The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 18, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 05, 2000
Charles Grosjean, Pasadena, CA (US);
Yu-Chong Tai, Pasadena, CA (US);
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US);
Abstract
A micropump including a chamber plate with connected pumping chambers for accepting small volumes of a fluid and a pumping structure. The pumping structure includes a flexible membrane, portions of which may be inflated into associated pumping chambers to pump the fluid out of the chamber or seal the chamber. A working fluid in cavities below the flexible membrane portions are used to inflate the membrane. The cavities may include a suspended heating element to enable a thermopneumatic pumping operation. The pumping chambers are shaped to closely correspond to the shape of the associated flexible membrane portion in its inflated state.