Vibration-driven droplet transport devices having textured surfaces
AssigneeWashington University
InventorsKarl F. Bohringer, Ashutosh Shastry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices for moving a droplet on an elongated track on a textured surface using vibration. The elongated track on the textured surface includes a plurality of transverse arcuate projections such that a droplet on the surface is in the Fakir state and when the surface is vibrated the droplet is urged along the track as a result of an imbalance in the adhesion of a front portion of the droplet and a back portion of the droplet to the textured surface.
Claims22
A method for moving a droplet along a predetermined path on a surface, comprising:
- providing a surface having an elongated track comprising a plurality of transverse arcuate projections that are sized and spaced to support a droplet in a Fakir state, wherein the droplet has a front portion;
- depositing the droplet on the elongated track;
- and
- vibrating the surface at a frequency and amplitude sufficient to cause the droplet to deform such that the front portion of the supported droplet contacts an at least one additional transverse arcuate projection, thereby urging the droplet towards the at least one additional transverse arcuate projection.
A device for moving a droplet along a predetermined path on a surface, comprising:
- a surface having an elongated track comprising a plurality of transverse arcuate projections that are sized and spaced to support a droplet in a Fakir state, wherein the droplet has a front portion;
- and
- a means for vibrating the surface at a frequency and amplitude sufficient to cause the droplet to deform such that the front portion of the supported droplet contacts at least one additional transverse arcuate projection, thereby urging the droplet towards the at least one additional transverse arcuate projection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.