Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M5/00—Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests
  • A61M5/14—Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
  • A61M5/142—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
  • A61M5/14244—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
  • A61M5/14276—Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body specially adapted for implantation
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L49/00—Connecting arrangements, e.g. joints, specially adapted for pipes of brittle material, e.g. glass, earthenware
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
  • A61M2205/02—General characteristics of the apparatus characterised by a particular materials
  • A61M2205/0244—Micromachined materials, e.g. made from silicon wafers, microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] or comprising nanotechnology
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2205/00—General characteristics of the apparatus
  • A61M2205/02—General characteristics of the apparatus characterised by a particular materials
  • A61M2205/0272—Electro-active or magneto-active materials
  • A61M2205/0294—Piezoelectric materials
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M2207/00—Methods of manufacture, assembly or production

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a sealed connection method and a sealed connection device between a mechanical member and the glass wall of a component.
• the present invention relates to a method and a device which makes it possible to ensure a liquid and gas tight connection between a component which has a glass wall provided with an orifice for a liquid and a member also intended for receive this liquid.
• This problem arises in particular but not exclusively in the case where it is wished to tightly connect a micropump of the piezoelectric control type or a sensor, in particular a pressure sensor, in which the body of the pump or of the sensor is consisting of a glass and silicon sandwich, the body of this sensor or of this pump must be tightly connected to a liquid storage container or to an outlet pipe of the pump.
• a sealed connection including a vapor connection, between a member such as a pressure sensor or a micropump and an outlet pipe or a liquid storage tank, this member having a wall of glass or similar material.
• a member such as a pressure sensor or a micropump and an outlet pipe or a liquid storage tank
• this member having a wall of glass or similar material.
• This is typically the case of micropumps which must be implanted in the human body to deliver a perfectly controlled flow of liquid.
• the mechanical connection involves subjecting the assembly to high temperatures and subsequent cooling. , which can cause mechanical stresses in the parts, these stresses can affect the functioning of the organ and even possibly eventually lead to a rupture of the sealed connection.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a method of hermetic connection between an organ comprising a glass wall or analogous and a piece of metal, preferably waterproof and durable over time.
• the sealed connection method between a component intended to receive a liquid, said component having at least one glass wall provided with an orifice for said liquid, and a member also intended to receive said liquid, said component having an orifice formed in a flat face is characterized in that it comprises the following stages:
• a connector made of silicon having a first opening opening in a first face and a second opening opening in a second planar face;
• - Said connector is fixed in a sealed manner by its first face to said glass wall of said component in such a way that said orifices are opposite; - A layer of gold is deposited on the flat face of said member around said orifice;
• the problem of the connection between the glass wall and the member intended to receive the liquid is solved by the interposition of a silicon connector and the implementation of a connection mechanical by creating an eutectic between silicon and gold.
• This eutectic corresponds to a relatively low temperature which thus avoids introducing by thermal stress induced forces into the assembly constituted by the two connected parts.
• said member is made of titanium, this member possibly being for example the wall of a container in which is stored the liquid to be dispensed, for example by a micropump or the outlet pipe of the micropump.
• the silicon connector is fixed to the glass wall of the component by anodic welding.
• the invention also relates to a sealed connection device between a component intended to receive a liquid, said component having at least one glass wall provided with a hole for the liquid and a member also intended to receive said liquid, said member having a orifice formed in a flat face, which is characterized in that it comprises: a connector made of silicon having a first opening opening in a first face and a second opening opening in a second flat face, said first face of the connector being fixed sealingly on the glass wall so that said orifices are opposite; a layer of gold deposited on the flat face of said member around said orifice, said orifice of said member being disposed opposite the orifice of the second flat face of the connector; and a layer of silicon-gold insectic between said connector and said layer of gold.
• FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a micropump
• FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the micropump of Figure 1 to which are respectively connected a pipe and a reservoir by the implementation of the method according to the invention;
