Microfluidic delivery system for releasing fluid compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040090-B2
Application number	US-201615231807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2016
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A microfluidic fluid delivery device and method. The device includes a reservoir and a transport member. The device includes a microfluidic delivery member including a microfluidic die configured to release a fluid composition from the device. The microfluidic delivery member includes an adapter configured to receive an end portion of the transport member, wherein a capillary passage is formed between the adapter and the transport member. The capillary passage has a largest effective pore size that is smaller than the average effective pore size of the transport member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microfluidic delivery device comprising:
a reservoir that forms a hollow body with an opening, the reservoir having a reservoir volume;
a transport member having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein at least a portion of the first end portion of the transport member is in fluid communication with the reservoir, and wherein the transport member has a transport member volume;
an enclosure at least partly closing the opening of the reservoir;
a microfluidic delivery member comprising a microfluidic die, the microfluidic die having a fluid chamber in fluid communication with at least a portion of the second end portion of the transport member at an inlet of the fluid chamber, a heater in fluid communication with the fluid chamber, and a nozzle at an outlet of the fluid chamber; and
an adapter disposed adjacent at least a portion of the second end portion of the transport member, the adapter having a wall that forms a cavity for receiving the second end portion of the transport member, wherein a capillary passage is formed at an interface between the wall of the adapter and the second end portion of the transport member, wherein the capillary passage has a largest effective pore size and wherein the transport member has an average effective pore size, and wherein the largest effective pore size of the capillary passage is smaller than the average effective pore size of the transport member,
wherein the transport member volume is less than 60% of the reservoir volume.

2. The microfluidic delivery device of claim 1 wherein the transport member volume is less than 40% of the reservoir volume.

3. The microfluidic delivery device of claim 1 wherein the transport member volume is less than 20% of the reservoir volume.

4. The microfluidic delivery device of claim 1 wherein the transport member has a pore volume distribution with the receding pore volume of at least about 80% of the total volume is in pores having radii less than about 150 um.

5. The microfluidic delivery device of claim 1 wherein the transport member has a pore volume distribution with the receding pore volume of at least about 80% of the total volume is in pores having radii less than about 100 um.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a fluid composition travels through the transport member in a direction opposing the force of gravity when in use.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir comprises a perfume composition.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the reservoir includes at least a portion that is transparent or translucent.

9. The air freshener of claim 1 wherein the microfluidic delivery device is disposable, refillable and/or rechargeable.

10. The air freshener of claim 1 having an output, wherein the microfluidic delivery device has an output and the output is adjustable by a user.

11. The air freshener of claim 10 , wherein the output of the microfluidic delivery device can be adjusted by selecting a predetermined delivery rate for a particular room size.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Gruenbacher Dana Paul
• Hunt David S
• Scheffelin Joseph Edward
• Hoekstra Timothy James
• Dodd Simon
• Brioschi Roberto

Classifications

• B41J2/17509

  Whilst mounted in the printer · CPC title

• B05B1/24

  incorporating means for heating the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. electrically · CPC title

• B05B17/0684 Primary

  Wicks or the like · CPC title

• B41J2/1753

  Details of contacts on the cartridge, e.g. protection of contacts · CPC title

• A45D34/00 Primary

  Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes · CPC title