Devices to measure flow rates with movable elements
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsAlexander Govyadinov, Pavel Kornilovich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example device includes a microfluidic channel and a movable element retained in the microfluidic channel to move from a first position to a second position by fluid flow through the microfluidic channel. The device includes a sensor to take a sensor reading to determine fluid flow through the microfluidic channel. The device includes a microfluidic pump to return the movable element from the second position to the first position. The device includes a controller to actuate the microfluidic pump and to determine a flow rate of the fluid flow through the microfluidic channel based on the sensor reading.
Claims15
A device comprising:
- a microfluidic channel;
- a movable element retained in the microfluidic channel to move from a first position to a second position by fluid flow through the microfluidic channel;
- a sensor to take a sensor reading of a presence of the movable element at a sensing position or a velocity of the fluid flow through the microfluidic channel;
- a microfluidic pump to return the movable element from the second position to the first position;
- and
- a controller to actuate the microfluidic pump, and to determine a flow rate of the fluid flow through the microfluidic channel based on the sensor reading.
A device comprising:
- a microfluidic network;
- an auxiliary microfluidic channel in the microfluidic network;
- an additional microfluidic channel in the microfluidic network;
- a movable element retained in the auxiliary microfluidic channel to move from a first position to a second position by fluid flow through the auxiliary microfluidic channel;
- a calibrating sensor to determine a flow rate of fluid flow through the auxiliary microfluidic channel based on movement of the movable element from the first position to the second position;
- an additional sensor to determine another flow rate of fluid flow through the additional microfluidic channel;
- and
- a controller to calibrate the additional sensor using the calibrating sensor.
A method comprising:
- moving a movable element from a first position to a second position in a microfluidic channel of a device by a first fluid flow through the microfluidic channel in a main flow direction;
- taking a sensor reading of movement of the movable element from the first position to the second position using a first sensor;
- and
- calibrating a second sensor to determine a flow rate of a second fluid flow through the device based on the sensor reading.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.