MEMS CHECK VALVE CHIP AND METHODS

• US 20150057592A1
• Filed: 08/24/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Gunn, Nicholas Max
• Granted Patent: US 9,226,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/16 for measuring intraocular pressure, e.g. tonometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002

Abstract

A MEMS check valve chip is described. The chip comprises a first side and an opposing second side, an outlet port extending from the first side to the second side, and a flexible outlet membrane anchored to the first side to overlie the outlet port. The flexible outlet membrane includes an outlet aperture and a sealing portion, and the sealing portion is movable between a closed position inhibiting fluid flow through the outlet aperture and an open position wherein the sealing portion displaces into the outlet port to permit fluid flow through the outlet aperture.

Claims

1. A MEMS check valve chip for use in the treatment of an ocular condition, comprising:

a first side and an opposing second side;

an outlet port extending from the first side to the second side; and

a flexible outlet membrane disposed on the first side to overlie the outlet port, the outlet membrane including at least one outlet aperture sized to permit fluid flow therethrough and a sealing portion, the sealing portion being movable between a closed position inhibiting fluid flow through the outlet aperture and an open position wherein the sealing portion displaces into the outlet port and toward the second side to permit fluid flow through the outlet aperture from the first side to the second side.

2. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 1, wherein the flexible outlet membrane is comprised of Parylene.

3. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 1, wherein the flexible outlet membrane includes concentric corrugations.

4. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 1, wherein the flexible outlet membrane comprises an annular membrane with the outlet aperture positioned centrally in the membrane and the sealing portion encircles the outlet aperture.

5. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 1, wherein the outlet aperture comprises a mesh material that allows fluid flow therethrough.

6. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 1, wherein the sealing portion is configured to move away from the second side and selectively seal against an outlet valve seat on a second chip and inhibit fluid flow through the outlet aperture when the flexible outlet membrane is in a closed position.

7. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 6, wherein the flexible outlet membrane and the outlet valve seat are arranged to pre-bias the outlet membrane over the outlet valve seat in a closed position when the MEMS check valve chip is in an unpressurized state.

8. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 6, further including a flow control chamber disposed on the second chip, the flow control chamber having a flow control chamber pressure and being configured to affect flow through the outlet aperture by deflecting in response to changes in the flow control chamber pressure.

9. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 8, wherein the flow control chamber includes an actuator fluid and an electrolysis system configured to affect the flow control chamber pressure by generating bubbles by converting at least a portion of the actuator fluid to gas.

10. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 1, further including:

an inlet port extending from the first side to the second side; and

a flexible inlet membrane anchored to the first side to overlie the inlet port, the inlet membrane including at least one inlet aperture sized to permit fluid flow therethrough, the inlet membrane being moveable between a closed position inhibiting fluid flow through the inlet aperture and an open position permitting fluid flow through the inlet aperture.

11. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 10, wherein the flexible outlet membrane and the flexible inlet membrane are separate portions of a continuous membrane disposed on the first side.

12. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 10, wherein the flexible outlet membrane and the flexible inlet membrane are discontinuous membranes disposed on the first side.

13. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 10, further comprising an inlet valve seat disposed on the first side between the inlet membrane and the inlet port, wherein the flexible inlet membrane is configured to move toward the inlet port and selectively seal against the inlet valve seat when the inlet membrane is in a closed condition.

14. The MEMS check valve chip of claim 6, further including:

an inlet port disposed on the second chip; and

a flexible inlet membrane disposed on the second chip to overlie the inlet port, the inlet membrane including at least one inlet aperture sized to permit fluid flow therethrough, the inlet membrane being moveable between a closed position inhibiting fluid flow through the inlet aperture and an open position permitting fluid flow through the inlet aperture.

15. An IOP control device for implantation in an eye of a patient, comprising:

a first chip including;

a first side and an opposing second side; and

an outlet port extending from the first side to the second side and sized to permit fluid flow therethrough from the first side to the second side;

a second chip having an outer side and an inner side, wherein the first chip and the second chip stack to form a fluid flow passageway between the first side of the first chip and the inner side of the second chip, the fluid flow passageway having a fluid flow passageway pressure;

an inlet valve comprising a flexible inlet membrane, the flexible inlet membrane being movable between a closed position inhibiting fluid flow and an open position permitting fluid flow through the inlet valve; and

an outlet valve comprising a flexible outlet membrane anchored to the first side of the first chip to overlie the outlet port, the outlet membrane including at least one outlet aperture sized to permit fluid flow therethrough and a sealing portion, the sealing portion being movable between a closed position wherein the sealing portion deflects away from the second side toward fluid flow passageway to inhibit fluid flow through the outlet aperture and an open position wherein the sealing portion displaces into the outlet port toward the second side to permit fluid flow through the outlet aperture.

