High pressure capillary micro-fluidic valve device and a method of fabricating same
First Claim
1. A method of micro-machining a micro-fluidic valve device comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a planar substrate;
performing at least a first lithographic process on said planar substrate such that a predetermined pattern is etched into said planar substrate, wherein said predetermined pattern includes a refrigerant inlet, expansion chamber and refrigerant outlet in fluid communication;
disposing within said valve body at least one conduit proximate to said expansion chamber to facilitate communication of thermal properties of refrigerant to a fluid flowing through said at least one conduit to form a freeze-thaw region in said at least one conduit; and
providing a mating structure over said refrigerant inlet, expansion chamber and refrigerant outlet.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A freeze-thaw valve and a method of micro-machining the freeze-thaw valve is provided and includes a valve housing, wherein the valve housing defines a housing cavity and includes a housing inlet, a housing vent, a capillary tubing inlet and a capillary tubing outlet. A valve body is provided, at least a portion of which is lithographically constructed, wherein the valve body includes a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet and an expansion chamber. The expansion chamber is disposed to communicate the refrigerant inlet with the refrigerant outlet and includes a restriction region having a flow restriction. Additionally, the valve body is disposed within the housing cavity to form an insulating channel between the valve housing and the valve body.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A method of micro-machining a micro-fluidic valve device comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining a planar substrate; performing at least a first lithographic process on said planar substrate such that a predetermined pattern is etched into said planar substrate, wherein said predetermined pattern includes a refrigerant inlet, expansion chamber and refrigerant outlet in fluid communication; disposing within said valve body at least one conduit proximate to said expansion chamber to facilitate communication of thermal properties of refrigerant to a fluid flowing through said at least one conduit to form a freeze-thaw region in said at least one conduit; and providing a mating structure over said refrigerant inlet, expansion chamber and refrigerant outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A freeze-thaw valve comprising:
-
a valve housing defining a housing cavity and including at least one housing inlet, at least one housing vent, at least one housing fluid conduit inlet and at least one housing fluid conduit outlet; a substrate; a valve body, at least a portion of which is lithographically etched into said substrate, said valve body including a refrigerant inlet, a refrigerant outlet and an expansion chamber, said expansion chamber being disposed to provide fluid communication between said refrigerant inlet and said refrigerant outlet; and at least one conduit disposed within said valve body and having a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet, said at least one conduit disposed proximate to said expansion chamber to facilitate communication of thermal properties of said refrigerant to a fluid flowing through said at least one conduit to form a freeze-thaw region in said at least one conduit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification