Patent US3705500A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5180288A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5180288A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microminiaturized electrostatic pump
Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung eV
•
Filing: 1990-04-17
•
Granted: 1993-01-19
•
Expires: 2010-04-17
Abstract
Abstract An electrostatic pump includes two electrodes, which are spaced apart essentially in the pump flow direction and which are adapted to have applied thereto a potential for injecting an ion current flowing between the two electrodes. For further microminiaturization of the pump, the pump includes two semiconductor components, which are arranged one on top of the other in the pump flow direction and which are so structured that the electrodes form an integral constituent part of the semiconductor components.
Inventors
- 👤 Axel Richter
- 👤 Herrmann Sandmeier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 12:33
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04B; F04B15/00; H; H02; H02N; H02N11/00; H02N11/006; B; B05; B05B; B05B5/00; B05B5/16; F04D; F04D33/00; H01; H01J; H01J41/00; H01J41/12; H01J41/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump including two electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 63, 68; 73, 78), which are arranged in a essentially non-conductive fluid to be pumped and which are spaced apart essentially in the pump flow direction, said electrodes being adapted to have applied thereto a potential for injecting or for accelerating an ion current which flows between said electrodes through said fluid, and further including two components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71), which are arranged one on top of the other essentially in the pump flow direction and which are structured by etched openings in such way that the electrodes form an integral constituent part of said semiconductor components; characterized in that components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71) and the electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 63, 68; 73, 78) consist of a semiconductor material, the main surfaces of said components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71) extend at right angles to the pump flow direction, and the etched openings (12) extend through the components in the pump flow direction at both sides of each electrode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump including two electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 63, 68; 73, 78), which are arranged in a essentially non-conductive fluid to be pumped and which are spaced apart essentially in the pump flow direction, said electrodes being adapted to have applied thereto a potential for injecting or for accelerating an ion current which flows between said electrodes through said fluid, and further including two components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71), which are arranged one on top of the other essentially in the pump flow direction and which are structured by etched openings in such way that the electrodes form an integral constituent part of said semiconductor components; characterized in that components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71) and the electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 63, 68; 73, 78) consist of a semiconductor material, the main surfaces of said components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71) extend at right angles to the pump flow direction, and the etched openings (12) extend through the components in the pump flow direction at both sides of each electrode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 63, 68; 73, 78) consisting of a semiconductor material are provided with a metallic coating on their surfaces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
88 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrodes (26, 27) of both semiconductor components (20, 21) are respectively positioned on one level with the front side of said semiconductor components (20, 21) and are respectively arranged in spaced relationship with the reverse side of said semiconductor components (20, 21) and that the semiconductor components (20, 21) are arranged in such manner that the reverse side of one semiconductor component (21) is connected to the front side (22) of the other semiconductor component (20).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrodes (33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54) of both semiconductor components (30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52) are arranged in spaced relationship with the front sides of said semiconductor components, and that said semiconductor components have their respective front sides interconnected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the semiconductor components (20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 51, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71) are glued together.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
103 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that an insulating body (77) is arranged between the two semiconductor components (70, 71), that one (71) of the two semiconductor components (70, 71) is provided with a spacer (72) and with an edge-like injector (73), that the insulating body (77) is provided with an essentially V-shaped opening (74a) defining together with said edge-like injector (73) a flow-through gap (74-75), and that, in the area of the essentially V-shaped opening (74a) of the insulating body (77), the other semiconductor component (70) defines at least one counter-electrode (78) cooperating with said edge-like injector (73).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the semiconductor components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 51, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71) have been structured by means of photoetch processes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 63; 73) have a web-shaped structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 8, characterized in that the web-shaped electrodes (26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44) of the two semiconductor components (20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52) are arranged in essentially opposed relationship with one another.