Methods for manufacturing a flow switch
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing a flow switch, wherein said flow switch comprises:
- a substrate, a membrane, and a switch gap;
wherein said substrate comprises a substrate mounting portion, an inlet switch seat, and outlet port means;
wherein said membrane comprises a membrane mounting portion, a resilient flexure which extends over at least a portion of said inlet switch seat, and an inlet port means, which is located over said inlet switch seat;
wherein said switch gap is located between said flexure and said switch seat;
wherein said inlet port means of said membrane are for receiving a fluid from a fluid source, and are for conveying said fluid through said membrane to said switch gap;
wherein said outlet port means of said substrate are for permitting said fluid to flow from said switch gap and out of said flow switch;
wherein, when a positive driving pressure difference of said fluid across said flow switch, which is less than a driving pressure difference switch point, is applied to a top surface of said flexure and to said inlet port means, said fluid flows into said flow switch through said inlet port means, flows radially outwardly across a top surface of said inlet switch seat through said switch gap; and
flows out of said flow switch through said outlet port means;
wherein, at said driving pressure difference switch point, said flexure automatically collapses against said inlet switch seat, to automatically close said switch gap, switch off said flow switch, and stop said fluid from flowing through said flow switch; and
wherein, at said positive driving pressure difference of said fluid across said flow switch which is less than said driving pressure difference switch point, said resilient flexure automatically moves away from said inlet switch seat, to automatically open said switch gap, switch said flow switch back on, and permit said fluid to flow through said flow switch once again; and
wherein said method comprises the steps of;
micromachining at least a portion of at least one of said inlet port means and said outlet port means, by etching said at least a portion of at least one of said inlet port means and said outlet port means into said membrane and said substrate, respectively; and
securing said membrane mounting portion and said substrate mounting portion together.
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Abstract
The fluid handling devices are capable of accurately handling substantially continuous fluid flow rates as low as about 0.01 cc/day. The devices are so miniaturized, corrosion-resistant and on-toxic that they are suitable for being implanted in the human body; and are capable of being mass produced at costs so low, by using micromachining techniques, such as etching, that they may be considered to be disposable. The devices are either passive devices which consume no electrical energy at all, or are active devices which consume very small amounts of electrical energy. The devices are reliable because they may have as few as only two parts, only one which is a moving part; and because they may handle fluids at very low pressures. The fluid handling devices include active piezoelectrically driven membrane pumps; and passive fluid flow regulators, on-off valves, flow switches and filters.
135 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a flow switch, wherein said flow switch comprises:
- a substrate, a membrane, and a switch gap;
wherein said substrate comprises a substrate mounting portion, an inlet switch seat, and outlet port means;
wherein said membrane comprises a membrane mounting portion, a resilient flexure which extends over at least a portion of said inlet switch seat, and an inlet port means, which is located over said inlet switch seat;
wherein said switch gap is located between said flexure and said switch seat;
wherein said inlet port means of said membrane are for receiving a fluid from a fluid source, and are for conveying said fluid through said membrane to said switch gap;
wherein said outlet port means of said substrate are for permitting said fluid to flow from said switch gap and out of said flow switch;
wherein, when a positive driving pressure difference of said fluid across said flow switch, which is less than a driving pressure difference switch point, is applied to a top surface of said flexure and to said inlet port means, said fluid flows into said flow switch through said inlet port means, flows radially outwardly across a top surface of said inlet switch seat through said switch gap; and
flows out of said flow switch through said outlet port means;
wherein, at said driving pressure difference switch point, said flexure automatically collapses against said inlet switch seat, to automatically close said switch gap, switch off said flow switch, and stop said fluid from flowing through said flow switch; and
wherein, at said positive driving pressure difference of said fluid across said flow switch which is less than said driving pressure difference switch point, said resilient flexure automatically moves away from said inlet switch seat, to automatically open said switch gap, switch said flow switch back on, and permit said fluid to flow through said flow switch once again; and
wherein said method comprises the steps of;
micromachining at least a portion of at least one of said inlet port means and said outlet port means, by etching said at least a portion of at least one of said inlet port means and said outlet port means into said membrane and said substrate, respectively; and
securing said membrane mounting portion and said substrate mounting portion together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- a substrate, a membrane, and a switch gap;
Specification