Microfluidic delivery system with a die on a rigid substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11523500-B2
Application number	US-201916287949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2019
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system that is configured to eject fluid vertically away from a thermal microfluidic die for use with scented oils or other fluids. The die is coupled to a rigid planar support board that separates the die from a reservoir of the fluid. The support board includes an opening that is lined with an inert liner that protects an interior surface of the support board from the fluid. The support board includes contact to an external power supply and contacts to the die on a first surface. The die is coupled to this first surface such that the second surface remains free of electrical connections.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A microfluidic delivery member, comprising:
a printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the printed circuit board including:
a fluid through hole that extends through the printed circuit board;
an internal sidewall in the fluid through hole; and
a liner layer including a first portion on and physically adhered to the first surface of the printed circuit board, a second portion on and physically adhered to the second surface of the printed circuit board, and a third portion on, completely covering all of the internal sidewall, and physically adhered to all of the internal sidewall; and

a microfluidic die on the first surface of the printed circuit board, the microfluidic die extends fully across and fully overlaps the fluid through hole, the microfluidic die including:
an inlet path in fluid communication with the through hole; and
a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the inlet path;

a first adhesive couples the microfluidic die to the first surface of the printed circuit board, the first adhesive extends around the fluid through hole;
a filter on the second surface of the printed circuit board, the filter extends fully across and fully overlaps the fluid through hole; and
a second adhesive couples the filter to the second surface of the printed circuit board, the second adhesive extends around the fluid through hole.

2. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 , further comprising:
a mechanical support on the first surface of the printed circuit board, and the mechanical support extends between the microfluidic die and the first surface of the printed support.

3. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 , wherein:
the second adhesive is in contact with the second portion of the liner layer.

4. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 , further comprising:
the first adhesive is in contact with the first portion of the liner layer.

5. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 wherein the printed circuit board includes a plurality of woven insulating fibers between the first and the second surfaces.

6. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 wherein the liner layer is made of an inert material.

7. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the liner layer extends from the fluid through hole on the first surface of the printed circuit board a distance, and the second portion of the liner layer extends from the fluid through hole on the second surface of the printed circuit board the distance.

8. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the liner layer extends from the fluid through hole on the first surface of the printed circuit board a first distance, and the second portion of the liner layer extends from the fluid through hole on the second surface of the printed circuit board a second distance that is larger than the first distance.

9. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 , wherein:
the microfluidic die includes a surface facing the first surface of the printed circuit board; and
the first portion of the liner layer being between the first surface of the printed circuit board and the microfluidic die.

10. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid cavity including the fluid through hole, the fluid cavity is defined by the microfluidic die, the liner layer, the first adhesive, the second adhesive, and the filter.

11. A microfluidic delivery member, comprising:
a rigid support member having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the rigid support member including:
a plurality of contact pads on the first surface at a first end of the rigid support member;
a first fluid opening through the rigid support member at a second end of the rigid support member, the first fluid opening exposing an interior surface of the rigid support member that extends from the first surface to the second surface of the rigid support member; and
a layer of inert coating on and physically adhered to the first surface, on and physically adhered to the second surface, and on and physically adhered to the interior surface of the rigid support member, the layer of inert coating configured to cover all of the interior surface;

a fluid ejection die on the first surface of the rigid support member and spaced apart from the first surface of the rigid support member by a space, the fluid ejection die including:
a second fluid opening aligned with the first fluid opening through the rigid support member; and
a plurality of nozzles coupled to the second fluid opening;

a first adhesive between the fluid ejection die and the rigid support member, the adhesive covering a first end of the layer of inert coating that is on the first surface of the rigid support, and the first adhesive surrounds the space from which the fluid ejection die is spaced apart from the rigid support member;
a second adhesive on the second surface and covering a second end of the layer of inert coating on the second surface of the rigid support; and
a filter coupled to the second surface of the rigid support by the second adhesive.

12. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 11 , wherein:
at least one of the first adhesive and the second adhesive overlaps a portion of the layer of inert coating.

13. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 11 , wherein:
the first adhesive between the fluid ejection die and the rigid support member overlaps a first portion of the layer of inert coating that is on the first surface of the rigid support member; and
the second adhesive between the rigid support member and the filter overlaps a second portion of the layer of inert coating that is on the second surface of the rigid support member.

14. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 11 wherein the rigid support member includes a plurality of woven fibers, the layer of inert coating covers fibers of the plurality of woven fibers exposed by the first fluid opening.

15. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 11 , wherein:
the fluid ejection die includes a surface facing the first surface of the rigid support member; and
the layer of inert coating on the first surface of the rigid support member being between the fluid ejection die and the first surface of the rigid support member.

16. The microfluidic delivery member of claim 11 , further comprising a fluid cavity including the first fluid opening, the fluid cavity defined by the fluid ejection die, the first adhesive, the second adhesive, the layer of inert coating, and the filter.

17. A microfluidic delivery member, comprising:
a printed circuit board having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, the printed circuit board including:
a fluid opening through the printed circuit board that exposes an internal sidewall of the printed circuit board; and
a continuous liner layer on and physically adhered to the first surface, on and coupled physically adhered to the second surface, and on and physically adhered to all of the internal sidewall of the printed circuit board;

a microfluidic die on the first surface of the printed circuit board;
a first sealing layer couples the microfluidic die to the first surface of the printed circuit board, the first sealing layer is spaced outward from the fluid opening;
a filter is on the second surface of the printed circuit board;
a second sealing layer couples the filter to the second surface of the printed circuit board is spaced outward from the

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Int Nv

Inventors

• Dodd Simon
• Scheffelin Joe
• Hunt Dave
• Bush Steve
• Sherman Faiz

Classifications

• Y10T137/6416

  With heating or cooling of the system · CPC title

• H05K1/0212

  Printed circuits or mounted components having integral heating means · CPC title

• H05K1/0272 Primary

  Adaptations for fluid transport, e.g. channels, holes · CPC title

• B41J2/17506

  Refilling of the cartridge · CPC title

• B41J2/17513

  Inner structure · CPC title