Implant having MEMS flow module with movable, flow-controlling baffle
First Claim
1. An implant for addressing pressure within a first body region, said implant comprising:
- a conduit comprising a flow path and adapted to fluidly interconnect with the first body region; and
a MEMS flow module disposed within said flow path, wherein said MEMS flow module comprises;
a flow regulator, wherein said flow regulator comprises a first baffle; and
a first plate, wherein said first plate comprises a first flow port, wherein said first baffle is aligned with said first flow port, and wherein said first baffle is movable relative to said first plate to change a magnitude of a spacing of said first baffle from said first plate in response to a change in differential pressure across said MEMS flow module;
wherein the first plate comprises a first group of a plurality of the first flow ports and wherein the first baffle is aligned with each first flow port in the first group; and
wherein said first baffle comprises a plurality of baffle flow ports, wherein said plurality of first flow ports in said first group and said plurality of baffle flow ports are arranged such that a flow through any given said first flow port must change direction to flow through any of said plurality of baffle flow ports.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of MEMS flow modules that may be disposed in a flow path (296) of a shunt (290) are disclosed, where the shunt (290) may be used to control a flow out of an anterior chamber (284) of an eye (266). One such MEMS flow module (58) has a tuning element (78) and a lower plate (70). A plurality of springs or spring-like structures (82) interconnect the tuning element (78) with the lower plate (70) in a manner that allows the tuning element (78) to move either toward or away from the lower plate (70), depending upon the pressure being exerted on the tuning element (78) by a flow through a lower flow port (74) on the lower plate (70). The tuning element (78) is disposed over this lower flow port (74) to induce a flow through the MEMS flow module (58) along a non-linear (geometrically) flow path.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An implant for addressing pressure within a first body region, said implant comprising:
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a conduit comprising a flow path and adapted to fluidly interconnect with the first body region; and a MEMS flow module disposed within said flow path, wherein said MEMS flow module comprises; a flow regulator, wherein said flow regulator comprises a first baffle; and a first plate, wherein said first plate comprises a first flow port, wherein said first baffle is aligned with said first flow port, and wherein said first baffle is movable relative to said first plate to change a magnitude of a spacing of said first baffle from said first plate in response to a change in differential pressure across said MEMS flow module; wherein the first plate comprises a first group of a plurality of the first flow ports and wherein the first baffle is aligned with each first flow port in the first group; and wherein said first baffle comprises a plurality of baffle flow ports, wherein said plurality of first flow ports in said first group and said plurality of baffle flow ports are arranged such that a flow through any given said first flow port must change direction to flow through any of said plurality of baffle flow ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An implant for addressing pressure within a first body region, said implant comprising:
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a conduit comprising a flow path and adapted to fluidly interconnect with the first body region; and a MEMS flow module disposed within said flow path, wherein said MEMS flow module comprises; a flow regulator, wherein said flow regulator comprises a first baffle; and a first plate, wherein said first plate comprises a first flow port, wherein said first baffle is aligned with said first flow port, and wherein said first baffle is movable relative to said first plate to change a magnitude of a spacing of said first baffle from said first plate in response to a change in differential pressure across said MEMS flow module; and means for limiting a maximum amount of movement of said first baffle away from said first flow port. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An implant for addressing pressure within a first body region, said implant comprising:
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a conduit comprising a flow path and adapted to fluidly interconnect with the first body region; and a MEMS flow module disposed within said flow path, wherein said MEMS flow module comprises; a flow regulator, wherein said flow regulator comprises a first baffle; and a first plate, wherein said first plate comprises a first flow port, wherein said first baffle is aligned with said first flow port, and wherein said first baffle is movable relative to said first plate to change a magnitude of a spacing of said first baffle from said first plate in response to a change in differential pressure across said MEMS flow module; wherein;
said first baffle exists at least in a first fabrication level and said first plate exists at least in a second fabrication level that is spaced from said first fabrication level. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An implant for addressing pressure within a first body region, said implant comprising:
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a conduit comprising a flow path and adapted to fluidly interconnect with the first body region; and a MEMS flow module disposed within said flow path, wherein said MEMS flow module comprises; a flow regulator, wherein said flow regulator comprises a first baffle; and a first plate, wherein said first plate comprises a first flow port, wherein said first baffle is aligned with said first flow port, and wherein said first baffle is movable relative to said first plate to change a magnitude of a spacing of said first baffle from said first plate in response to a change in differential pressure across said MEMS flow module; a self-assembled monolayer coating on all surfaces of said MEMS flow module that may be exposed to a biological material or a biological fluid when said implant is installed.
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28. A tunable shunt for permitting flow of fluid from between an anterior chamber of an eye and an exterior of the eye, the shunt comprising:
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a housing adapted to be implanted, at least in part, in the eye; a conduit disposed within the housing and defining a flow path; and a MEMS flow module disposed within the flow path, wherein the MEMS flow module further includes; a flow regulator having a first baffle; and a first plate defining a first flow port; wherein the first baffle is aligned with the first flow port, and wherein the first baffle is movable relative to the first plate in response to a change in differential pressure across said MEMS flow module; and wherein a position of the first baffle is dependent upon a pressure being exerted on the first baffle by the flow entering the MEMS flow module through the first flow port, and wherein a flow rate of the flow exiting said MEMS flow module is dependent upon a position of the first baffle; wherein the first baffle exists at least in a first fabrication level and the first plate exists at least in a second fabrication level that is spaced from the first fabrication level. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification