Micropump

A micropump comprising:

• a base plate;
• a second plate secured to the base plate, thereby defining a pumping chamber having a volume and a movable wall machined in one of the base plate and the second plate, the movable wall having a rigid control portion;
• a third plate secured to the second plate;
• inlet and outlet control members in direct connection with the pumping chamber, said control members being located on or in at least one of the base plate and the second plate, at least one of the base plate and the second plate being machined by photolithographic micromachining technique from a hermetic material, said control members and said pumping chamber defining connecting spaces therebetween, the connecting spaces having volumes, an internal volume comprising the volume of the pumping chamber and the volumes of the connecting spaces;
• and
• actuating means for displacing said movable wall to cause a periodic decrease and increase of said internal volume, said actuating means including a motor member mounted movably on the third plate, an intermediate member located between said rigid central portion and said motor member,
• the inlet control member opening towards an outside of the plate on or in which said inlet control member is located, the outlet control member opening towards an inside of the plate on or in which it is located, such that the decrease of internal volume compresses a fluid contained in said internal volume to a pressure sufficient to effect opening of the outlet control member, so as to obtain a self-priming micropump.

A micropump comprising:

• a base plate;
• a second plate secured to the base plate, thereby defining a pumping chamber having a volume and a movable wall machined in one of the base plate and the second plate, the movable wall having in its rest position a shape bulging outwardly of the pumping chamber;
• a third plate secured to the second plate;
• inlet and outlet control members in direct connection with the pumping chamber, said control members being located on or in at least one of the base plate and the second plate, at least one of the base plate and the second plate being machined by photolithographic micromachining technique from a hermetic material, said control members and said pumping chamber defining connecting spaces therebetween, the connecting spaces having volumes, an internal volume comprising the volume of the pumping chamber and the volumes of the connecting spaces;
• and
• actuating means for displacing said movable wall to cause a periodic decrease and increase of said internal volume, said actuating means including a motor member mounted movably on the third plate, an intermediate member located between said rigid central portion and said motor member,
• the inlet control member opening towards an outside of the plate on or in which said inlet control member is located, the outlet control member opening towards an inside of the plate on or in which it is located, such that the decrease of internal volume compresses a fluid contained in said internal volume to a pressure sufficient to effect opening of the outlet control member, so as to obtain a self-priming micropump.

A micropump comprising:

• a base plate;
• a second plate secured to the base plate, thereby defining a pumping chamber having a volume and a movable wall machined in one of the base plate and the second plate, a surface of the movable wall, which is directed toward the interior of the pumping chamber, being adapted to come into abutment against a facing plate to limit movement of expulsion of fluid in said pumping chamber;
• a third plate secured to the second plate;
• inlet and outlet control members in direct connection with the pumping chamber, said control members being located on or in at least one of the base plate and the second plate, at least one of the base plate and the second plate being machined by photolithographic micromachining technique from a hermetic material, said control members and said pumping chamber defining connecting spaces therebetween, the connecting spaces having volumes, an internal volume comprising the volume of the pumping chamber and the volumes of the connecting spaces;
• and
• actuating means for displacing said movable wall to cause a periodic decrease and increase of said internal volume, said actuating means including a motor member mounted movably on the third plate, an intermediate member located between said rigid central portion and said motor member,
• the inlet control member opening towards an outside of the plate on or in which said inlet control member is located, the outlet control member opening towards an inside of the plate on or in which it is located, such that the decrease of internal volume compresses fluid contained in said internal volume to a pressure sufficient to effect opening of the outlet control member, so as to obtain a self-priming micropump.

A micropump comprising:

• a base plate;
• a second plate secured to the base plate, thereby defining a pumping chamber having a volume and a movable wall machined in one of the base plate and the second plate, surfaces of the movable wall comprising regions including a material for avoiding sticking of said surfaces of the movable wall to the plate located in facing relation;
• a third plate secured to the second plate;
• inlet and outlet control members in direct connection with the pumping chamber, said control members being located on or in at least one of the base plate and the second plate, at least one of the base plate and the second plate being machined by photolithographic micromachining technique from a hermetic material, said control members and said pumping chamber defining connecting spaces therebetween, the connecting spaces having volumes, an internal volume comprising the volume of the pumping chamber and the volumes of the connecting spaces;
• and
• actuating means for displacing said movable wall to cause a periodic decrease and increase of said internal volume, said actuating means including a motor member mounted movably on the third plate, an intermediate member located between said rigid central portion and said motor member,
• the inlet control member opening towards an outside of the plate on or in which said inlet control member is located, the outlet control member opening towards an inside of the plate on or in which it is located, such that the decrease of internal volume compresses a fluid contained in said internal volume to a pressure sufficient to effect opening of the outlet control member, so as to obtain a self-priming micropump.

A micropump comprising:

• a base plate;
• a second plate secured to the base plate, thereby defining a pump chamber, the pumping chamber having a volume and a movable wall machined in one of the plates;
• inlet and outlet control members in direct connection with the pumping chamber, said control members being located on or in at least one of the two plates, at least one of these plates being machined by photolithographic micromachining technique from a sealing material, said control members and said pumping chamber defining connecting spaces therebetween, the connecting spaces having volumes;
• an internal volume including the volume of the pumping chamber and the volumes of connecting spaces;
• and
• actuating means for displacing said movable wall to cause a periodic decrease and increase of said internal volume,
• the inlet control member opening towards an external direction with respect to a medium plane of the plate on or in which it is located, the outlet control member opening towards an internal direction with respect to a medium plane of the plate on or in which it is located, such that the decrease of internal volume compresses a fluid contained in said internal volume to a pressure sufficient to effect opening of the outlet control member, so as to obtain a self-priming micropump.