Electrorheological Valve

Abstract

An ER fluid valve includes a housing and a plurality of parallel flow passages through the housing each defined by spaced electrodes at least one of which is controllable independently of other flow passages electrodes. A controller is configured to selectively establish electrical fields for all of the independently controllable electrodes to close all of the flow passages to ER fluid flowing through the housing. By removing the fields from all of the independently controllable electrodes, all the flow passages are open to the ER fluid flowing through the housing. By establishing fields for select independently controllable electrodes to close their associated flow passages and by leaving other flow passages open, restricted flow of the ER fluid through the housing is accomplished to vary the flow rate through the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrorheological (ER) fluid valve comprising:
 two or more radially arranged ER fluid flow passages, wherein each ER fluid flow passage is defined by respective pairs of radially arranged substrates that are spaced from one another, and wherein each substrate includes one or more independently controllable electrodes;   ER fluid capable of flowing in the fluid flow passages; and   a controller configured to selectively establish electrical fields between the pairs of substrates by applying voltages to the independently controllable electrodes, wherein the ER fluid reacts to the established electrical fields to open or close the ER fluid flow passages.   
     
     
         2 . The ER fluid valve of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more radially arranged ER fluid flow passages include a first ER fluid flow passage defined by a first independently controllable electrode and a second independently controllable electrode, and a second ER fluid flow passage defined by the second independently controllable electrode and a third independently controllable electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The ER fluid valve of  claim 2 , wherein the two or more radially arranged ER fluid flow passages include a third ER fluid flow passage defined by the third independently controllable electrode and a fourth independently controllable electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The ER fluid valve of  claim 3 , wherein the first and third independently controllable electrodes are connected to ground, and wherein the controller is configured to selectively apply a voltage to the second and fourth independently controllable electrodes. 
     
     
         5 . The ER fluid valve of  claim 4 , wherein selectively applying the voltage to the second and fourth independently controllable electrodes closes the first, second, and third ER fluid flow passages. 
     
     
         6 . The ER fluid valve of  claim 4 , wherein not applying the voltage to the second and fourth independently controllable electrodes opens the first, second, and third ER fluid flow passages. 
     
     
         7 . The ER fluid valve of  claim 4 , wherein the controller includes a microprocessor configured to control respective switches for each independently controllable electrode. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 electrorheological (ER) fluid valve including two or more radially arranged ER fluid flow passages defined by respective pairs of radially arranged substrates;   ER fluid capable of flowing in the ER fluid flow passages;   electrodes disposed respectively upon the each of the radially arranged substrates, wherein the electrodes are configured to apply voltages between the pairs of radially arranged substrates;   switches associated respectively with each of the electrodes; and   a microprocessor configured to selectively open or close each of the switches, in order to control whether voltages are applied to the respective radially arranged substrates.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the ER fluid reacts to the voltages to open or close the ER fluid flow passages 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electrodes are independently controllable. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the two or more radially arranged ER fluid flow passages include a first radially arranged ER fluid flow passage defined by a first electrode and a second electrode, and a second radially arranged ER fluid flow passage defined by the second electrode and a third electrode. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the two or more radially arranged ER fluid flow passages include a third radially arranged ER fluid flow passage defined by the third electrode and a fourth electrode. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first and third electrodes are connected to ground, and wherein the controller is configured to selectively apply a voltage to the second and fourth electrodes. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein applying the voltage to the second and fourth electrodes closes the first, second, and third ER fluid flow passages. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein not applying the voltage to the second and fourth electrodes opens the first, second, and third ER fluid flow passages. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 defining, by respective pairs of radially arranged substrates that are spaced from one another, two or more radially arranged electrorheological (ER) fluid flow passages, wherein each radially arranged substrate includes one or more respective independently controllable electrodes; and   restricting flow of ER fluid through at least one ER fluid flow passage by applying voltages to one or more of the independently controllable electrodes, wherein the ER fluid reacts to the applied voltages to open or close the ER fluid flow passages.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 closing all of the ER fluid flow passages by applying the voltages to at least half of the independently controllable electrodes.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 opening all of the ER fluid flow passages by not applying the voltages to any of the independently controllable electrodes.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a controller is configured to selectively apply the voltages to the independently controllable electrodes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the controller includes a microprocessor that controls respective switches for each of the independently controllable electrodes in order to selectively apply the voltages.