1. An electro-hydraulic control system for an automatically shiftable transmission having first, second, and third selectively engageable torque transmitting mechanisms, the electro-hydraulic control system comprising:
a main source of fluid pressure;
first, second, and third trim valves operable to effect the engagement of respective first, second, and third torque transmitting mechanisms;
a latch valve in fluid communication with the first torque transmitting mechanism;
an interlock valve in selective fluid communication with the latch valve;
wherein said first trim valve is in fluid communication with said main source of fluid pressure;
wherein said latch valve and said interlock valve are in fluid communication with said main source of fluid pressure;
wherein said first trim valve is operable to selectively and variably communicate fluid pressure to said latch valve to effect engagement of the first torque transmitting mechanism; and
wherein said interlock valve is operable to selectively communicate fluid pressure to one of said second and third trim valve to effect engagement of the respective second and third torque transmitting mechanism.
2. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 1, wherein the automatically shiftable transmission has a fourth torque transmitting mechanism and the electro-hydraulic control system further comprises:
a fourth trim valve operable to effect the engagement of the fourth torque transmitting mechanism; and
wherein said interlock valve selectively communicates fluid pressure to said fourth trim valve to effect engagement of the fourth torque transmitting mechanism.
3. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 1, further comprising a solenoid valve operable to command said latch valve and said interlock valve.
4. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 3, wherein said latch valve includes a differential area operable maintain said latch valve in position when the first toque transmitting mechanism is engaged.
5. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 1, wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said second trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said third trim valve and wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said third trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said second trim valve.
6. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 2, wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said second trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said fourth trim valve and wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said fourth trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said second trim valve.
7. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 2, further comprising a first, second, third, and fourth accumulator valve in fluid communication with a respective one of said first, second, third, and fourth trim valves and operable to improve control of the engagement of respective first, second, third, and fourth torque transmitting mechanisms.
8. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 1, wherein the automatically shiftable transmission has a fifth torque transmitting mechanism and the electro-hydraulic control system further comprises:
a fifth trim valve in fluid communication with said main source of fluid pressure; and
wherein said fifth trim valve is operable to effect the engagement of the fifth torque transmitting mechanism.
9. A transmission comprising:
first, second, and third selectively engageable torque transmitting mechanisms;
an electro-hydraulic control system including:
a main source of fluid pressure;
first, second, and third trim valves operable to effect the engagement of respective first, second, and third torque transmitting mechanisms;
a latch valve in fluid communication with the first torque transmitting mechanism;
an interlock valve in selective fluid communication with the latch valve;
wherein said first trim valve is in fluid communication with said main source of fluid pressure;
wherein said latch valve and said interlock valve are in fluid communication with said main source of fluid pressure;
wherein said first trim valve is operable to selectively and variably communicate fluid pressure to said latch valve to effect engagement of the first torque transmitting mechanism; and
wherein said interlock valve is operable to selectively communicate fluid pressure to one of said second and third trim valve to effect engagement of the respective second and third torque transmitting mechanism.
10. The transmission of claim 9, further comprising:
a fourth torque transmitting mechanism;
wherein said electro-hydraulic control system further includes:
a fourth trim valve operable to effect the engagement of the fourth torque transmitting mechanism; and
wherein said interlock valve selectively communicates fluid pressure to said fourth trim valve to effect engagement of the fourth torque transmitting mechanism.
11. The transmission of claim 9, wherein said electro-hydraulic control system further includes a solenoid valve operable to command said latch valve and said interlock valve to a pressure set position.
12. The transmission of claim 11, wherein said latch valve includes a differential area operable maintain said latch valve in said pressure set position when said first toque transmitting mechanism is engaged.
13. The transmission of claim 9, wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said second trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said third trim valve and wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said third trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said second trim valve.
14. The transmission of claim 10, wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said second trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said fourth trim valve and wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said fourth trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said second trim valve.
