Integrated pneumatic o-ring gasket for mems devices

Details Integrated pneumatic o-ring gasket for mems devices Integrated pneumatic o-ring gasket for mems devices

2001-05-10

2003-07-15

Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)

Seal for a joint or juncture

Seal between fixed parts or static contact against...

Contact seal for other than internal combustion engine, or...

C277S630000, C277S640000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06592128

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to gaskets used for providing seals between micro-machined devices and connections to the micro-machined devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
illustrates a cross-sectional view of an apparatus
10
according to the related art. The apparatus
10
illustrated in
FIG. 1
includes a planar manifold
20
having a manifold inlet
30
on one of its surfaces and a manifold outlet
40
on another of its surfaces. In between the inlet
30
surface and outlet
40
surface are a series of micro-machined components that allow the apparatus
10
to function according to a specified purpose. For example, the apparatus
10
could function as part of a gas chromatograph, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,868 to Craig et al., incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
Adjacent to the surface of the planar manifold
20
that includes the inlet
30
are positioned, sequentially, an o-ring gasket
90
and a diffusion-bonded plate
80
. The diffusion-bonded plate
80
effectively “squeezes” the gasket
90
and, if the gasket
90
is positioned properly relative to the inlet
30
and the plate
80
, the squeezed gasket
90
is reshaped to form seals with the planar manifold
20
and the diffusion-bonded plate
80
. The pathway to the inlet
30
(through the gasket
90
and the diffusion-bonded plate
80
) allows for a sample to be introduced into the apparatus
10
.
FIG. 2
illustrates an elevated, top perspective view of the related art o-ring gasket
90
included in FIG.
1
. The o-ring gasket
90
includes a web
100
and several o-rings
110
molded into the web
100
. When the gasket
90
is properly positioned relative to a planar manifold
20
, the o-rings
110
in the gasket
90
are centered around the inlets
30
of the manifold
20
. In this position, when squeezed by the diffusion-bonded plate
80
, the gasket
90
forms seals with the planar manifold
20
and the diffusion-bonded plate
80
. These seals prevent the sample introduced into the planar manifold
20
from leaking out of the apparatus
10
.
Among the disadvantages of the related art apparatus
10
and related art o-ring gasket
90
is the inherent difficultly of properly aligning the o-rings
110
relative to the inlets
30
. Unless care and caution are used to position the o-ring gasket
90
, proper seals will not be formed and the sample may leak out of the apparatus
10
. The sample will also leak out of the system if the o-ring gasket
90
is not properly aligned with respect to the diffusion-bonded plate
80
.
Hence, what is needed is a method of conveniently and cost-effectively manufacturing an o-ring gasket that can be conveniently positioned between a planar, micro-machined device and/or a plate that compresses the o-ring gasket to create a seal.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one embodiment, a gasket for sealing an interface to a micro-machined device that includes a web for placement adjacent to the micro-machined device wherein the web includes an aperture and a tool post protruding from a first surface of the web.
According to another embodiment, a gasket for creating an interface to a micro-machined device that includes a web for placement adjacent to the micro-machined device wherein the web includes an aperture and a frame protruding from a first surface of the web.
According to yet another embodiment, a micro-injector that includes an injector die and a first o-ring gasket adjacent to a first surface of the injector die, wherein the first o-ring gasket includes a web adjacent to the injector die, an o-ring in the web, and a tool post protruding from a surface of the web.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3578346 (1971-05-01), Jelinek
patent: 3661166 (1972-05-01), Dickason
patent: 4335697 (1982-06-01), McLean
patent: 5145190 (1992-09-01), Boardman
patent: 5564714 (1996-10-01), Katsuno et al.
patent: 5567868 (1996-10-01), Craig et al.
patent: 5686657 (1997-11-01), Craig et al.
patent: 5730448 (1998-03-01), Swensen et al.
patent: 5735532 (1998-04-01), Nolan et al.
patent: 5767384 (1998-06-01), Wang et al.
patent: 5792943 (1998-08-01), Craig
patent: 5988652 (1999-11-01), Martin et al.
patent: 6260854 (2001-07-01), Lemon
Apple Rubber Products Inc., “The Way To Seal”, Feb., 1998, p.p. 1-3.
Hewlett-Packard Company, www.hp.com/go/chem, “Capillary Columm Connectors” p. 94.
Humphrey Products Company, “Pneumatic & Electronic Automation”, p.p. 38, Oct., 1994.
Pneutronics, 10 mm Small Reliable Solenoid “SRS” Valve.

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