Microfluidic refill cartridge having a vent hole and a nozzle plate on same side
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsSimon Dodd, Joe Scheffelin, Dave Hunt, David Burney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a microfluidic refill cartridge having a vent hole and nozzles on a same side of the cartridge. In one or more embodiments, the vent hole and nozzles are located on upper surfaces of the cartridge, such as on a lid that is coupled to a reservoir. In particular, the nozzles and the vent hole may be formed on a microfluidic delivery member that is secured to the lid. A single cover may be used to cover the vent hole and the nozzles. In some embodiments, the single cover may be a flexible material and may adhere to the microfluidic delivery member.
Claims24
A lid for covering an opening of a microfluidic refill cartridge, the lid comprising:
- a body portion having first and second surfaces and a first through hole extending from the first surface to the second surface;
- a microfluidic delivery member located on the first surface of the body portion, the microfluidic delivery member including:
- a circuit board having a second through hole that is in fluid communication with the first through hole of the body portion;
- and
- a die coupled to the circuit board, the die including a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles;
- and
- a cover covering the nozzles and the second through hole of the circuit board and sealing the nozzles and the second through hole from atmosphere.
A microfluidic delivery member located on a lid of a microfluidic refill cartridge, the microfluidic delivery member comprising:
- a circuit board having a first surface, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a through hole extending from the first surface to the second surface;
- a die located on the first surface of the circuit board, the die including a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles;
- and
- a removable cover covering the plurality of nozzles and the through hole and sealing the nozzles and the through hole from atmosphere.
A method of providing a lid for covering an opening of a microfluidic refill cartridge, the method comprising:
- forming a first through hole in a lid;
- forming a channel having a first end and a second end in an upper surface of the lid, the first end of the channel being in fluid communication with the first through hole;
- securing a microfluidic delivery member to the upper surface of the lid, wherein securing includes aligning a second through hole in the microfluidic delivery member with the second end of the channel so that the first through hole and the second through hole are in fluid communication with each other by the channel, the microfluidic delivery member including a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles;
- placing the lid on a reservoir of the microfluidic refill cartridge, wherein the reservoir is holding a fluid;
- and
- sealing the plurality of nozzles and the second through hole from atmosphere.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.