• FIG. 3 is a top view of a silicon connector used in the implementation of the method.
• FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view along the plane IV-IV of Figure 3.
• the invention applies in particular to the sealed connection of the inlet and outlet ports of a micropump with different organs.
• a micropump which is constituted by a first glass wall 10 in which are respectively provided an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice of the pump, a silicon plate 12 constituting a deformable membrane and two pieces of glass 14 and 16 fixed on the other face of the silicon wafer 12, leaving part of the external face 12a of the silicon membrane free.
• the connection between the glass 10, 14, 16 and the silicon 12 is preferably carried out by anodic welding.
• This technique known per se consists in bringing all the silicon and glass parts to a temperature of the order of 300 ° C. and in placing this sandwich between two electrodes in contact with the silicon and glass plates by applying a negative potential of the order of -800 volts at the electrode applied against the glass. There is thus obtained a sealed weld at relatively low temperature between the silicon membrane and the various pieces of glass.
• the operation of the pump is controlled by a piezoelectric sensor 18 which is fixed to the bare face 12a of the silicon membrane 12.
• the mechanical stresses induced by the electrical control of the piezoelectric sensor 18 cause deformations of the membrane 12 , which controls the entry and exit of the liquid in the micropump.
• An example of such a micropump is described in document WO-A-92/01160.
• FIG. 2 we will describe the implementation of the invention for making a sealed connection between the micropump 20 of FIG. 1 and, on the one hand, an outlet pipe 22 and, on the other hand, a liquid storage tank 24.
• the outlet orifice 26 and the inlet orifice 28 of the pump which are respectively drilled in the glass plate 10.
• the tubing 22 which is preferably made of titanium.
• Figures 3 and 4 show an embodiment of this connector. It of course has an axial orifice 32 and a first flat face of reduced surface 34 intended to be fixed on the glass plate 10 of the micropump and a second flat face of larger surface 36 intended to be fixed on one end of the pipe 22.
• the face 34 of the connector 30 is welded to the glass plate 10 by an anode welding technique already described.
• a flat connection face 22a is produced deposit of reduced thickness gold 38. This deposit can be carried out by any suitable technique, for example by spraying, by electro ⁇ deposition, by fusion or by a combination of these techniques.
• the end 22a provided with its gold deposit 38 is placed opposite with the connection face 36 of the connector 30.
• the temperature is locally raised to a value of the order of 400 ° C.
• an eutectic is produced between the silicon of which the connector 30 is made and the gold deposit, which ensures a sealed mechanical connection between the end of the pipe 22 and the connector 30.
• this connection is obtained at a relatively low temperature, around 400 ° C, which avoids the introduction of thermal stresses in the assembly formed by the body of the micropump and the tubing 22.
• FIG. 2 also shows the sealed connection between the inlet pipe 26 of the micropump 20 and an outlet orifice 40 of the reservoir 24 containing the liquid intended to circulate in the pump.
• We use the technique already described which consists in fixing a second connector 30 'on the glass plate 10 opposite the orifice 28 to deposit a thin layer of gold 38' on the face of the wall of the tank. around the orifice 40 and then heating the assembly in such a way that, around 400 ° C., a eutectic is obtained between the gold and the silicon.
• the two members, that is to say the reservoir 24 and the tubing 22, can be made with the same material. Preferably, these parts are metallic, and more preferably made of titanium.
• a sealed mechanical connection is thus obtained between the reservoir, more precisely its orifice 40, and the connector 30 ′, that is to say between the reservoir 24 and the body of the micropump 20.
• the connector 30 or 30 ′ has a relatively large surface for its face 36 intended to be fixed on the end piece of the tube 22 or on the tank plate 24.
• the surface of the end 36 intended to to be fixed on the glass plate is relatively reduced. This arrangement allows a better distribution of thermal stresses, which favors the relaxation of internal mechanical stresses. Part of the stress is absorbed by gold which is a relatively soft metal. The biggest part of the rest of the components is absorbed by the silicon connector, the latter material being very resistant.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Anesthesiology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9476097

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

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Family Cites Families (3)

• 1995
  • 1995-02-14 FR FR9501650A patent/FR2730551A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 1996
  • 1996-02-12 WO PCT/EP1996/000612 patent/WO1996025619A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1996-02-12 AU AU48755/96A patent/AU4875596A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-02-12 EP EP96904766A patent/EP0809770A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1996-02-12 JP JP8520615A patent/JPH10513532A/ja active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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