Microfluidic device with bendable membrane having valve passageways to provide enhanced fluidic mobility control and related methods
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
InventorArchit Giridhar
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Abstract
A microfluidic device may include a substrate having a cavity therein, and a bendable membrane within the cavity and having a plurality of spaced apart valve passageways therein. The bendable membrane may be bendable between a first position with the valve passageways being opened, and a second position with the valve passageways being closed. The microfluidic device may further include an actuator configured to bend the bendable membrane between the first and second positions.
Claims23
A microfluidic device comprising:
- a substrate having a cavity therein;
- a bendable membrane within the cavity and having a plurality of spaced apart valve passageways therein, the valve passageways tapering from a first opening on a first side of the bendable membrane to a second opening on a second side of the membrane that is larger than the first opening, and said bendable membrane being bendable between a first position with the valve passageways being opened and a second position with the valve passageways being closed;
- and
- an actuator configured to bend said bendable membrane between the first and second positions.
A microfluidic device comprising:
- a substrate having a cavity therein;
- a bendable membrane within the cavity and dividing the cavity into first and second fluid chambers;
- said bendable membrane having a plurality of spaced apart valve passageways therein, the valve passageways tapering from a first opening on a first side of the bendable membrane to a second opening on a second side of the membrane that is larger than the first opening, and said bendable membrane being bendable between a first position with the valve passageways being opened and a second position with the valve passageways being closed;
- a first fluid source coupled to the first chamber to introduce a first fluid therein;
- a second fluid source coupled to the second chamber to introduce a second fluid therein;
- and
- an actuator configured to bend said bendable membrane between the first and second positions to mix the first and second fluids.
A microfluidic device comprising:
- a substrate having a cavity therein;
- a bendable membrane within the cavity and having a plurality of spaced apart valve passageways therein, the valve passageways tapering from a first opening on a first side of the bendable membrane to a second opening on a second side of the membrane that is larger than the first opening, and said bendable membrane being bendable between a first position with the valve passageways being opened and a second position with the valve passageways being closed to filter particles from a fluid;
- and
- an actuator configured to bend said bendable membrane between the first and second positions.
A method of making a microfluidic device comprising:
- positioning a bendable membrane within a cavity of a substrate, the bendable membrane having a plurality of spaced apart valve passageways therein, the valve passageways tapering from a first opening on a first side of the bendable membrane to a second opening on a second side of the membrane that is larger than the first opening, and the bendable membrane being bendable between a first position with the valve passageways being opened and a second position with the valve passageways being closed;
- and
- coupling an actuator to bend the bendable membrane between the first and second positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.