Micro-fluidic pump

Abstract

A micro-fluidic pump comprises one or more channels having an array of resistive heaters, an inlet, outlet and a substrate as a heat sink and a means of cooling the device. The pump is operated with a fire-to-fire delay and / or a cycle-to-cycle delay to control the pumping rate and minimize heating of liquid inside the pump during its operation.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 594,559, filed Feb. 3, 2012, entitled Micro-Fluidic Pump, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth herein.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]NoneREFERENCE TO SEQUENTIAL LISTING, ETC.[0003]NoneBACKGROUND[0004]1. Field of the Disclosure[0005]This present disclosure generally relates to a pump. More specifically, it relates to a pump which forms thermal bubbles to transport liquid through a channel or deliver liquid from a reservoir to a channel of micro-fluidic devices. Resistive heaters configured to flow fluid in channels about a chip facilitate certain designs, as do techniques for controlling them. Thermal control facilitates other designs.[0006]2. Description of the Related Art[0007]Micro-fluidic devices manipulate microscopic volumes of liquid inside micro-sized structures. A...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a device called a micro-fluidic pump that uses resistive heaters to move liquid through a small channel of devices. The device has multiple heaters on a substrate, and a cover layer above them that creates a space where the liquid flows from one heater to the next without escaping the cover layer. The heaters are operated in a specific way to control the pumping rate, and the device is cooled during operation to minimize heating of the liquid. This technology has applications in areas like medical diagnostics and biological research.

Problems solved by technology

Among these components, it is well known to be difficult to attain micro-fluidic pumps which are ready to be assembled with micro-fluidic devices at low costs.

For example, while a range of micro-fluidic devices have been miniaturized to the size of a postage stamp, these devices have often required large external pneumatic pumping systems for their operation.

Usually, these pumps have complex structures and are difficult to manufacture at low costs.

In addition, their size is large making them a major drawback for integration with smaller micro-fluidic devices.

A disadvantage of this kind of pump is its high operation voltage and low flow rate.

While the art described different ways to transport liquid using thermal bubbles, they failed to disclose how to make small, reliable and disposable pumps which are ready to be assembled with micro-fluidic devices at low cost.

Images