An improved snap action valve construction is disclosed in which stiffening ribs are provided on the snap blade in an area adjacent the valve member carried thereby to aid in resisting flexing of the blade in this area. Additionally, a rib may be provided on the snap blade to provide a pivotable line contact between the snap blade and associated valve member to ensure better sealing engagement with the valve seat. In one embodiment stiffening ribs are also provided on a compensator blade in the area of attachment to the active blade to provide increased resistance to flexing in this area due to heat transfer from the active blade. In another embodiment, the compensator blade is secured to the snap blade in spaced relationship to the active blade so as to limit heat transfer therebetween.
A valve features a deflectable actuating element (1) that controls the movements of at least one actual sealing element (3) for opening and/or closing at least one sealing contour (6), and the actuating element is loaded via an elastic element (5) essentially perpendicularly relative to the direction of the deflection; and the longitudinal axis of the actuating element and the force applied by the elastic element are aligned in a position of the actuating element that is between its two extreme positions. The actuating element (1) is preferably an unilaterally loaded piezoelectric bending transducer, and the sealing element (3) is preferably a toggle that has the ability to swing around an axis arranged perpendicularly relative to the direction of the deflection of the actuating element (1).
