Implant having MEMS flow module with movable, flow-controlling baffle
First Claim
1. An implant for addressing pressure within a first body region, said implant comprising:
- a conduit comprising a flow path and adapted to fluidly interconnect with the first body region; and
a MEMS flow module disposed within said flow path, wherein said MEMS flow module comprises;
a flow regulator, wherein said flow regulator comprises a first baffle; and
a first plate, wherein said first plate comprises a first flow port, wherein said first baffle is aligned with said first flow port, and wherein said first baffle is movable relative to said first plate to change a magnitude of a spacing of said first baffle from said first plate in response to a change in differential pressure across said MEMS flow module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of MEMS flow modules that may be disposed in a flow path (296) of a shunt (290) are disclosed, where the shunt (290) may be used to control a flow out of an anterior chamber (284) of an eye (266). One such MEMS flow module (58) has a tuning element (78) and a lower plate (70). A plurality of springs or spring-like structures (82) interconnect the tuning element (78) with the lower plate (70) in a manner that allows the tuning element (78) to move either toward or away from the lower plate (70), depending upon the pressure being exerted on the tuning element (78) by a flow through a lower flow port (74) on the lower plate (70). The tuning element (78) is disposed over this lower flow port (74) to induce a flow through the MEMS flow module (58) along a non-linear (geometrically) flow path.
163 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An implant for addressing pressure within a first body region, said implant comprising:
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a conduit comprising a flow path and adapted to fluidly interconnect with the first body region; and
a MEMS flow module disposed within said flow path, wherein said MEMS flow module comprises;
a flow regulator, wherein said flow regulator comprises a first baffle; and
a first plate, wherein said first plate comprises a first flow port, wherein said first baffle is aligned with said first flow port, and wherein said first baffle is movable relative to said first plate to change a magnitude of a spacing of said first baffle from said first plate in response to a change in differential pressure across said MEMS flow module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification