Materials and methods of making have been developed for mass production of thermoplastic microfluidic chips. An elastomer diaphragm with a stress relieving feature can be used in microfluidic valves, pump diaphragms, and diaphragm micropumps. An optimized pump chamber design for complete fluid displacement and chamber geometry are provided. Microfluidic pressure regulators use a pneumatically actuated elastic membrane in a back-pressure regulator configuration. Microfluidic accumulators store pressurized fluid in a microfluidic chip. Removable caps for cell culture and a quick release top are described. Methods to incorporate hydrogels and ECM scaffolds have been developed. Electro pneumatic manifolds connect and control of multiple microfluidic devices vertically or on a rotary mechanism.

A method of producing a device includes providing a substrate which has a recess. A multitude of loose particles is introduced into the recess. A first portion of the particles is coated by using a coating process having a depth of penetration which extends from an opening of the recess, along a direction of depth, and into the recess, so that the first portion is connected to form a solidified porous structure. The depth of penetration of the coating process which extends into the recess is set such that a second portion of the particles is not connected by means of the coating, and such that the solidified first portion of the particles is arranged between the second portion of the particles and surroundings of the recess. According to the invention, the second portion of the particles is at least partly removed from the recess.

A manufacturing method of micro fluid actuator includes: providing a substrate; depositing a first protection layer on a first surface of the substrate; depositing an actuation region on the first protection layer; applying lithography dry etching to a portion of the first protection layer to produce at least one first protection layer flow channel; applying wet etching to a portion of a main structure of the substrate to produce a chamber body and a first polycrystalline silicon flow channel region, while a region of an oxidation layer middle section of the main structure is not etched; applying reactive-ion etching to a portion of a second surface of the substrate to produce at least one substrate silicon flow channel; and applying dry etching to a portion of a silicon dioxide layer to produce at least one silicon dioxide flow channel.

The present invention relates to a spray device, comprising a spray nozzle body (2) and a substantially planar membrane layer (6) suspended over a nozzle cavity (3) to generate microjets, especially for pharmaceutical applications, in particular preservative free formulations. The nozzle body (2,8) contains a microbial barrier, particularly a microvalve (23,24) between a fluid supply channel (9) and said cavity (3).

An active cooling system is described. The active cooling system includes at least one cooling element that has a vent therein and is in communication with a fluid. The cooling element(s) are actuated to vibrate to drive the fluid toward a heat-generating structure and to alternately open and close at least one virtual valve corresponding to the vent. The virtual valve is open for a low flow resistance and closed for a high flow resistance. The vent remains physically open for the virtual valve being closed.

A valve module includes a semiconductor body, cavities in the semiconductor body separated from each other by a distance, a cantilever structure suspended over each cavity to enable at least partial closing of the cavity, and a piezoelectric actuator for each cantilever structure. The piezoelectric actuator is configured for use to cause a positive bending of the respective cantilever structure and so modulate a rate of air flow through the valve module.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods using microelectromechanical systems MEMS techniques to provide cryogenic and/or general cooling of a device or sensor system. In one embodiment, a system includes a compressor assembly and MEMS expander assembly in fluid communication with the compressor assembly via a gas transfer line configured to physically separate and thermally decouple the MEMS expander assembly from the compressor assembly. The MEMS expander assembly includes a plurality of expander cells each including a MEMS displacer, a cell regenerator, and an expansion volume disposed between the MEMS displacer and the cell regenerator, and the plurality of cell regenerators are configured to combine to form a contiguous shared regenerator for the MEMS expander assembly.

This fluid handling device has a rotary member that is rotatable around the central axis. In the rotary member, a first protruding part for pressing and closing a valve of a flow channel chip and a recessed part for opening the valve without pressing the valve are disposed on the circumference of a first circle around the central axis. The rotary member further has a second protruding part for, when the recessed part is located at the valve in a state where the rotary member is rotated, pressing the valve so as not to open the valve.

Described is an electrically actuated, pneumatic driven motor. The pneumatic driven motor includes a body having first and second surfaces, the body having a chamber defined by an interior wall, a displacement cavity, and a passage that fluidly couples the displacement cavity to the chamber, a bleeder port and a bleeder port passage that fluidly couples the bleeder port to the chamber, a valve disposed in the passage between the displacement cavity and the chamber, an annular pushrod mechanism coupled to the valve, the annular pushrod mechanism having a pair of pawls that protrude from an inner surface of the annular pushrod mechanism, an axle disposed in the chamber; and a motor gear disposed about the axle, the motor gear having a plurality of teeth that selectively engage with the pawls on the pushrod mechanism according to displacement of the annular pushrod mechanism.

Custom 3d printer and resin for microfluidic flow channels and 3D printed high density, reversible, chip-to-chip microfluidic interconnects.