Electroosmotic micropump with planar features

US7316543B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University · US

Inventors

• Kenneth E. Goodson · Belmont, US
• Thomas Kenny · Redwood City, US
• Juan G. Santiago · Fremont, US
• Daniel J. Laser · San Francisco, US
• Chuan-Hua Chen · Stanford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 30, 2003
• Grant date: Jan 8, 2008
• Expiry date: Oct 19, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F04B17/00
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An electroosmotic micropump having a plurality of thin, closely-spaced, approximately planar, transversel aligned partitions formed in or on a substrate, among which electroosmotic flow (EOF) is generated. Electrodes are located within enclosed inlet and outlet manifolds on either side of the partition array. Inlet and outlet ports enable fluid to be pumped into and through the micropump and through an external friction load or head. Insulating layer coatings on the formed substrate limit substrate leakage current during pumping operation.