Disclosed is a minifluidic device including a matrix, an elongated guiding duct embedded at least in part in the matrix, with at least one port to the outside of the matrix, a movable fiber at least partly contained in the guiding duct, and able to undergo within the guiding duct, and at least along some part of the fiber, at least one action selected among a sliding, or a deformation, or a rotation and at least one of the movable fiber or the guiding duct is elastic or is non linear along at least part of its length, or at least part of the matrix is elastic.

A fluidic device includes a valve configured to adjust a fluid flow in a first direction of a flow path. The fluidic device includes: a diaphragm of the valve; a first substrate having a groove that constitutes the flow path and a protrusion part at a position facing the diaphragm in the groove; and a second substrate to which the diaphragm is fixed at a first fixation part and a second fixation part, wherein a length from a first end part of the protrusion part to a second end part of the protrusion part seen in the first direction is greater than a length from the first fixation part to the second fixation part.

A valve for controlling a flow of a fluid comprises: a sealing plate comprising a plurality of ports for passage of the fluid through the sealing plate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sealing plate; and a plurality of valve members, each valve member comprising at least one anchor portion arranged in fixed relationship with the sealing plate and a closure portion which is contiguous with the anchor portion and in movable relationship with the sealing plate under a differential pressure of the fluid across the valve, the closure portion being movable away from the sealing plate under a first differential pressure direction to open at least one of the ports and toward the sealing plate under a second and opposite differential pressure direction to close said at least one of the ports. The anchor portions of the plurality of valve members partition the closure portions from each other such as to define a plurality of valve cells, each valve cell comprising one of the valve members and at least one associated port.

A three-way (3-way) Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based micro-valve device and method of fabrication for the implementation of a three-way MEMS-based micro-valve that uses a multicity of piezoelectric actuators. The 3-way has a wide range of applications including medical, industrial control, aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics and products, as well as any application(s) requiring the use of three-way micro-valves for the control of fluids. The three-way microvalve device and method of fabrication can be tailored to the requirements of a wide range of applications and fluid types. The microvalve can be used to control fluids at high pressures and provides for low flow resistances when the microvalve is open and has low leakage when closed.

A valve includes a valve seat having a hole configured as a flow path, a valve body configured to open/close the flow path due to relative movement with respect to the valve seat, an opening member having a first surface fixed to one of the valve seat and the valve body, a second surface configured to separate away and abut the other one of the valve seat and the valve body, a third surface which intersects the first and second surfaces, and an opening penetrating the first and second surfaces, a fixing member that fixes the first surface to the one of the valve seat and the valve body, and an inclined portion, which makes an interval between the one of the valve seat and the valve body and the first surface long in a direction from the opening to the third surface.

Microscale valves for use in, e.g., micropump devices, may be formed of a slitted diaphragm bonded o the interior of a valve tube. A bump in the diaphragm and/or a backward-leakage stopper may increase the breakdown pressure of the valve. A push-rod may be used to pre-load the valve membrane to thereby increase the cracking pressure.

Surface-modified glass and polymer membrane interfaces form high-electrical resistance seals that can be used in microfluidic valves and array devices tailored for electrophysiological measurements. The incorporation of high seal resistance valves into the array device allows only the desired electrophysiological signal to be detected by a patch clamp amplifier, enabling parallel experiments with one patch clamp amplifier, which can greatly improve the cost efficiency. To achieve the desired high seal resistance, surface modification was performed on the glass components to increase the interaction between the glass and the membrane surfaces. The valves exhibit seal resistance of >500G after modification, which is 100 higher than reported for unmodified valves.

Disclosed is a minifluidic device including a matrix, an elongated guiding duct embedded at least in part in the matrix, with at least one port to the outside of the matrix, a movable fiber at least partly contained in the guiding duct, and able to undergo within the guiding duct, and at least along some part of the fiber, at least one action selected among a sliding, or a deformation, or a rotation and at least one of the movable fiber or the guiding duct is elastic or is non linear along at least part of its length, or at least part of the matrix is elastic.

A fluid control apparatus includes a piezoelectric pump and valve. The valve includes a second valve housing, second seal member, diaphragm, first seal member, and first valve housing and has a structure in which they are laminated in sequence. The first valve housing includes a second vent and third vent, has a valve seat, and includes six cavities. The second valve housing has a first vent and first vent and includes a valve seat and six first protrusions. The second valve housing further includes six second protrusions nearer the outer edges than the six first protrusions, as seen in the x-axis direction in plan view.

An electrolytic membrane valve and method of its manufacture are provided. The valve includes a substrate comprising an opening and a conductive membrane impermeable to a conductive media and sealing the opening, as well as a cathode on the substrate and in communication with the membrane through the conductive media, and an anode on the substrate directly contacting the membrane. The anode is at least partially protected from electrochemical corrosion, and upon application of an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode, the membrane ruptures to allow flow of the conductive media through the opening.