15. The transmission of claim 10, further comprising a first, second, third, and fourth accumulator valve in fluid communication with a respective one of said first, second, third, and fourth trim valves and operable to improve control of the engagement of respective first, second, third, and fourth torque transmitting mechanisms.
16. The transmission of claim 9, further comprising:
a fifth torque transmitting mechanism;
wherein the electro-hydraulic control system further includes:
a fifth trim valve in fluid communication with said main source of fluid pressure; and
wherein said fifth trim valve is operable to effect the engagement of said fifth torque transmitting mechanism.
17. An electro-hydraulic control system for an automatically shiftable transmission having first, second, and third selectively engageable torque transmitting mechanisms, the electro-hydraulic control system comprising:
a main source of fluid pressure;
first, second, and third trim valves operable to effect the engagement of respective first, second, and third torque transmitting mechanisms;
a latch valve in fluid communication with the first torque transmitting mechanism;
an interlock valve in selective fluid communication with the latch valve;
wherein said first trim valve is in fluid communication with said main source of fluid pressure;
wherein said latch valve and said interlock valve are in fluid communication with said main source of fluid pressure;
wherein said first trim valve is operable to selectively and variably communicate fluid pressure to said latch valve to effect engagement of the first torque transmitting mechanism;
wherein said latch valve includes a differential area operable maintain said latch valve in a pressure set position when the first toque transmitting mechanism is engaged;
wherein said interlock valve is operable to selectively communicate fluid pressure to one of said second and third trim valve to effect engagement of the respective second and third torque transmitting mechanism; and
wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said second trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said third trim valve and wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said third trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said second trim valve.
18. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 17, wherein the automatically shiftable transmission has a fourth torque transmitting mechanism and the electro-hydraulic control system further comprises:
a fourth trim valve operable to effect the engagement of the fourth torque transmitting mechanism;
wherein said interlock valve selectively communicates fluid pressure to said fourth trim valve to effect engagement of the fourth torque transmitting mechanism; and
wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said second trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said fourth trim valve and wherein said interlock valve is sufficiently configured to disallow fluid pressure to said fourth trim valve when fluid pressure is provided to said second trim valve.
19. The electro-hydraulic control system of claim 17, further comprising a first, second, third, and fourth accumulator valve in fluid communication with a respective one of said first, second, third, and fourth trim valves and operable to improve control of the engagement of respective first, second, third, and fourth torque transmitting mechanisms.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A microelectrode assembly for bio-stimulating andor bio-sensing a target tissue comprising:
a substrate having a first side and a second side; and
an array of microelectrodes, each of said microelectrodes including a nano-wire embedded within said substrate and extending from a proximal end at said first side to a distal end at said second side, each nano-wire having a diameter less than 1 \u03bcm,
wherein said substrate with said embedded nano-wires is fluid impermeable, and wherein said proximal ends are adapted to be connected to an electronic device and said distal ends are adapted to be disposed in a biological environment.
2. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made from a biocompatible material.
3. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made from a ceramic material.
4. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made from aluminum oxide.
5. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made from a polymer.
6. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said nano-wires are made from a material selected from a group consisting of platinum, platinum oxide, iridium, iridium oxide, platinum-iridium alloy, tantalum, tantalum oxide, carbon, and ruthenium.
7. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said nano-wire has a diameter equal to or less than 200 nm.
8. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said substrate has a thickness equal to or greater than 50 \u03bcm.
9. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said array of microelectrodes are distributed in said substrate with a pattern.
10. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said substrate has a curvature that conforms to a curvature of the target tissue.
11. A microelectrode assembly according to claim 1, wherein said nano-wires extend out of said substrate at at least one of said first side and said second side of said substrate.
