to a second flow rate of the fluid in the channel conduit, and the second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate.

13. The haptic device of claim 12 , wherein at the low pressure state of the gate, an end of the flexible element is configured to be in contact with the protrusion to inhibit a flow rate within the channel conduit to the first flow rate.

14. The haptic device of claim 12 , wherein at the high pressure state of the gate, an end of the flexible element is configured to be apart from the protrusion to allow a fluid to flow within the channel conduit at the second flow rate.

15. The haptic device of claim 11 , wherein the haptic device is a wearable device.

16. The haptic device of claim 11 , wherein the haptic device is a haptic glove.

Assignees

• Facebook Tech Llc

Inventors

• Lindsay Jack
• Keller Sean Jason
• Perek David R
• Trutna Tristan Thomas
• Corson Nicholas Roy
• King Raymond

Classifications

• F15C3/04 Primary

  using diaphragms ({using loose plates or foils F15C3/005}; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title

• F16K31/12

  actuated by fluid ({fluid-actuated lift valves F16K1/126} ; fluid-actuated check valves F16K15/00; fluid-actuated safety valves F16K17/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/014

  Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• F16K7/18 Primary

  with diaphragm secured at one side only, e.g. to be laid on the seat by rolling action · CPC title