MEMS cooling device

• US 20070048154A1
• Filed: 08/26/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nytell Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Aprolase Development Co LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sapir, Itzhak
• Granted Patent: US 7,823,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/413.200
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/006 Micropumps F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of the MEMS cooling device of the invention comprises one or more MEMS micro-channel volumes in communication with one or more MEMS micro-pump assemblies wherein each micro-pump assembly is comprised of a flexure valve, such as a leaf valve and means to drive a coolant through the channel volumes such as an electrostatic interleaved comb drive structure. A preferred embodiment comprises an inlet micro-pump assembly and an outlet micro-pump assembly but the device may also be fabricated with a single pump mechanism per channel volume.

Claims

1. A MEMS cooling device comprising:

a channel volume having a predetermined width,

an inlet port in fluid communication with said channel volume,

an outlet port in fluid communication with said channel volume,

a MEMS micro-pump assembly for pumping a coolant through said channel volume comprising,

a MEMS valve drive means, and,

a MEMS valve assembly in fluid communication with said channel volume and in mechanical connection with and driven by said MEMS valve drive means.

2. The MEMS cooling device of claim 1 wherein said MEMS cooling device is comprised of silicon.

3. The MEMS cooling device of claim 1 wherein said MEMS valve drive means is comprised of at least one set of interleaved electrostatic comb drive structures.

4. The MEMS cooling device of claim 1 wherein said MEMS valve drive means is comprised of at least one set of parallel plate electrostatic elements.

5. The MEMS cooling device of claim 1 wherein said MEMS valve drive means is comprised of at least one piezo-crystal element.

6. The MEMS cooling device of claim 1 wherein said MEMS valve assembly is comprised of at least one leaf valve.

7. The MEMS cooling device of claim 1 further comprising one or more electrode columns wherein at least one of said electrode columns has an applied predetermined voltage wherein said applied predetermined voltage can be independently controlled.

8. A MEMS cooling device comprising:

a channel volume having a predetermined width,

an inlet port in fluid communication with said channel volume,

an outlet port in fluid communication with said channel volume,

a MEMS micro-pump assembly disposed proximal said inlet port for pumping a coolant into said channel volume,

a MEMS micro-pump assembly disposed proximal said outlet port for pumping said coolant out of said channel volume,

wherein each of said MEMS micro-pump assemblies are comprised of,

a MEMS valve drive means and,

a MEMS valve assembly in fluid communication with said channel volume and wherein each of said MEMS valve assemblies are in mechanical connection with and driven by said MEMS valve drive means.

9. The MEMS cooling device of claim 8 wherein each of said MEMS micro-pump assemblies can be separately controlled by means of separate predetermined voltages.

10. The MEMS cooling device of claim 8 wherein at least one of said MEMS valve drive means is comprised of dual opposing stationary comb drive structures.

11. The MEMS cooling device of claim 8 wherein said MEMS cooling device is comprised of silicon.

12. The MEMS cooling device of claim 8 wherein said MEMS valve drive means is comprised of at least one set of interleaved electrostatic comb drive structures.

13. The MEMS cooling device of claim 8 wherein said MEMS valve drive means is comprised of at least one set of parallel plate electrostatic elements.

14. The MEMS cooling device of claim 8 wherein said MEMS valve drive means is comprised of at least one piezo-crystal element.

15. The MEMS cooling device of claim 8 wherein said MEMS valve assembly is comprised of at least one leaf valve.

16. The MEMS cooling device of claim 8 further comprising one or more electrode columns wherein at least one of said electrode columns has an applied predetermined voltage wherein said applied predetermined voltage can be independently controlled.