Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe Gmbh

Burkert Gmbh Werk Ingelfingen

Dragerwerk Aktiengesellschaft

Dirk Schmidt

Wolfgang Ehrfeld

Bernd Kowanz

Herbert Kiesele

Werner Schelb

Jurgen Tewes

Friedrich Gotz

Method of producing microsensors with integrated signal processing

The invention is directed to an electrochemical measuring cell for detecting gaseous components with an electrolyte which is disposed between a counter electrode and a measuring electrode provided with gas permeable pores. The pores are configured as channels partially or completely filled with the electrolyte and these channels have a diameter which does not exceed 10 micrometers with a channel length of up to 300 micrometers and a web thickness of not more than 5 micrometers. With this configuration, drift and memory effects are suppressed and the measuring sensitivity is increased and, on the other hand, the response time and the residual current are reduced. When the measuring cell is used as a dosimeter, the counter electrode and the measuring electrode are decoupled with respect to a mass transport in the electrolyte.

Electrochemical measuring cell

The plate-like valve elements (10 and 20) of the microvalve are provided with a plurality of valve seats and, respectively, corresponding valve members. The sealing surfaces of a secondary valve element (10) are respectively formed by molding to copy the sealing faces of a primary valve element (20) so that the sealing surfaces of both valve elements are completely complementary to each other. The sealing surfaces need no further processing such as machining. Despite liberal tolerances of manufacture a high precision register of the valve elements in relation to each other is ensured.

Method of manufacturing microvalves

A valve plate (14) provided with slot-like valve ports (16) is able to slide between two stationary valve plates (10 and 12) which are joined with each other and are provided with corresponding slot-like valve ports (16). A electrostatic drive is integrated in the valve plates (10, 12 and 14). It consists of strip-like electrodes (20 and 22) which are arranged opposite to corresponding electrodes of another valve plate. By the application of suitable actuating potentials with the same or opposite polarity to the electrodes of different valve plates the actuating forces may be produced, which are needed for moving the movable valve plate (14).

Microvalve

Growing community of inventors

Stutensee, Germany

Dirk Schmidt