| US 7,530,795 B2 | ||
| Fluid control mechanism | ||
| Hirohito Ito, Tochigi (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Jun. 10, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/864,473. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2003-168539 (JP), filed on Jun. 13, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2004/0257668 A1, Dec. 23, 2004 | ||
| Int. Cl. F04B 19/24 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 417—209 [417/207; 417/238; 250/251; 250/491.1] | 4 Claims |
| 1. A fluid control mechanism comprising:
a laser irradiation control unit to control irradiation of a light beam generated by a laser generation unit;
a liquid tank unit, having at least one liquid passing port, to hold liquid;
at least one conduit through which liquid inflows or outflows, connected to said liquid tank unit via said at least one liquid
passing port, to pass the liquid;
a lens to collect the light beam in said liquid tank unit; and
a light trap unit contacting said at least one conduit for positioning said at least one conduit,
wherein said laser irradiation control unit i) emits the light beam to said lens to collect the light beam with said lens,
to cause thermal expansion of the liquid in said liquid tank unit, thereby controlling inflow/outflow of the liquid via the
at least one liquid passing port, and ii) emits the light beam to said light trap unit to be trapped by said light trap unit,
thereby controlling a position of said at least one conduit.
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