MEMS filter module
First Claim
1. A filter module, comprising:
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports;
a second film comprising a plurality of second flow ports, wherein said second film is spaced from said first film;
a plurality of filter walls that are disposed in spaced relation on said second film, that extend from said second film toward said first film, and that are of an annular extent in a plan view of a surface of said second film from which said plurality of filter walls extend, wherein a gap between each said filter wall and said first film defines a filter trap that is thereby also of an annular extent;
a first annular seal extending between said first and second films;
a filtering region bounded by said first annular seal, wherein all of said filter walls, said filter traps, said first flow ports, and said second flow ports are located in said filtering region; and
a plurality of supports extending between said first and second films in said filtering region.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various MEMS filter elements or modules are disclosed. One such MEMS filter module (34) includes a first film (70) and a second film (46) that are spaced and interconnected by a plurality of supports (78). A plurality of first flow ports (74) extend through the first film (70), and a plurality of second flow ports (50) extend through the second film (46). A plurality of annular filter walls (54) extend from the second film (46) toward the first film (70), and are separated therefrom by a filter trap gap (58). A filter trap chamber (62) is disposed on each side of each filter trap gap (58). Therefore, fluid will flow into one filter trap chamber (62), through a filter trap gap (58), and into another filter trap chamber (62), whether the flow is introduced into the filter module (34) through the first flow ports (74) or the second flow ports (50).
34 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A filter module, comprising:
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports;
a second film comprising a plurality of second flow ports, wherein said second film is spaced from said first film;
a plurality of filter walls that are disposed in spaced relation on said second film, that extend from said second film toward said first film, and that are of an annular extent in a plan view of a surface of said second film from which said plurality of filter walls extend, wherein a gap between each said filter wall and said first film defines a filter trap that is thereby also of an annular extent;
a first annular seal extending between said first and second films;
a filtering region bounded by said first annular seal, wherein all of said filter walls, said filter traps, said first flow ports, and said second flow ports are located in said filtering region; and
a plurality of supports extending between said first and second films in said filtering region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports;
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13. A filter module, comprising:
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports;
a second film comprising a plurality of second flow ports, wherein said second film is spaced from said first film;
a plurality of filter walls that are disposed in spaced relation on said second film and that extend from said second film toward said first film, wherein a gap between each said filter wall and said first film defines a filter trap;
a first annular seal extending between said first and second films;
a filtering region bounded by said first annular seal, wherein all of said filter walls, said filter traps, said first flow ports, and said second flow ports are located in said filtering region; and
a plurality of supports extending between said first and second films in said filtering region, wherein a number of said supports is no less than a number of said filter walls. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports;
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23. A filter module, comprising:
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports;
a second film comprising a plurality of second flow ports, wherein said second film is spaced from said first film;
a plurality of filter walls that are disposed in spaced relation on said second film and that extend from said second film toward said first film, wherein a gap between each said filter wall and said first film defines a filter trap, wherein at least two said first flow ports and at least two said second flow ports are associated with each said filter trap;
a first annular seal extending between said first and second films;
a filtering region bounded by said first annular seal, wherein all of said filter walls, said filter traps, said first flow ports, and said second flow ports are located in said filtering region; and
;
a plurality of supports extending between said first and second films. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports;
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35. A filter module, comprising:
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports that extend through said first film;
a first chamber fluidly connected with at least one of said first flow ports;
a second film comprising a plurality of second flow ports that extend through said second film, wherein said second film is spaced from said first film;
a second chamber fluidly connected with at least one of said second flow ports;
a first filter wall that extends from said second film in a direction of said first film, wherein said first and second chambers are disposed on opposite sides of said first filter wall;
a first filter trap defined in part by said first filter wall, wherein said first filter trap fluidly interconnects said first and second chambers; and
a first annular seal extending between said first and second films. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
- a first film comprising a plurality of first flow ports that extend through said first film;
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39. A filter module, as claimed in 38, wherein:
- said first filter wall may be of any shape in said plan view to define said annular extent of said first filter wall.
Specification