Passive microfluidic valves
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsMichael Wehner, Keng-Yu Lin, Natalie King
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A passive microfluidic valve includes a first manifold portion having a first chamber; a first inlet fluidly coupled to the first chamber; and a second inlet. The valve also includes a second manifold portion in fluid communication with the first chamber via a channel. The second manifold portion includes a second chamber fluidly coupled to the first chamber and the second inlet. The valve further includes a flexible membrane disposed between the first manifold portion and the second manifold portion and separating the first chamber and the second chamber, the flexible membrane configured to modulate a flow rate of a media flowing between the first inlet and the second inlet in either direction in response to pressure of the media flow.
Claims19
A passive microfluidic valve comprising:
- a first manifold portion including:
- a first chamber;
- a first inlet fluidly coupled to the first chamber;
- and
- a second inlet;
- a second manifold portion in fluid communication with the first chamber via a channel, the second manifold portion including a second chamber fluidly coupled to the first chamber and the second inlet;
- and
- a flexible membrane disposed between the first manifold portion and the second manifold portion and separating the first chamber and the second chamber, the flexible membrane configured to modulate a flow rate of a media flowing between the first inlet and the second inlet in either direction in response to pressure of the media flow.
A passive microfluidic valve comprising:
- a first manifold portion including:
- a first chamber;
- a first inlet fluidly coupled to the first chamber;
- and
- a second inlet;
- a second manifold portion in fluid communication with the first chamber via a channel, the second manifold portion including a second chamber fluidly coupled to the first chamber and the second inlet;
- and
- a flexible membrane disposed between the first manifold portion and the second manifold portion and separating the first chamber and the second chamber, the flexible membrane configured to:
- limit a flow rate of a media flow in a first direction, in which media flows from the first inlet to the second inlet, in response to pressure of the media flow;
- and
- at least one of limit the flow rate of the media or block flow of the media in a second direction, in which the media flows from the second inlet to the first inlet, in response to pressure of the media flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.