Microfluidic delivery system for releasing fluid compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9554459-B2
Application number	US-201514950214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A microfluidic refill includes a reservoir having a hollow body and an opening; a transport member in fluid communication with the reservoir; and a lid enclosing the opening of the reservoir. The lid is in fluid communication with the transport member. The lid comprises a rigid microfluidic delivery member. The rigid microfluidic delivery member includes a die and electrical traces that are in electrical communication with the die, wherein the electrical traces terminate at electrical contacts, wherein the electrical traces are disposed on only one plane. The die has a fluid chamber in fluid communication with the transport member at an inlet of the fluid chamber and with an orifice at an outlet of the fluid chamber and.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of connecting a microfluidic delivery refill with a housing, wherein the microfluidic delivery refill comprises a rigid microfluidic delivery member having a die and electrical leads that are in electrical communication with the die, wherein the electrical leads terminate at electrical contacts, wherein the electrical contacts are disposed on a first plane, wherein the microfluidic delivery refill comprises a reservoir that contains a perfume composition, wherein the die comprises a silicon support substrate and a conductive layer that is disposed on the silicon support substrate, wherein the conductive layer comprises at least one heater, wherein the housing comprises electrical contacts, the method comprising the steps of:
electrically connecting the electrical contacts of the microfluidic delivery refill with the electrical contacts of the housing by sliding the microfluidic delivery refill toward an interior of the housing in only one direction that is parallel with the first plane.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a fan.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic delivery refill includes a piezoelectric material or a heater.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic delivery system is powered by battery.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transfer member is configured to wick the fluid composition upward from the reservoir and toward the microfluidic delivery member, in opposition to the force of gravity.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic delivery system comprises at least one sensor.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic delivery system is powered by an AC outlet.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of removing the microfluidic delivery refill from the housing by moving the microfluidic delivery refill in a direction parallel with the first plane.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Gruenbacher Dana Paul
• Hunt David S
• Scheffelin Joseph Edward
• Dodd Simon

Classifications

• Y10T29/49732

  by attaching repair preform, e.g., remaking, restoring, or patching · CPC title

• B41J2/1433

  Structure of nozzle plates · CPC title

• B65D43/02

  Removable lids or covers (with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22) · CPC title

• H05K1/0272 Primary

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

• B65D83/00

  Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents (dispensing means incorporated in closures B65D47/00) · CPC title