16. The IOP control device of claim 15, further comprising an outlet valve seat on the inner side of the second chip.

17. The IOP control device of claim 16, wherein the sealing portion of the outlet membrane is configured to deflect away from the second side of the first chip and selectively seal against the outlet valve seat and inhibit fluid flow through the outlet aperture when the outlet membrane is in a closed position.

18. The IOP control device of claim 16, wherein the flexible outlet membrane and the outlet valve seat are arranged to pre-bias the flexible outlet membrane over the outlet valve seat in a closed position when the outlet valve is in an unpressurized state.

19. The IOP control device of claim 16, wherein the outlet valve seat and the outlet aperture are aligned about a central axis extending through the valve seat.

20. The IOP control device of claim 16, wherein the outlet valve seat comprises a raised boss element.

21. The IOP control device of claim 20, wherein the raised boss element includes a diameter greater than a diameter of the outlet aperture.

22. The IOP control device of claim 15, further comprising an active component within the fluid flow passageway configured to affect fluid flow through the fluid flow passageway from the inlet port to the outlet port.

23. The IOP control device of claim 22, wherein the active component comprises an electrolytic actuator comprising a flow control chamber configured to contain a gas creating a flow control chamber pressure, an actuator fluid, an electrolysis system configured to affect the flow control chamber pressure by converting at least a portion of the actuator fluid to the gas, and a membrane configured to affect flow through the fluid flow passageway from the inlet port to the outlet port by deflecting in response to pressure differentials of the flow control chamber pressure and the fluid flow passageway pressure acting on opposing sides of the membrane.

24. The IOP control device of claim 15, wherein the flexible outlet membrane comprises an annular membrane with the outlet aperture positioned centrally in the membrane and the sealing portion encircles the outlet aperture.

25. The IOP control device of claim 15, further comprising an inlet port extending from the first side to the second side of the first chip and sized to permit fluid flow therethrough, wherein the flexible inlet membrane is disposed on the first side of the first chip.

26. The IOP control device of claim 15, further comprising an inlet port extending from the inner side to the outer side of the second chip and sized to permit fluid flow therethrough, wherein the flexible inlet membrane is disposed on the inner side of the second chip.

27. A method comprising:

forming an outlet port through a first chip having a first side and an opposing second side, the outlet port extending through the first chip from the first side to the second side;

creating a first displaceable member on the first side of the first chip over the outlet member, the first displaceable member having at least one outlet aperture configured to permit the fluid flow therethrough, wherein the first displaceable member displaces into the first chip toward the second side to permit fluid flow through the outlet aperture;

forming a valve seat on a second chip; and

stacking the second chip and the first chip to create a fluid flow passageway therebetween with the valve seat and the at least one outlet aperture of the first displaceable member aligned about a central axis extending through the valve seat and to bias the first displaceable member over the valve seat, wherein the fluid flow passageway includes a fluid flow passageway pressure.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

forming an active component within the fluid flow passageway configured to affect flow through the fluid flow passageway from the inlet port to the outlet port.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the active component comprises an electrolytic actuator comprising a flow control chamber configured to contain a gas creating a flow control chamber pressure, an actuator fluid, an electrolysis system configured to affect the flow control chamber pressure by converting at least a portion of the actuator fluid to the gas, and a membrane configured to affect flow through the fluid flow passageway from the inlet port to the outlet port by deflecting in response to pressure differentials of the flow control chamber pressure and the fluid flow passageway pressure acting on opposing sides of the membrane.

30. The method of claim 27, further including forming an inlet valve having a second displaceable member on the first chip.

31. The method of claim 27, further including forming an inlet valve having a second displaceable member on the second chip.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein forming an inlet valve having a second displaceable member on the first chip comprises depositing a flexible material on the first side of the first chip and selectively removing the flexible material to form the first displaceable member overlying the inlet port and the second displaceable member overlying the outlet port.