Back to results
US 9,388,916 B2Granted
Single-use, permanently-sealable microvalve
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsAkintunde I. Akinwande, Carol Livermore-Clifford, Martin A. Schmidt, Aalap S. Dighe, Luis Fernando Velásquez-García
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microvalve device is provided that includes a through via located in an island structure supported on a thermally-insulating membrane supported by a frame. The through via is surrounded by a meltable sealing material. A heater element is positioned on the island structure for sealing the material over the through via by heating the sealing material.
Claims18
A microvalve device comprising:
- an island structure that includes a throughway located in the island structure supported on a thermally-insulating membrane supported by a frame, the throughway is surrounded by a meltable sealing material on the island structure, the meltable sealing material includes a hollow cylindrical shape that surrounds the throughway having an aspect ratio to ensure upon thermal actuation the meltable sealing material reflows into a toroid due to surface tension;
- and
- a heater element that is positioned underneath the island structure for sealing the material over the throughway by heating the sealing material, the sealing material prohibits a wetting interaction with an outer surface of the island structure driving a seal to spread towards the throughway upon melting, wherein inner edges of the toroid meet to thereby plug the throughway.
A method of forming a single-use microvalve structure comprising:
- forming an island structure that includes a throughway located in the island structure supported on a thermally-insulating membrane supported by a frame, the throughway is surrounded by a meltable sealing material on the island structure, the meltable sealing material includes a hollow cylindrical shape that surrounds the throughway having an aspect ratio to ensure upon thermal actuation the meltable sealing material reflows into a toroid due to surface tension;
- and
- positioning a heater element underneath the island structure for sealing the material over the throughway by heating the sealing material, the sealing material prohibits a wetting interaction with an outer surface of the island structure driving a seal to spread towards the throughway upon melting, wherein inner edges of the toroid meet to thereby plug the throughway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.