Pages 223-224
By using MR fluid whose apparent viscosity is controlled by the applied magnetic field intensity, a simple microvalve called micro MR valve has been proposed by the authors for micromachines using high density fluid power. To increase the controllable magnetic field intensity, the micro MR valve utilizes a thermally-controlled magnetic circuit composed of a permanent magnet, a thermosensitive ferrite, and Peltier elements. In this paper, a micro MR valve with 8.8×7×5(mm)^3 in size is fabricated and the basic characteristics are experimentally investigated. The static and dynamic characteristics of the thermally-controlled magnetic circuit are clarified and the valve control performance is verified.
