Devices and Methods for Flow Control in Microfluidic Structures
AssigneeApplied Biosystems, LLC
InventorsJames C. Nurse, John R. Van Camp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for controlling flow in a fluid flow path can include a chamber containing an expandable material, the expandable material being configured to expand out of the chamber into a portion of the fluid flow path so as to at least partially block the fluid flow path. The apparatus also can include at least one structure providing flow communication between the chamber and the fluid flow path. The at least one structure can be configured to pass the expandable material from the chamber to the portion of the fluid flow path during expansion so as to control a rate at which the expandable material expands into the portion of the fluid flow path.
Claims23
An apparatus for controlling flow in a fluid flow path, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber containing an expandable material, the expandable material being configured to expand out of the chamber into a portion of the fluid flow path so as to at least partially block the fluid flow path;
- and
- at least one structure providing flow communication between the chamber and the fluid flow path, the at least one structure being configured to pass the expandable material from the chamber to the portion of the fluid flow path during expansion so as to control a rate at which the expandable material expands into the portion of the fluid flow path.
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A method of controlling flow in a microfluidic device, the method comprising:
- flowing a substance along a fluid flow path of the microfluidic device;
- expanding an expandable material into a portion of the fluid flow path so as to at least partially block the fluid flow path;
- and
- passing the expandable material through a structure in flow communication with the portion of the fluid flow path so as to control a rate at which the expandable material expands into the portion of the fluid flow path.
An apparatus for controlling flow in a fluid flow path, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber containing an expandable material, the expandable material being configured to expand out of the chamber into a portion of the fluid flow path so as to at least partially block the fluid flow path;
- and
- at least one structure providing flow communication between the chamber and the fluid flow path, the at least one structure being configured to extrude the expandable material from the chamber to the portion of the fluid flow path during expansion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.