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US 8,506,907 B2Granted
Passive micro-vessel and sensor
OwnerDan Angelescuinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrically passive device and method for in-situ acoustic emission, and/or releasing, sampling and/or measuring of a fluid or various material(s) is provided. The device may provide a robust timing mechanism to release, sample and/or perform measurements on a predefined schedule, and, in various embodiments, emits an acoustic signal sequence(s) that may be used for triangulation of the device position within, for example, a hydrocarbon reservoir or a living body.
Claims49
A device comprising:
- an isolated cavity that is initially inaccessible to an exterior environment;
- an electrically passive timing mechanism including:
- a timing diaphragm;
- a timing cavity;
- and
- a microfluidic channel of predefined geometry filled with a timing fluid having known timing fluid properties, such that upon applying pressure to the timing fluid, said timing fluid advances within the microfluidic channel at a speed dictated by the predefined channel geometry and known timing fluid properties;
- and
- a mechanical structure separating the isolated cavity from the exterior environment, wherein upon the timing fluid reaching the timing cavity after a timing interval, the timing fluid applies pressure to the timing diaphragm which ruptures and/or collapses the mechanical structure thus allowing external fluid to enter the isolated cavity, thus bringing the isolated cavity in contact with the exterior environment.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- deploying a device in an external fluid;
- opening an acoustic cavity within the device to the fluid, at a time determined by an electrically passive timing mechanism;
- and
- emitting by the device an acoustic signature when the cavity is opened.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- deploying a device in an external fluid;
- opening a cavity within the device to the external fluid, at a time determined by an electrically passive timing mechanism, the passive timing mechanism including:
- a timing diaphragm;
- a timing cavity;
- and
- a microfluidic channel of known geometry filled with a timing fluid having known timing fluid properties, such that upon applying pressure to the timing fluid, said timing fluid advances within the microfluidic channel at a speed dictated by the known channel geometry and known timing fluid properties, and upon reaching the timing cavity after a timing interval, the timing fluid applies pressure to the timing diaphragm which opens the cavity within the device to the external fluid;
- and
- upon the cavity opening, releasing a material selected from the group consisting of a micro-particle, a nano-particle, a chemical product, a pharmaceutical product, and combinations thereof, from the cavity into the external fluid.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- deploying a device in an external fluid;
- opening a cavity within the device to the fluid at a time determined by an electrically passive timing mechanism;
- and
- storing a sample of the external fluid within the cavity.
1 more element
A device comprising:
- an isolated cavity that is initially inaccessible to an exterior environment, the isolated cavity including a sampling chamber, the sampling chamber including a check valve that allows flow of fluid into the sampling chamber but prevents flow of fluid out of the sampling chamber;
- an electrically passive timing mechanism;
- and
- a mechanical structure separating the isolated cavity from the exterior environment, such that at the end of a timing interval the timing mechanism acts on the mechanical structure to rupture and/or collapse the mechanical structure, thus bringing the isolated cavity in contact with the exterior environment.
1 more element
A device comprising:
- an isolated cavity that is initially inaccessible to an exterior environment;
- an electrically passive timing mechanism;
- and
- a mechanical structure separating the isolated cavity from the exterior environment, such that at the end of a timing interval the timing mechanism acts on the mechanical structure to rupture and/or collapse the mechanical structure, thus bringing the isolated cavity in contact with the exterior environment, wherein the isolated cavity and/or the mechanical structure are shaped to emit a predetermined acoustic signal upon the mechanical structure rupturing and/or collapsing.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.