Micromechanical device with microfluidic lubricant channel
AssigneeMiradia Inc.
InventorsDongmin CHEN, William Spencer WORLEY, Hung-Nan CHEN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A micromechanical device assembly includes a micromechanical device enclosed within a processing region and a lubricant channel formed through an interior wall of the processing region and in fluid communication with the processing region. Lubricant is injected into the lubricant channel via capillary forces and held therein via surface tension of the lubricant against the internal surfaces of the lubrication channel. The lubricant channel containing the lubricant provides a ready supply of fresh lubricant to prevent stiction from occurring between interacting components of the micromechanical device disposed within the processing region.
Claims25
A device assembly, comprising:
- a micromechanical device enclosed within a processing region;
- and
- a lubricant channel formed through at least one interior surface of a wall of the processing region to be in fluid communication with the processing region, wherein the lubricant channel is completely enclosed by the wall, other than a portion that is exposed to the processing region, and is configured to have lubricant injected therein via capillary forces.
A device assembly, comprising:
- a micromechanical device enclosed within a processing region;
- and
- a lubricant channel formed on at least one interior wall of the processing region, wherein the lubricant channel is in fluid communication with the processing region along the entire length thereof, and the lubricant channel is configured so that a lubricant for the micromechanical device is injected in the lubricant channel via capillary forces and held within the lubricant channel via surface tension of the lubricant against internal surfaces of the lubrication channel.
A packaged micromechanical device, comprising:
- a lid, a base, and an interposer that define a processing region for a micromechanical device;
- a micromechanical device disposed within the processing region;
- and
- a lubricant channel formed through at least one interior wall of the processing region and in fluid communication with the processing region, wherein the lubricant channel is configured so that a lubricant for the micromechanical device is injected in the lubricant channel via capillary forces and held within the lubricant channel via surface tension of the lubricant against internal surfaces of the lubrication channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.