12. A method of making a microelectrode assembly having an array of microelectrodes for bio-stimulating andor bio-sensing a target tissue comprising:
providing a substrate having a first side and a second side and an array of nano-channels passing through said substrate from said first side to said second side, each of said nano-channels having a diameter less than 1 \u03bcm;
depositing a layer of electrically conductive material on said first side; and
electrodepositing an electrically conductive material into said array of nano-channels to fill said nano-channels from said second side to form said array of microelectrodes.
13. A method according to claim 12, wherein, before said step of depositing a layer of electrically conductive material on said first side, said method further comprising:
depositing a layer of photoresist on said first side; and
patterning said layer of photoresist to define a pattern for said array of microelectrodes.
14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said substrate is made from a ceramic material.
15. A method according to claim 12, wherein said substrate is made from aluminum oxide.
16. A method according to claim 12, wherein said electrically conductive material for electrodepositing into said nano-channels is selected from a group consisting of platinum, platinum oxide, iridium, iridium oxide, platinum-iridium alloy, tantalum, tantalum oxide, carbon, and ruthenium.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said step of electrodepositing an electrically conductive material into said array of nano-channels to fill said nano-channels from said second side to form said array of microelectrodes includes immersing said array of nano-channels in an ammonium hexachloroplatinate solution and connecting said layer of electrically conductive material to a voltage source.
18. A method according to claim 12 further comprising at least partially removing the layer of the electrically conductive material.
19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising partially removing the substrate from the first side of the substrate to partially reveal the microelectrodes.
20. A method according to claim 12 fturther comprising partially removing the substrate from the second side of the substrate to partially reveal the microelectrodes.
21. A method according to claim 12, wherein said substrate has a curvature at at least one of said first side and said second side that conforms to a curvature of the target tissue.
22. A method according to claim 12 further comprising machining said substrate with said microelectrodes to form a curvature at at least one of said first side and said second side, and wherein said curvature conforms to a curvature of said target tissue.
23. A method according to claim 12, wherein said substrate includes a barrier layer at said first side, and wherein said method further comprising patterning said barrier layer to define a pattern for said array of microelectrodes.
24. An electronic system comprising:
an electronic device;
a fluid impermeable packaging system for packaging said electronic device including:
a substrate having a first side and a second side; and
an array of microelectrodes, each of said microelectrodes including a nano-wire embedded within said substrate and extending from a proximal end at said first side to a distal end at said second side, each nano-wire having a diameter less than 1 \u03bcm,
wherein said proximal ends of said microelectrodes are connected to said electronic device and said distal ends of said microelectrodes are adapted to be disposed in a biological environment,
and wherein said substrate with said embedded nano-wires is fluid impermeable.
25. An electronic system according to claim 24, wherein said substrate is made from a ceramic material.
26. An electronic system according to claim 24, wherein said substrate is made from aluminum oxide.
27. An electronic system according to claim 24, wherein said nano-wires are made from is a material selected from a group consisting of platinum, platinum oxide, iridium, iridium oxide, platinum-iridium alloy, tantalum, tantalum oxide, carbon, and ruthenium.
28. An electronic system according to claim 24, wherein said second side of said substrate is opposite to said first side of said substrate.
29. An electronic system according to claim 24, wherein said nano-wires extend out of said substrate at at least one of said first side and said second side of said substrate.
30. An electronic system according to claim 24, wherein said array of microelectrodes are distributed in said substrate with a pattern.
31. A method of making a microelectrode assembly having an array of microelectrodes for bio-stimulating andor bio-sensing a target tissue comprising:
providing a substrate having a first side and a second side and an array of nano-channels passing through said substrate from said first side to said second side, said substrate having a barrier layer disposed over said first side, each of said nano-channels having a diameter less than 1 \u03bcm;
patterning said barrier layer to define a pattern for said array of microelectrodes;
depositing a layer of electrically conductive material on said first side; and
electrodepositing an electrically conductive material into said array of nano-channels to fill said nano-channels from said second side to form said array of microelectrodes.
32. A microelectrode system includes multiple microelectrode assemblies of claim 1.