Microfluidic valve and microactuator for a microvalve
AssigneesBecton, Dickinson and Company, Nanogen, Inc.
InventorsTheodore M. Winger, John D. Evans, Noel G. Harvey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microactuator device includes a base with at least one electrode pad and a permeation membrane. Permeation membrane is typically a water-permeable membrane that is able to deform by applying an electric charge to the electrode pad. The actuator device can be incorporated into valve assembly to open and close the valve. The valve assembly can have a reciprocating valve member operated by the deforming of the water-permeable member. Alternatively, the valve assembly can have an opening positioned to cooperate with the water-permeable membrane so that the deformation of the membrane closes the opening.
Claims38
An actuator for a microelectromechanical device, comprising:
- an electrode pad;
- a permeation membrane on said electrode pad, said permeation membrane having a longitudinal dimension;
- and
- a member contacting said permeation membrane, where said permeation membrane is a hydrogel polymer and expands and contracts in a direction transverse to said longitudinal dimension when an electric current is applied to said electrode pad thereby moving said member.
A microvalve comprising:
- a base substrate having at least one electrode pad;
- a polymeric hydrogel permeation membrane on said electrode pad, said permeation membrane having a longitudinal dimension and being deformable in a direction transverse to said longitudinal dimension when an electric current is supplied to said electrode pad;
- and
- a wall spaced from said permeation membrane to define a fluid path between said wall and said membrane, said permeation membrane being deformable when an electric current is applied to said electrode pad to substantially close said fluid path.
A method of actuating a valve assembly of a microfluidic device, said method comprising the steps of
- providing a microfluidic valve assembly having a base substrate with at least one electrode pad, a deformable polymeric hydrogel permeation membrane on said electrode pad, and a wall spaced from said permeation membrane to define a fluid path between said permeation membrane and said wall, and
- supplying an electric current to said electrode pad for sufficient time to expand said permeation membrane in a direction toward said wall and to close said fluid path.
A microvalve comprising:
- a base substrate having at least one electrode pad;
- a polymeric permeation membrane on said electrode pad, said permeation membrane having a longitudinal dimension and being deformable in a direction transverse to said longitudinal dimension when an electric current is supplied to said electrode pad;
- a DC electric power source coupled to said electrode pad, said power source including a control to selectively apply a positive or negative charge to said electrode pad for a predetermined period of time;
- and
- a wall spaced from said permeation membrane to define a fluid path between said wall and said membrane, said permeation membrane being deformable when an electric current is applied to said electrode pad to substantially close said fluid path, wherein said control of said power source applies said charge intermittently to said electrode pad to maintain a state of deformation of said permeation membrane.
A method of actuating a valve assembly of a microfluidic device, said method comprising the steps of
- providing a microfluidic valve assembly having a base substrate with at least one electrode pad, a deformable permeation membrane on said electrode pad, and a top wall spaced from said permeation membrane to define a fluid path between said permeation membrane and said top wall, wherein said permeation membrane remains deformed for a period of time after interrupting said electric current, and
- applying an electric current to said electrode pad at predetermined intervals and for sufficient time to expand said permeation membrane and to maintain said permeation membrane in a deformed condition to close said fluid path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.