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.

A surgical access assembly includes a cannula, a valve housing attached to the cannula, and a valve assembly positioned in the valve housing. The valve assembly includes a centering mechanism with a hoop and fingers, a ring with a flange at one end of the ring, a retainer having first and second discs, a guard having a frame and flaps attached to the frame, and a seal with petals attached to a support. The guard is at least partially disposed in the first disc and the seal is at least partially disposed in the second disc.

A venous valve model includes a first layer having a central axis and a fluid channel extending between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet formed in the first layer, wherein the fluid channel is defined by a pair of channel walls, a first venous valve formed in the first layer and positioned along the fluid channel, and a pair of first actuation chambers positioned adjacent the channel walls of the fluid channel, wherein the pair of first actuation chambers are configured to decrease a width of the fluid channel in response to pressurization of the pair of first actuation chambers.

A micro fluid actuator includes a first substrate, a chamber layer, a vibration layer, a first metal layer, a piezoelectric actuation layer, a second metal layer, a second substrate, an inlet layer, a resonance layer and an aperture array plate. The first substrate includes a plurality of first outflow apertures and a plurality of second outflow apertures. The chamber layer includes a storage chamber. The second metal layer includes an upper electrode pad and a lower electrode pad. While driving power having different phase charges is provided to the upper electrode pad and the lower electrode pad to drive and control the vibration layer to displace in a reciprocating manner, the fluid is inhaled from the exterior through the inlet layer, converged to the storage chamber, compressed and pushes out the aperture array plate, and then is discharged out from the micro fluid actuator to achieve fluid transportation.

A microfluidic valve may include a firing chamber having an orifice, a first portion of a liquid conduit connected to the firing chamber at a first port, a second portion of the liquid conduit connected to the firing chamber at a second port and a thermal resistor. The thermal resistor is to form a bubble within the firing chamber to expel liquid from the firing chamber through the orifice such that a first meniscus forms across the first port and a second meniscus forms across the second port to interrupt liquid flow between the first portion and the second portion of the liquid conduit.

The invention concerns a micro check valve (10) comprising a substrate body (12) having a top side (16) and an underside (14), wherein at least the top side (16) has a sealing bar (34) between a first trough (30) and a second trough (32). The substrate body (12) also has a passage (24) which leads from the underside (14) of the substrate body (12) to the top side (16) of the substrate body (12) and ends on the top side (16) of the substrate body (12) in the first trough (30). In addition arranged on the top side (16) of the substrate body (12) is a diaphragm (18) which is mounted flexibly at least in the region of the sealing bar (34) and the first and second troughs (30, 32). The diaphragm (18) also has at least one through opening (42) arranged above the second trough (32).

The invention further concerns a system having a plurality of micro check valves (10) and a method for the production thereof.

The present disclosure is drawn to microfluidic chips. The microfluidic chips can include an inflexible material having an elastic modulus of 0.1 gigapascals (GPa) to 450 GPa. A microfluidic channel can be formed within the inflexible material and can connect an inlet and an outlet. A working electrode can be associated with the microfluidic channel and can have a surface area of 1 m.sup.2 to 60,000 m.sup.2 within the microfluidic channel. A bubble support structure can also be formed within the microfluidic channel such that the working electrode is positioned to electrolytically generate a bubble that becomes associated with the bubble support structure.

A pneumatic system for a medical fluid machine operating a medical fluid cassette, the pneumatic system including an interface for supplying positive pneumatic pressure and negative pneumatic pressure to the medical fluid cassette; a source of positive pneumatic pressure; a source of negative pneumatic pressure; and a pneumatic pump including a first head and a second head, wherein the first head is dedicated to supplying positive pneumatic pressure to the positive pneumatic pressure source and the second head is dedicated to supplying negative pneumatic pressure to the negative pneumatic pressure source.

A valve for use in connection with microfluidic devices includes a safety feature such that flow is controlled even in the case of a loss of power, thus having applications in critical applications such as the precise delivery of drugs overtime. The valve may be used in connection with multiple tubes delivering drugs, and may be used with a pump, such as an electrochemical pump, to provide the force to move the fluids containing drugs for delivery. In certain applications, more than one medicine may be delivered and metered independently using a single pump with multiple reservoirs and valves.

Disclosed are examples of valve systems and methods of operating the respective valve systems. An example valve system may include a valve body, an inlet component, an outlet component and a valve tube. The valve body may include a first void and a second void. The inlet component may be coupled to the first void and the outlet component may be coupled to the second void. The valve tube may include a side port and may be positioned through the valve body and coupled to the first void, the inlet component, the second void, and the outlet component. Other valve system examples may include including a valve body, a first septum, a second septum, a first piston, a second piston and a tube. The disclosed methods describe the interaction of the respective components of the respective valve system example.