Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch using a thermoresponsive polymer. SOLUTION: A switch structure 100 or a structure of the same kind such as a valve, motor, or optical switch, may be constructed based on the thermoresponsive polymer 112. At a first temperature the thermoresponsive polymer 112 may be in a first volume state, and at a second temperature the thermoresponsive polymer 112 may be in a second volume state. The change in volume of the thermoresponsive polymer 112 may be operative to push or pull the mechanical structures of the switch, valve, motor, optical switch, and so on, to effectuate operation of the structures. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an elastomer valve structure capable of being formed in a lower profile, operable with small force, and relatively easier to manufacture than a silicon substrate process, and to provide a pumping system using the same. SOLUTION: A second flow channel 32 which is laminated perpendicular to a first flow channel 30 is formed in an elastomer block. A film 25 forming the top of the first flow channel 30 separates two flow channels from each other to form the bottom of the second flow channel 32 which is the top of the first flow channel 30. With a pressure fluctuation in the second flow channel 32, the film 25 is repetitively deformed downward and restored. Thereby, the first flow channel 30 constitutes a valve operation system having linear operation. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an elastomer valve structure capable of being made to thin thickness, being operated by small force and being relatively easily manufactured as compared with a silicon substrate process, and a pumping system using it. SOLUTION: A second flow channel 32 superposed so as to be perpendicular to a first flow channel 30 is formed in an elastomer block. A membrane 25 for forming an apex part of the first flow channel 30 separated the two flow channels and simultaneously forms a bottom part of the second flow channel 32 in addition to formation of the apex part of the first flow channel 30. The membrane 25 repeats downward deflection and returning by varying a pressure of the second flow channel 32. Thereby, the first flow channel 30 constitutes a valve action system of linear action. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an elastomer valve structure capable of being thinned, being operated with small force and being comparatively easily manufactured as compared with a silicon substrate process, and a pumping system using the structure. SOLUTION: A second flow channel 32 laminated by being made orthogonal to a first flow channel 30 is formed within an elastomer block. A film 25 for forming a top part of the first flow channel 30 separates two flow channels, is a top part of the first flow channel 30, and at the same time, forms a bottom part of the second flow channel 32. By fluctuating pressure of the second flow channel 32, the film 25 repeats bending and recovering to a lower side, and thereby the first flow channel 30 constitutes a valve operation system of a linear operation. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
A microfabricated device is fabricated by depositing a first metal layer on a substrate to provide a first electrode of an electrostatic actuator, depositing a first structural polymer layer over the first metal layer, depositing a second metal layer over said first structural polymer layer to form a second electrode of the electrostatic actuator, depositing an insulating layer over said first structural polymer layer, planarizing the insulating layer, etching the first structural polymer layer through the insulating layer and the second metal layer to undercut the second metal layer, providing additional pre-formed structural polymer layers, at least one of which has been previously patterned, and finally bonding the additional structural layers in the form of a stack over the planarized second insulating layer to one or more microfluidic channels. The technique can also be used to make cross over channels in devices without electrostatic actuators, in which case the metal layers can be omitted.
Abstract:
Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps.
Abstract:
High-density microfluidic chips contain plumbing networks with thousands of micromechanical valves and hundreds of individually addressable chambers. These fluidic devices are analogous to electronic integrated circuits fabricated using large scale integration (LSI). A component of these networks is the fluidic multiplexor, which is a combinatorial array of binary valve patterns that exponentially increases the processing power of a network by allowing complex fluid manipulations with a minimal number of inputs. These integrated microfluidic networks can be used to construct a variety of highly complex microfluidic devices, for example the microfluidic analog of a comparator array, and a microfluidic memory storage device resembling electronic random access memories.
Abstract:
SUMMARY The present invention refers to a procedure for the manufacture of micro-nanofluidic devices for flow control such as microvalves, micropumps and flow regulators, using a photodefinable polymer and an elastomer as structural materials and to the micro-nanofluidic devices for flow control obtained by said procedure.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for collective manufacturing of cavities and/or membranes (24), with a given thickness d, in a wafer said to be a semiconductor on insulator layer, comprising at least one semiconducting surface layer with a thickness d on an insulating layer, this insulating layer itself being supported on a substrate, this process comprising: - etching of the semiconducting surface layer with thickness d, the insulating layer forming a stop layer, to form said cavities and/or membranes in the surface layer.
Abstract:
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device (10) is provided that includes a microelectronic substrate (50) and a thermally actuated microactuator (20). For example, the MEMS device (10) may be a valve. As such, the valve may include at least one valve plate (30) that is controllably brought into engagement with at least one valve opening (40) in the microelectronic substrate (50) by selective actuation of the microactuator (20). While the MEMS device (10) can include various microactuators (20), the microactuator advantageously includes a pair of spaced apart supports (22) disposed on the substrate (50) and at least one arched beam (24) extending therebetween. The microactuator (20) may further include metallization traces (70) on distal portions (23) of the arched beams (24) to constrain the thermally actuated regions of arched beams to medial portions thereof. The valve may also include a latch (680) for maintaining the valve plate (30) in a desired position without requiring continuous energy input to the microactuator (20).