Micro valve, method for producing a micro valve, as well as micro pump

• US 8,528,591 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2008
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Pirk, Tjalf, Stumber, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAHILL, JESSICA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/671,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20100266432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 137/493, 137/493.8, 137/493.9, 137/494, 137/495, 137/505.13, 137/505.26, 137/505.36, 137/505.38, 137/510, 137/511, 137/516.11, 137/516.13, 137/843, 137/859, 137/907, 251/331, 417/413.1, 417/413.3, 417/479
• US Class Current: 137/493.8
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/043 Micropumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/144 the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0094 Micropumps
• 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 99/0015 Diaphragm or membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0057 the fluid being the circulating fluid itself, e.g. check valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0059 actuated by a pilot fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7779 Axes of ports parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/778 Axes of ports co-axial
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7837 Direct response valves [i.e., check valve type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7879 Resilient material valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49236 Fluid pump or compressor making

Abstract

A micro valve includes a first valve chamber and a second valve chamber as well as a closing element, which is adjustable between an opening position, in which the valve chambers are connected to each other, and a closing position in which the valve chambers are separated from each other. A reference chamber is provided, which is delimited by the closing element.

Claims

1. A micro pump, comprising:

at least one micro valve arranged as at least one of (a) an intake valve and (b) a discharge valve, the micro valve including;

a first valve chamber;

a second valve chamber;

a closing element adjustable between an open position, in which the valve chambers are connected to each other, and a close position in which the valve chambers are separated from each other; and

a reference chamber delimited by the closing element;

wherein;

the closing element is adapted to move from the close position into the open position in response to pressure in at least one of the first and the second valve chambers;

a reference pressure established by one of a fluid and a gas contained in the reference chamber biases the closing element toward the close position and determines how much pressure in the at least one of the first and the second valve chambers is required to move the closing element into the open position; and

the closing element is at least one of (a) shaped as and (b) provided with at least one reinforcement structure that prevents the closing element from opening toward a region of the closing element in which the reinforcement structure is located, thereby making moving from the close position to the open position dependent upon a direction of a pressure differential between the first and the second valve chambers.

2. A method for producing a micro pump, comprising:

producing a base plate having a first and a second valve chamber;

producing a functional layer including a closing element and a reference chamber delimited by the closing element; and

joining the functional layer to the base plate;

wherein;

the producing of the functional layer includes forming the closing element and the reference chamber such that after the base plate and the functional layer are joined;

the closing element is adjustable between an open position, in which the valve chambers are connected to each other, and a close position in which the valve chambers are separated from each other, the closing element being adapted to move from the close position into the open position in response to pressure in at least one of the first and the second valve chambers; and

a reference pressure established by one of a fluid and a gas contained in the reference chamber biases the closing element toward the close position and determines how much pressure in the at least one of the first and the second valve chambers is required to move the closing element into the open position; and

the closing element is at least one of shaped and provided with at least one reinforcement structure that prevents the closing element from opening toward a region of the closing element in which the reinforcement structure is located, thereby making moving from the close position to the open position dependent upon a direction of a pressure differential between the first and the second valve chambers.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one of (a) the functional layer is joined to the base plate prior to producing the closing element and (b) the closing element is introduced into the base plate once the functional layer has been joined to the base plate.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein, prior to the joining, an anti-bonding layer is applied on a separation wall in the base plate cooperating with the closing element.

5. A micro valve, comprising:

a first valve chamber;

a second valve chamber;

a closing element adjustable between an open position, in which the valve chambers are connected to each other, and a close position in which the valve chambers are separated from each other;

a reference chamber delimited by the closing element;

wherein;

the closing element is adapted to move from the close position into the open position in response to pressure in at least one of the first and the second valve chambers;

a reference pressure established by one of a fluid and a gas contained in the reference chamber biases the closing element toward the close position and determines how much pressure in the at least one of the first and the second valve chambers is required to move the closing element into the open position;

the closing element is arranged as a diaphragm, which, in the close position, is adapted to seal and cooperate with a separation wall which separates the first and the second valve chamber from one another; and

spaced apart from the separation wall, a support element of at least the same height as the separation wall is provided in the second valve chamber, the closing element being directly supported in the close position against both the separation wall and the support element.

6. The micro valve according to claim 5, wherein the support element has support walls disposed to both sides of a through hole.

7. The micro valve according to claim 5, wherein the support element is centrally located with respect to the diaphragm to support the diaphragm in a region of a diaphragm center.

8. The micro valve according to claim 7, wherein the separation wall is off-center with respect to the diaphragm, and the support element establishes a connection between the valve chambers when vacuum pressure exceeding the reference pressure is applied to the second valve chamber, by providing, in response to the vacuum pressure, a lever action that presses the closing element away from the separation wall.

9. A micro valve, comprising:

a first valve chamber;

a second valve chamber;

a closing element adjustable between an open position, in which the valve chambers are connected to each other, and a close position in which the valve chambers are separated from each other; and

a reference chamber delimited by the closing element;

wherein;

the closing element is adapted to move from the close position into the open position in response to pressure in at least one of the first and the second valve chambers;

a reference pressure established by one of a fluid and a gas contained in the reference chamber biases the closing element toward the close position and determines how much pressure in the at least one of the first and the second valve chambers is required to move the closing element into the open position; and

the closing element is at least one of (a) shaped as and (b) provided with at least one reinforcement structure that prevents the closing element from opening toward a region of the closing element in which the reinforcement structure is located, thereby making moving from the close position to the open position dependent upon a direction of a pressure differential between the first and the second valve chambers.

10. The micro valve according to claim 9, wherein the reference pressure is adjustable.

11. The micro valve according to claim 9, wherein the reference pressure is adjustable independently of a pressure inside at least one of (a) the first and (b) the second valve chamber.

12. The micro valve according to claim 9, wherein the reference chamber is connected to at least one of (a) the first and (b) the second valve chamber.

13. The micro valve according to claim 9, wherein the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber are co-axially positioned with respect to each other.

14. The micro valve according to claim 9, wherein the closing element is arranged as a diaphragm, which, in the close position, is adapted to seal and cooperate with a separation wall which separates the first and the second valve chamber from one another.

15. The micro valve according to claim 14, wherein the diaphragm is adapted to seal and cooperate with an end face of the separation wall.

16. The micro valve according to claim 9, wherein the first and the second valve chamber are situated in a base plate and the closing element is arranged in a functional layer situated at least one of (a) above the base plate and (b) below the base plate.

17. The micro valve according to claim 16, wherein the base plate is made of a semiconductor material.

18. The micro valve according to claim 16, wherein the closing element is made of a polymer material.

19. The micro valve according to claim 16, wherein the functional layer is joined to the base plate.

20. The micro valve according to claim 16, wherein the functional layer is joined to the base plate by at least one of (a) an anodic and (b) a plasma-active bond.