US 7,254,008 B2 · Integrated capacitive microfluidic sensors method and apparatus

Abstract

A microfluidic device and method for capacitive sensing. The device includes a fluid channel including an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end, a cavity region coupled to the fluid channel, and a polymer based membrane coupled between the fluid channel and the cavity region. Additionally, the device includes a first capacitor electrode coupled to the membrane, a second capacitor electrode coupled to the cavity region and physically separated from the first capacitor electrode by at least the cavity region, and an electrical power source coupled between the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode and causing an electric field at least within the cavity region. The polymer based membrane includes a polymer.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A microfluidic device for capacitive pressure sensing, the device comprising:

a fluid channel including an inlet at a first end and an outlet at a second end;
a cavity region coupled to the fluid channel;
a polymer based membrane coupled between the fluid channel and the cavity region;
a first capacitor electrode coupled to the membrane;
a second capacitor electrode coupled to the cavity region and physically separated from the first capacitor electrode by at least the cavity region;
an electrical power source coupled between the first capacitor electrode and the second capacitor electrode and causing an electric field at least within the cavity region;
wherein the polymer based membrane includes a polymer.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/089,338Filed 25 Mar 2005 · division

Priority

19 Mar 2003

Published

US 2005/0243500 A13 Nov 2005

Granted

7 Aug 2007

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01N 27/226
By investigating capacitance: construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor
B81B 7/02
Microstructural systems ; Auxiliary parts of microstructural devices or systems: containing distinct electrical or optical devices of particular…
G01L 9/0042
Transmitting or indicating the displacement of flexible diaphragms: constructional details associated with semiconductive diaphragm sensors, e.g.…
G01L 9/0072
Transmitting or indicating the displacement of flexible diaphragms: using variations in capacitance

Family

Application60/456,019Us provisional application · filed 19 Mar 2003

Application10/802,667Parent of this division · filed 16 Mar 2004

US 2005/0243500 A1Pre-grant publication · published 3 Nov 2005

US 6,945,116 B2Parent of this division

US 2004/0237657 A1Published application

US 7,254,008 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Integrated capacitive microfluidic sensors method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Integrated capacitive microfluidic sensors method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22