April 15, 2008 15:23 ET

ISSYS Awarded New Patent for a Method of Making Microtubes and Microfluidic Devices

YPSILANTI, MI--(Marketwire - April 15, 2008) - Integrated Sensing Systems, Inc. (ISSYS) announced that the U.S. Patent Office has granted it a utility patent (US 7,351,603) titled "Process of Making a Microtube and Microfluidic Devices Formed Therewith."

According to Dr. Doug Sparks, Executive VP of ISSYS, this patent describes a new method of forming micromachined tubes used by ISSYS to produce Coriolis mass flow meters, density and chemical concentration sensors, drug infusion systems, fuel cell concentration sensors, and other devices that employ microtube technology. It complements other patents owned by ISSYS in the area of flow sensors and MEMS devices. It provides novel techniques to make larger microtubes for higher flow applications. The new fabrication methods also reduce the cost of manufacturing these micromachined devices. This cost reduction in particular is of paramount importance for \high-volume applications such as advanced drug delivery systems with disposable parts.

Dr. Nader Najafi, ISSYS President and CEO, stated that, "This new patent and technology offers an improved method of manufacturing micromachined tubes and fluidic sensors. This technology is already seeing use in industrial and biomedical devices, as well as fuel cell systems. This is ISSYS' 20th patent and reinforces the other ISSYS' patents on the design, packaging, fabrication, and application of microtube-based sensors, giving ISSYS comprehensive IP protection and offering a competitive barrier to market entry. ISSYS also has more than 80 pending and provisional patents."

Company Background:

ISSYS is a leader in advanced MEMS technologies for industrial, medical devices, microfluidic and scientific analytical sensing applications. Founded in 1995, ISSYS is one of the oldest independent MEMS companies in the US. ISSYS operates a "full manufacturing under one roof," multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art MEMS fabrication facility located near Ann Arbor, Michigan. An ISO 9001:2000 certified and ISO 13485:2003 (medical device manufacturing) qualified organization, ISSYS is a vertically integrated company dedicated to developing and manufacturing system-level products based on MEMS technology (MEMS Inside), please visit: http://www.mems-issys.com/