Fluidic Cartridge Overflow Chamber Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable fluid delivery devices require miniaturization to enhance portability and user experience, with a need for smaller and lighter components such as fluidic cartridges that can efficiently manage and dispense printing fluids or analyze analytes without compromising performance.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a fluidic cartridge assembly with a die, substrate, and lid, featuring main and overflow chambers fluidically coupled via an overflow channel with capillary pinch points, and adhesive films to protect electrical traces, allowing for the efficient dispensing of multiple fluids and potential analyte analysis within a compact and lightweight form factor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the fluidic cartridge is miniaturized to reduce device size and weight, then portability is improved, but maintaining reliable fluid dispensing under varying pressure and temperature conditions becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow chamber is designed to accommodate excess fluid that expands during printing operations, particularly under varying temperature and pressure conditions. This pre-configured compensation mechanism prevents fluid leakage and maintains reliable operation without requiring larger structural components, thus preserving the miniaturized form factor while ensuring operational reliability.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If main chambers are fluidically coupled to overflow chambers via overflow channels, then fluid drooling is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow chamber is integrated within the same lid structure as the main fluid chambers, sharing common walls and spatial arrangement. This merging approach allows the overflow protection function to be added without requiring separate external components or complex inter-chamber connections, thus preventing fluid drooling while minimizing increases in device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the size and weight of portable fluid delivery devices while maintaining functionality, preventing fluid drooling and ensuring reliable operation under varying pressure and temperature conditions, supporting a more portable and user-friendly experience.
Implementation Method 1
overflow channels (135) formed into the substrate (110). Each of the overflow channels (135) includes a capillary pinch point (410)
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly, in an example, may include at least one die, a substrate comprising at least one electrical trace, a lid coupled to a first side of the substrate to contain an amount of fluid between the substrate and lid, and an adhesive film coupled to a second side of the substrate to protect the at least one electrical trace wherein the lid further comprises a main chamber for each of at least two distinct fluids and an overflow chamber fluidically coupled to each of the main chambers via an overflow channel.