Diaphragm valves, valve components, and methods for forming valve components

Abstract

A diaphragm valve is disclosed. The diaphragm valve may include, a valve body comprising a valve channel, the valve channel including an inlet channel and an outlet channel. The diaphragm valve may also include, a valve seat adjacent to the valve channel and a flexible diaphragm comprising a wetted surface and an opposing non-wetted surface, the flexible diaphragm being disposed adjacent to the valve channel. The diaphragm valve may also include, a flexible heater disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm, and a valve actuator that is operable to operable to move the wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm into and out of contact with the valve seat. Valve components including a flexible heater and methods for forming such valve components are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for forming a valve component, comprising:
 providing a flexible diaphragm, the flexible diaphragm comprising a wetted surface and an opposing non-wetted surface; and   forming a flexible heater over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the flexible heater further comprises printing the flexible heater over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm utilizing one or more conductive inks. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising printing the flexible heater directly over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a flexible substrate over the flexible heater. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising printing the flexible heater over a surface of a flexible intermediate substrate and bonding a lower surface of the flexible intermediate substrate to the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising forming an additional flexible substrate over the flexible intermediate substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a flexible temperature sensor over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , where forming the flexible temperature sensor further comprises printing a flexible printed thermocouple comprising a first printed thermocouple element comprising a first metal-containing ink and a second printed thermocouple element comprising a second metal-containing ink, the first printed thermocouple element being in electrical contact with the second printed thermocouple element thereby forming a thermocouple junctions. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible heater and the flexible temperature are printed upon the same surface. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible heater and the flexible temperature are printed upon different surfaces.