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the electrodes (43; 53; 63; 73) is triangular or wedge-shaped.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 10, characterized in that the two semiconductor components (50, 52) have arranged between them a third semiconductor component (51) defining a partition (55) which extends essentially at right angles to the direction of flow and which has formed therein flow-through openings (57) only in the area of the essentially opposed web-shaped electrodes (53, 54).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the semiconductor components (20, 21) are interconnected by electrostatic bonding.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 12, characterized in that at least one (20) of the semiconductors components (20, 21) interconnected by electrostatic bonding is provided with a pyrex glass layer, which has been applied by cathode sputtering and which is provided in the area of connection with the other semiconductor component (21).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
72 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that one (61) of the two semiconductor components (60, 61) is provided with a spacer (62) for engagement with the other semiconductor component (60) and with an edge-like injector (63), and that the other semiconductor component (60) is provided with an opening (64), which is essentially V-shaped in cross-section and which defines together with the edge-like injector (63) a flow-through gap (64-65).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 14, characterized in that the other semiconductor component (60) is provided with an insulating layer (67), which covers the side of said component (60) facing said semiconductor component (61) and which extends from said side over at least part of said essentially V-shaped opening (64).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44) have a grid-shaped structure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 16, characterized in that the grid-shaped electrodes (26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44) of the two semiconductor components (20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52) are arranged in essentially opposed relationship with one another.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 16, characterized in that the flow-through region of the semiconductor components (10) has an area from 0.1 mm×0.1 mm up to 10 mm×10 mm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 18, characterized in that the mutual distance between the electrode webs of the electrode of the same semiconductor component is in the range of from 2 μm to 1 μmm.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
A microminiaturized electrostatic pump according to claim 18, characterized in that the distance between the opposed electrodes (26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 63, 68; 73, 78) of the two semiconductor components (20, 21; 30, 31: 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 70, 71) is between 5 μm and 500 μm.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
198 words
A method of producing a microminiaturized electrostatic pump including two electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 64, 68; 73, 78), which are arranged in an essentially non-conductive fluid to be pumped and which are spaced apart essentially in the pump flow direction, said electrodes being adapted to have applied thereto a potential for injecting or for accelerating an ion current which flows between said electrodes through said fluid and further including two components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71), which are arranged one on top of the other essentially in the pump flow direction and which are structured by etched openings (12) in such a way that the electrodes form an integral constituent part of the respective component, the components being semiconductor components (10), the method comprising; applying a layer which is resistant to etching agents to one side of the semiconductor component (10); photolithographically structuring with etch windows the layer which is resistant to etching agents; and starting from the etch windows of the etching agent-resistant layer, etching openings (12) through the semiconductor component (10) thereby defining web-shaped or grid-shaped electrodes in the pump flow direction.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
198 words
A method of producing a microminiaturized electrostatic pump including two electrodes (13; 26, 27; 33, 34; 43, 44; 53, 54; 64, 68; 73, 78), which are arranged in an essentially non-conductive fluid to be pumped and which are spaced apart essentially in the pump flow direction, said electrodes being adapted to have applied thereto a potential for injecting or for accelerating an ion current which flows between said electrodes through said fluid and further including two components (10; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 52; 60, 61; 70, 71), which are arranged one on top of the other essentially in the pump flow direction and which are structured by etched openings (12) in such a way that the electrodes form an integral constituent part of the respective component, the components being semiconductor components (10), the method comprising; applying a layer which is resistant to etching agents to one side of the semiconductor component (10); photolithographically structuring with etch windows the layer which is resistant to etching agents; and starting from the etch windows of the etching agent-resistant layer, etching openings (12) through the semiconductor component (10) thereby defining web-shaped or grid-shaped electrodes in the pump flow direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2279586A
Cited
US3267859A
Cited
US3554669A
Cited
US3665241A
Cited
US3970887A
Cited
US4634057A
Cited
US4960659A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-01-19 | 1996-07-20 | 1997-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-01-19 | 2000-07-20 | 2001-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-01-19 | 2004-07-20 | 2005-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |