Back to results
US 6,802,331 B2Granted
Particle-based check valve
AssigneeEksigent Technologies, LLC
InventorsDon W. Arnold, David J. Rakestraw, Jason Rehm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A check valve for a fluidic system includes a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier and a fluid chamber between the inlet and the outlet; and at least one particle disposed in the fluid chamber, the particle or particles aggregating at the first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at the inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at the outlet, the particle or particles aggregating at the second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when the first fluid pressure is greater than the second fluid pressure.
Claims25
A check valve for a fluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second panicle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of elastically deformable particles disposed in said fluid chamber, said plurality of particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of particles aggregating at said second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
A check valve for a fluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of polymeric particles having a diameter of between 0.1 μm and 100 μm disposed in said fluid chamber, said plurality of particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of particles aggregating at said second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
A check valve for a fluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of particles having a charged surface disposed in said fluid chamber, said plurality of particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of particles aggregating at said second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
A check valve for a fluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of particles having ion-exchange properties disposed in said fluid chamber, said plurality of particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of particles aggregating at said second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
A check valve for a microfluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and outlet;
- a plurality of microscale particles having a diameter of between 0.1 μm and 100 μm disposed in said fluid chamber;
- and
- means, disposed in said fluid chamber, for aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of particles aggregating at said second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure, and said first hydrodynamic resistance is greater than said second hydrodynamic resistance.
1 more element
A method of operating a check valve in a microfluidic system, comprising the steps of:
- aggregating a plurality of microscale particles having a diameter of between 0.1 μm and 100 μm disposed in a fluidic conduit at a first particle barrier at an inlet to form a first hydrodynamic resistance in response to a positive pressure differential between an outlet of said fluidic conduit and said inlet to substantially inhibit fluid flow out of said conduit through said inlet;
- and
- aggregating plurality of particles at a second particle barrier at said outlet to form a second hydrodynamic resistance in response to a positive pressure differential between said inlet and said outlet to substantially not interfere with fluid flow out of said conduit through said outlet.
A method of operating a check valve in a microfluidic system, comprising the step of:
- aggregating a plurality of microscale particles having a diameter of between 0.1 μm and 100 μm disposed in a fluidic conduit at a particle barrier at an inlet to form a hydrodynamic resistance in response to a positive pressure differential between an outlet of said conduit and said inlet to substantially inhibit fluid flow out of said conduit through said inlet.
A method of operating a check valve in a microfluidic system, comprising the step of:
- aggregating plurality of microscale particles having a diameter of between 0.1 μm and 100 μm disposed in a fluidic conduit at a particle barrier at an outlet to form a hydrodynamic resistance in response to a positive pressure differential between an inlet and said outlet to substantially not interfere with fluid flow out of said outlet.
A check valve for a fluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second folded particle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of particles disposed in said fluid chamber, said plurality of particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of particles aggregating at said second folded particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
A check valve for a fluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier, one or more trapping barriers, and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of particles disposed in said fluid chamber, said plurality of particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, some of said plurality of particles aggregating at said second particle barrier, and some of said plurality of particles aggregating at one or more trapping barriers to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
A check valve for a fluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of particles disposed in said fluid chamber, wherein
- the second barrier is constructed such that said plurality of particles passes one-way from the outlet, by the second barrier, and into the fluid chamber, said plurality of particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a fast hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of particles aggregating at said second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said fast fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
1 more element
A check valve for a fluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of expandable particles having an initial state and an expanded state, wherein said plurality of particles are small enough in the initial state to pass by one or both of the first and second particle barriers, and large enough in the expanded state when disposed in said fluid chamber to not pass through the first and second particle barriers, said plurality of expanded particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of expanded particles aggregating at said second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
A check valve for a microfluidic system, comprising:
- a fluidic conduit having an inlet with a first particle barrier, an outlet with a second particle barrier and a fluid chamber between said inlet and said outlet;
- and
- a plurality of microscale particles having a diameter of between 0.1 μm and 100 μm disposed in said fluid chamber, said plurality of particles aggregating at said first particle barrier to form a first hydrodynamic resistance when a first fluid pressure at said inlet is less than a second fluid pressure at said outlet, said plurality of particles aggregating at said second particle barrier to form a second hydrodynamic resistance when said first fluid pressure is greater than said second fluid pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.