Micro-fluidic systems based on actuator elements
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsJacob Marinus Jan Den Toonder, Menno Willem Jose Prins, Hendrik Roelof Stapert, Dirk Jan Broer
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Abstract
The present invention provides micro-fluidic systems, a method for the manufacturing of such a micro-fluidic system and a method for controlling or manipulating a fluid flow through micro-channels of a such a micro-fluidic system. Herefore, an inner side of a wall of a microchannel is provided with actuator elements which can change shape and orientation as a response to an external stimulus. Through this change of shape and orientation the flow of a fluid through a microchannel may be controlled and manipulated.
Claims14
A micro-fluidic system comprising:
- at least one micro-channel having a wall with an inner side;
- a plurality of ciliary actuator elements attached to said inner side at substantially opposite positions, each ciliary actuator element including first and second shapes having different dimension, and an orientation, the first and second shapes are selectable from at least curled and straight;
- and
- a unit for applying stimuli to said plurality of ciliary actuator elements to change the shape and/or dimension, and the orientation.
A method for controlling a fluid flow through a micro-channel of a micro-fluidic system, the micro-channel having a wall with a inner side, the method comprising acts of:
- providing a plurality of ciliary actuator elements at substantially opposite positions, the ciliary actuator elements each including first and second shapes having different dimension, and an orientation, the first and second shapes are selectable from at least curled and straight;
- and
- applying a stimulus to said plurality of ciliary actuator elements change the shape and/or dimension, and the orientation.
A micro-fluidic system comprising:
- at least one micro-channel haying a wall with an inner side and containing a liquid, a plurality of electroactive polymer actuator elements attached to said inner side at substantially opposite positions, each electroactive polymer actuator element including first and second shapes having a different dimension, the first and second shapes are selectable from at least curled and straight;
- and
- a unit for applying stimuli to one or more of said plurality of electroactive polymer actuator elements to change the shape and dimension to drive the liquid in a direction along the micro-channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.