Thin MEMS Pump With In-Plane Valve Lip Flow Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing micro pumps are inefficient in enhancing the transport of ambient fluid or air to gas sensors, which is crucial for precise and rapid pollution detection, especially at low concentrations of harmful gases and particles, and they often lack integration with MEMS sensor systems.

Innovation Solution

A MEMS pump design featuring a basis structure, a deflectable membrane structure, a pump chamber, and a valve structure that controls fluid flow between different outer volumes, allowing for efficient fluid transport through in-plane passage configurations and active valve control signals to manage the pump chamber volume.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional pumps are used to enhance fluid transport to gas sensors, then sampling rate and measurement precision are improved, but device size, cost, and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesampling rateVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the pump chamber, valve structures, and gas sensor into a single integrated MEMS device. The pump chamber is formed within the same substrate as the sensor, and the valve structures are fabricated using the same MEMS processing steps, creating a monolithic integrated system that eliminates the need for separate pump components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a nested structure where the pump chamber is positioned adjacent to and integrated with the sensor chamber within the same MEMS substrate. The valve structures are nested within the pump chamber assembly, with inlet and outlet valves positioned to control fluid flow between the pump chamber, inlet passage, and outlet passage without requiring external components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Productivity

If conventional pumps are used to enhance fluid transport to gas sensors, then sampling rate and measurement precision are improved, but device size and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesampling rateVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from conventional three-dimensional pump designs to a planar MEMS structure where the pump chamber, sensor chamber, and valve structures are arranged in a two-dimensional configuration on the substrate surface, reducing the overall vertical height and enabling thin-film integration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If diffusion-driven gas sensors are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but sampling rate and measurement precision are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice simplicityVSAvoidmeasurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a preliminary action by using the pump to actively transport fluid from the ambient environment through the inlet passage into the pump chamber and then to the sensor chamber before the gas detection process occurs. This pre-positioning and active delivery of the gas sample to the sensor ensures that the sensor receives a sufficient concentration of target gases for accurate detection, overcoming the limitations of passive diffusion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 design enhances the sampling rate and precision of gas sensors by efficiently managing fluid flow, enabling effective pollution detection and integration with MEMS sensor systems while maintaining a compact and cost-effective form.

Implementation Method 1

a membrane structure opposing the basis structure and being deflectable parallel to a surface normal of the basis structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMembrane deflection: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a valve structure fluidically coupled to the passage and configured for connecting, in a first state, the passage to a first outer volume so as to provide the fluid to the pump chamber and for connecting, in a second state, the passage to a second outer volume

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectValve control: Valve

Data Source

PatentUS11835041B2Thin MEMS pump with membrane and valve lip structure

Publication Date: 2023.12.05 INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

A MEMS pump includes a basis structure, a membrane structure opposing the basis structure and being deflectable parallel to a surface normal of the basis structure and includes a pump chamber between the basis structure and the membrane structure wherein a volume of the pump chamber is based on a position of the membrane structure with respect to the basis structure. The MEMS pump includes a passage for letting a fluid pass into the pump chamber or exit the pump chamber, wherein the passage is arranged in-plane with respect to the pump chamber. The MEMS pump includes a valve structure coupled to the passage for connecting, in a first state, the passage to a first outer volume and for connecting, in a second state, the passage to a second outer volume.