Microtubes devices based on surface tension and wettability
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorsPhillip G. Wapner, Wesley P. Hoffman, Gregory Price
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In the present invention, various sizes of non-wetting droplets are inserted into microtube devices of various shapes having therein a gas or wetting fluid which causes the droplets to movement in response to fluid pressure. The droplets may translate within a void of the microtube device which is filled with the gas or wetting fluid or rotate in a fixed position. The nonwetting fluid may also be formed into rings within ring shaped channels. The microtube devices may operate to stop fluid flow, act as a check-valve, act as a flow restrictor, act as a flow regulator, act as a support for a turning axle, and act as a logic device, for example.
Claims12
A device, said microtube device comprising a microtube which uses surface tension and wettablility in its functioning having a gas or wetting fluid flowable therein, said gas or wetting fluid flowable in at least one channel, said gas or wetting fluid operating upon at least one nonwetting fluid therein, said nonwetting fluid having a predetermined shape within said at least one channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.