Patent ID: 6415995
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: B01L,B05B,G01N

Abstract:
A microdispensing system for open-jet dispensing a liquid, which comprises:(a) a valve having a chamber that is formed at least in part from a liquid-impermeable elastic membrane that can be stretched from a resting position to a stretched position, the valve chamber being filled with the liquid to be dispensed; (b) at least one liquid supply line in liquid communication with the valve chamber for supplying liquid to the valve chamber; (c) an outlet that is open to liquid communication with the valve chamber when the elastic membrane is in the stretched position and closed to liquid communication with the valve chamber when the elastic membrane is in the resting position, the outlet allowing liquid flowing out of the valve chamber to pass through the outlet when the elastic membrane is in the stretched position; (d) a dispensing nozzle which is in liquid communication with the outlet and to open-jet dispense liquid, the dispensing nozzle being constructed so that when liquid flows from the outlet into the dispensing nozzle, it is open-jet dispensed through the dispensing nozzle; (e) an actuator chamber located adjacent the elastic membrane on the side of the membrane opposite the valve chamber, the actuator chamber being pressure-tight and being contained in a block having a wall with a bore through which a working pressure adapted to the pressure in the valve chamber is applicable to the actuator chamber; and (f) an electromechanical drive located within the actuator chamber and connected to the membrane, the electromechanical drive being constructed so that when actuated it stretches the membrane from the resting position to the stretched position, thereby allowing liquid from the valve chamber to enter the outlet and to be open-jet dispensed through the dispensing nozzle.