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US 2015/0298125 A1Published application
Surface Tension Controlled Valves
AssigneeApplied Biosystems, LLC
InventorSergey V. Ermakov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present teachings relate to surface tension controlled valves used for handling biological fluids. The valves controlled by optically actuating an electro-wetting circuit.
Claims20
A surface tension controlled valving system for biological fluid, the system comprising:
- a channel connected to an internal volume for the valving system, wherein the internal volume is bound by an insulating layer resistant to the flow of the biological liquid, and wherein the channel is not resistant to the flow of the biological liquid;
- a photoconductive material coupled to the insulating layer;
- an electrode coupled to the photoconductive material and configured to electrically couple with the insulating layer through the photoconductive material;
- and
- a power source electrically coupled to the electrode, wherein the power source is configured to provide an electrical potential difference across the insulating layer,
- wherein the photoconductive material is activatable by directed light to provide the electrical potential difference across the insulating layer, and wherein the electrical potential difference is configured to reduce the resistance of the insulating layer to the flow of the biological liquid.
3 more elements
A device for biological fluid handling, the device comprising:
- a valve configured for light activation;
- a channel connected to an internal volume of the valve, wherein the internal volume is bound by an insulating layer resistant to the flow of the biological liquid, and wherein the channel is not resistant to the flow of the biological liquid;
- a photoconductive material coupled to the insulating layer;
- an electrode coupled to the photoconductive material and configured to electrically couple with the insulating layer through the photoconductive material;
- a power source electrically coupled to the electrode, wherein the power source is configured to provide an electrical potential difference across the insulating material;
- and
- a light source configured to activate the photoconductive material thereby providing the electrical potential difference across the insulating layer,
- wherein the electrical potential difference is configured to reduce the resistance of the insulating layer to the flow of the biological liquid.
5 more elements
A device for biological fluid handling, the device comprising:
- means for providing the biological fluid to a valving means, wherein the means for providing the biological fluid is not resistant to the flow of the biological liquid, and wherein the valving means is resistant to the flow of the biological liquid;
- means for electrowetting the valving means to reduce the resistance of the valving means to the flow of the biological liquid;
- and
- means for optically activating the means for electrowetting.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.