MICROFLUIDIC MODULATING VALVE

• US 20080087855A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Tzu-Yu, Cabuz, Eugen
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/129.01
• CPC Class Codes: F15C 5/00 Manufacture of fluid circuit elements; Manufacture of assemblages of such elements integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0069 Bistable microvalves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0084 Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0086 Medical applications
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0001 Microvalves microdevices B81B1/00; manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate B81C1/00; microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; micropumps F04B19/006
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0026 Valves using channel deformation
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0051 using electrostatic means

Abstract

A valve is provided that can selectively change the size of a flow channel in a valve in order to modulate the fluid flow through the valve. In one illustrative embodiment, the valve includes a housing that defines a cavity, with an inlet and an outlet extending into the cavity. A diaphragm is positioned in the cavity, where at least part of the diaphragm defines at least part of the fluid path. One or more electrodes are fixed relative to the diaphragm, and one or more electrodes are fixed relative to the housing such that the diaphragm can be electrostatically actuated to modulate the fluid flow through the valve.

Claims

1. A valve, comprising:

a housing that defines a cavity;

an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity;

an outlet port spaced from the inlet port and in fluid communication with the cavity;

a diaphragm positioned in the cavity between the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the diaphragm has an upstream edge positioned toward the inlet port and a downstream edge positioned toward the outlet port, wherein a fluid path extends from the inlet port, past the upstream edge of the diaphragm, past the downstream edge of the diaphragm, and to the outlet port, the fluid path having a cross-sectional area; and

at least three electrodes for use in electrostatically actuating at least part of the diaphragm between at least three stable positions, wherein each stable position results in a different cross-sectional area of the fluid path, and wherein the different cross-sectional areas are sized such that fluid can flow along the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port in at least two of the stable positions.

2. The valve of claim 1 wherein at least two of the three or more electrodes are elongated and extend lengthwise along the fluid path, and are spaced side-by-side from one another in a direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the fluid path.

3. The valve of claim 1 wherein at least two of the electrodes are fixed relative to the diaphragm, and at least one of the electrodes is fixed relative to the housing.

4. The valve of claim 1 wherein at least two of the electrodes are fixed relative to the housing, and at least one of the electrodes is fixed relative to the diaphragm.

5. The valve of claim 1 wherein the cavity is at least partially defined by two opposing sides of the housing.

6. The valve of claim 5 wherein at least one of the two opposing sides includes a portion that extends down closer to the diaphragm.

7. The valve of claim 6 wherein the portion that extends down closer to the diaphragm includes an electrode.

8. The valve of claim 7 wherein a part of the diaphragm adjacent to the portion of the at least one of the two opposing sides that extends down closer to the diaphragm includes an electrode.

9. The valve of claim 5 wherein at least part of at least one of the two opposing sides is corrugated having alternating ridges and grooves.

10. The valve of claim 9 wherein one or more of the electrodes are fixed relative to the corrugated side(s).

11. The valve of claim 10 wherein one or more of the electrodes are fixed relative to the diaphragm adjacent to corresponding grooves in the corrugated side(s).

12. The valve of claim 5 further comprising a biasing element for biasing the diaphragm away from one of the two opposing sides.

13. The valve of claim 12 wherein the biasing element bias the diaphragm in a position that closes or substantially closes the fluid path

14. The valve of claim 1 wherein one of the at least three stable positions is a first partially open position, and another of the at least three stable positions is a second but different partially open position.

15. A valve, comprising:

a housing that defines a cavity;

an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity;

an outlet port spaced from the inlet port and in fluid communication with the cavity;

a diaphragm positioned in the cavity between the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the diaphragm has an upstream edge positioned toward the inlet port and a downstream edge positioned toward the outlet port, wherein a fluid path extends from the inlet port, past the upstream edge of the diaphragm, past the downstream edge of the diaphragm, and to the outlet port, the fluid path having a cross-sectional area;

at least three electrodes for use in electrostatically actuating at least part of the diaphragm between at least three stable positions, wherein each stable position results in a different cross-sectional area of the fluid path, and wherein the different cross-sectional areas are sized such that fluid can flow along the fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port in at least two of the stable positions;

wherein at least two of the three or more electrodes are elongated and extend lengthwise along the fluid path, and are spaced side-by-side from one another in a direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the fluid path; and

wherein at least two of the at least three electrodes are independently controllable.

16. The valve of claim 15 wherein at least two of the electrodes are fixed relative to the diaphragm, and at least one of the electrodes is fixed relative to the housing.

17. The valve of claim 15 wherein at least two of the electrodes are fixed relative to the housing, and at least one of the electrodes is fixed relative to the diaphragm.

18. A valve, comprising:

a housing that defines a cavity;

an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity;

an outlet port in fluid communication with the cavity;

a fluid path within the cavity that extends between the inlet port and the outlet port, the fluid path having a cross-sectional area;

a diaphragm positioned in the cavity, at least part of the diaphragm defining at least part of the fluid path;

at least three electrodes for use in electrostatically actuating at least part of the diaphragm between at least three stable positions;

wherein in a first stable position, the diaphragm is in a generally planar first position;

wherein in a second stable position, a first part of the diaphragm remains in the generally planar first position, and a second part of the diaphragm is moved from the generally planar first position to another position;

wherein in a third stable position, a third part of the diaphragm is moved from the generally planar first position to another position;

wherein each stable position results in a different cross-sectional area of the fluid path, and wherein the different cross-sectional areas are sized such that fluid can flow between the inlet port and the outlet port in at least two of the stable positions.

19. The valve of claim 18 wherein at least two of the electrodes are fixed relative to the diaphragm, and at least one of the electrodes is fixed relative to the housing.

20. The valve of claim 18 wherein at least two of the electrodes are fixed relative to the housing, and at least one of the electrodes is fixed relative to the diaphragm.