| 摘要 |
The invention provides an electrically generated flow control valve comprising a valve member (10) formed of a piezo-electric material and means (12, 13) arranged to apply an electric field to the valve member to cause it to distort selectively to a valve open or a valve closed position. The invention extends to a matrix of such valves formed in a sheet of piezo-electric material which may be selectively opened or closed in a pattern, and the use of such a matrix to control the flow of ink so that the matrix may be used to print a pattern or legend on an article. While the main disclosure relates to the control of liquid or fluid flow with such valves, the invention also extends to the control of light or other radiation to allow such radiation to pass or not, to modulate the amplitude of its passage, either in a single beam or in a pattern or matrix. |
