Microfluidic device for controlling pneumatic microvalves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11313489-B2
Application number	US-202017135192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2020
Priority date	Dec 30, 2019
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to microfluidic devices for controlling pneumatic microvalves. One embodiment includes a microfluidic device for independently controlling a plurality of pneumatic microvalves. The microfluidic device is couplable to a pressure source. The microfluidic device includes a first substrate. The microfluidic device also includes a flexible membrane covering the first substrate. Additionally, the microfluidic device includes a second substrate covering the flexible membrane. Further, the microfluidic device includes one or more fluidic channels at least partially defined in the first substrate. In addition, the microfluidic device includes a pressure couplable to the pressure source and branching into a plurality of pressure channels. Still further, the microfluidic device includes at least one pressure control switch per pressure channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microfluidic device for independently controlling a plurality of pneumatic microvalves, the microfluidic device being couplable to a pressure source and comprising:
a first substrate;
a flexible membrane covering the first substrate;
a second substrate covering the flexible membrane;
one or more fluidic channels at least partially defined in the first substrate;
a pressure line couplable to the pressure source and branching into a plurality of pressure channels, the pressure channels being at least partially defined in the second substrate,
wherein each of the plurality of pneumatic microvalves comprises:
a portion of one of the fluidic channels; and
a first portion of the pressure channel overlapping the fluidic channel portion, wherein the first portion of the pressure channel and the fluidic channel portion are separated by the flexible membrane such that a pressure in the first portion of the pressure channel is configured to bend the flexible membrane:
into the fluidic channel portion or out of the first portion of the pressure channel, thereby closing the fluidic channel portion; or
out of the fluidic channel portion or into the first portion of the pressure channel, thereby opening the fluidic channel portion; and

at least one pressure control switch per pressure channel, wherein each pressure control switch comprises:
a cavity in the first substrate;
a second portion of the corresponding pressure channel overlapping the cavity, wherein the second portion of the pressure channel and the cavity are separated by the flexible membrane; and
an actuator for bending the flexible membrane:
into the second portion of the pressure channel or out of the cavity, thereby closing the second portion of the pressure channel; or
out of the second portion of the pressure channel or into of the cavity, thereby opening the second portion of the pressure channel, and

wherein each actuator is independently operable.

2. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first substrate or the second substrate comprises a rigid material.

3. The microfluidic device according to claim 2 , wherein the rigid material comprises a glass or semiconductor material.

4. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one actuator comprises an electrostatic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, or a thermal actuator.

5. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , wherein, for at least one actuator, at least an element of the actuator is enclosed by neither the second substrate nor the flexible membrane.

6. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the second portions of the pressure channels, a profile of the second portion of the pressure channel is complementary to a profile of the flexible membrane when the flexible membrane is bent into the second portion of the pressure channel or out of the cavity.

7. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the second portions of the pressure channels, a distance between a first actuator element and a second actuator element tapers towards an edge of the second portion of the pressure channel.

8. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second portions of the pressure channels or at least one fluidic channel portion comprises a valve seat for receiving the flexible membrane upon closing the second portion of the pressure channel.

9. The microfluidic device according to claim 8 , wherein the valve seat comprises a structure protruding towards the flexible membrane.

10. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a peristaltic pump formed by three or more of the pneumatic microvalves that are associated with the same fluidic channel.

11. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , wherein, for at least one fluidic channel portion, a profile of the fluidic channel portion is complementary to a profile of the flexible membrane when the flexible membrane is bent into the fluidic channel portion.

12. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , further comprising, for at least one pressure channel, a first pressure control switch and a second pressure control switch, wherein the first pressure control switch is located upstream and the second pressure control switch is located downstream of the pressure channel relative to one of the pneumatic microvalves.

13. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the pressure control switches, the flexible membrane comprises a through-hole for coupling a pressure in the cavity with a pressure in the corresponding second portion of the pressure channel.

14. A system comprising:
a pressure source;
a microfluidic device for independently controlling a plurality of pneumatic microvalves, wherein the microfluidic device is coupled to the pressure source and comprises:
a first substrate;
a flexible membrane covering the first substrate;
a second substrate covering the flexible membrane;
one or more fluidic channels at least partially defined in the first substrate;
a pressure line couplable to the pressure source and branching into a plurality of pressure channels, the pressure channels being at least partially defined in the second substrate,
wherein each of the plurality of pneumatic microvalves comprises:
a portion of one of the fluidic channels; and
a first portion of the pressure channel overlapping the fluidic channel portion, wherein the first portion of the pressure channel and the fluidic channel portion are separated by the flexible membrane such that a pressure in the first portion of the pressure channel is configured to bend the flexible membrane:
into the fluidic channel portion or out of the first portion of the pressure channel, thereby closing the fluidic channel portion; or
out of the fluidic channel portion or into the first portion of the pressure channel, thereby opening the fluidic channel portion; and

at least one pressure control switch per pressure channel, wherein each pressure control switch comprises:
a cavity in the first substrate;
a second portion of the corresponding pressure channel overlapping the cavity, wherein the second portion of the pressure channel and the cavity are separated by the flexible membrane; and
an actuator for bending the flexible membrane:
into the second portion of the pressure channel or out of the cavity, thereby closing the second portion of the pressure channel; or
out of the second portion of the pressure channel or into of the cavity, thereby opening the second portion of the pressure channel, and

wherein each actuator is independently operable.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first substrate or the second substrate comprises a rigid material.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the rigid material comprises a glass or semiconductor material.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein at least one actuator comprises an electrostatic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, or a thermal actuator.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein, for at least one actuator, at least an element of the actuator is enclosed by neither the second substrate nor the flexible membrane.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein, for at least one of the second portions of the pressure channels, a profile of the second portion of the pressure channel is complementary to a profile of the flexible membrane when the flexible membrane is bent into the second portion of the pressure channel or out of the cavit

Assignees

• Imec Vzw

Inventors

• Zhang Lei
• Stakenborg Tim
• Liu Chengxun
• Cheyns David

Classifications

• F16K11/24

  with an electromagnetically-operated valve, e.g. for washing machines · CPC title

• F16K7/123

  the seat being formed on the bottom of the fluid line · CPC title

• F16K31/128 Primary

  servo actuated · CPC title

• F16K2099/008

  Multi-layer fabrications · CPC title

• F16K31/004

  actuated by piezoelectric means · CPC title