1057results about "Circuit elements" patented technology

A simple microfluidic actuator includes a sealed vacuum chamber actuated by providing a current to a thin film heater, which in turn weakens and, under the atmospheric pressure differential, breaks a diaphragm sealing said vacuum chamber whereby the vacuum inside said chamber is released. By applying the microfluidic actuator to a microfluidic network the resulting pressure differential can be used to generate a pumping force with the microfluidic network. The chamber may be prepared in a silicon, glass, or plastic substrate. The diaphragm may be a metallic gas-impermeable film. A releasing member comprising a thin-film metallic heater is then microfabricated on the diaphragm. The assembly so prepared may be bonded to a glass or plastic substrate that contains a network of microchannels. The microfluidic actuator is suited for a microfluidic platform in generating driving powers for operations including pumping, metering, mixing and valving of liquid samples.

A system and method are disclosed for identifying monitoring and evaluating hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions. The system may be worn by safety personnel to detect equipment conditions such as low power supply, environmental conditions such as ambient temperature and/or physiological conditions such as heart rate of a wearer. The system further includes a control unit having electronics operable to communicate signals associated with equipment, environmental and physiological conditions.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for the control of fluids and, in some cases, to systems and methods for flowing a fluid into and/or out of other fluids. As examples, fluid may be injected into a droplet contained within a fluidic channel, or a fluid may be injected into a fluidic channel to create a droplet. In some embodiments, electrodes may be used to apply an electric field to one or more fluidic channels, e.g., proximate an intersection of at least two fluidic channels. For instance, a first fluid may be urged into and/or out of a second fluid, facilitated by the electric field. The electric field, in some cases, may disrupt an interface between a first fluid and at least one other fluid. Properties such as the volume, flow rate, etc. of a first fluid being urged into and/or out of a second fluid can be controlled by controlling various properties of the fluid and/or a fluidic droplet, for example curvature of the fluidic droplet, and/or controlling the applied electric field.

Various embodiments relate to systems and/or methods for sample preparation that can be used for biochemical and/or molecular biology procedures involving small volumes, for example, micro volumes or smaller. Methods and systems that can reduce sample size requirements and increase the number of samples on a substrate are provided. Samples can be applied to a plate or other appropriate substrate and can be used for, inter alia, sequencing reactions. In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and/or methods for charged analyte collection are provided. Charged analytes in a sample can be electrokinetically collected or extracted from a conduit through a hole formed in a sidewall of the conduit, by application of an electric field that causes the charged analytes to migrate in a direction that is transverse to the conduit.

An implantable beneficial agent infusion device featuring a unique energy recovery circuit and a deflectable energy storing member such as a piezo-electric membrane is disclosed. The circuit and deflectable energy storing member cooperate to permit electrical energy employed to activate the member to be at least partially recovered. In a preferred embodiment, the deflectable energy storing member is connected to a seal which is opened to permit the delivery or infusion of a pre-determined amount of a beneficial agent to a patient when the member is deflected or actuated through the application of a sufficiently high voltage thereacross. Charge stored on or in the deflectable energy storing member as a result of the voltage being applied thereacross is recovered by a novel circuit when the deflectable energy storing membrane is permitted to return to its non-actuated state or position.

A bistable electrostatic actuator with pneumatic or liquid coupling. The actuator has enclosed metallic electrodes. It can be used for a microvalve or micropump. The actuator has buckled membrane sections in pairs and curved substrate electrodes, locally associated with said membrane sections.

A microfluidic device comprises first and second inlet passages (13) for respective immiscible fluids, these inlet passages merging into a third passage (8) along which the two fluids flow under parallel laminar flow conditions, the third passage being formed with a constriction or other discontinuity (9) causing the two fluids to form into a flow of alternate segments.

A microfluidic system includes a bubble valve for regulating fluid flow through a microchannel. The bubble valve includes a fluid meniscus interfacing the microchannel interior and an actuator for deflecting the membrane into the microchannel interior to regulate fluid flow. The actuator generates a gas bubble in a liquid in the microchannel when a sufficient pressure is generated on the membrane.

Microfluidic systems and components. A microfluidic system includes one or more functional units or microfluidic chips, configured to perform constituent steps in a process and interconnected to form the system. A multi-layer microfluidic system includes a separate dedicated fluid layer and dedicated electromechanical layer connected via through-holes. Electromechanical components are formed on the electromechanical layer.

The disclosure describes a novel approach for displaying information on a ventilation system. The disclosure describes a novel respiratory system including a removable primary display and system status display. Further, the disclosure describes a novel method for displaying ventilator information and a novel method for controlling a ventilation system.

A fluid delivery system capable of delivering a precise amount of fluid and monitor certain properties of the fluid so that the correct fluid is safely delivered to its intended destination. The system makes use of a flow sensor comprising a freestanding tube portion vibrated at a resonant frequency, wherein the resonant frequency corresponds to the density of the fluid flowing through the tube portion and the tube portion exhibits a degree of twist that varies with the mass flow rate of the fluid flowing therethrough. Movement of the tube portion is then sensed to produce a first output signal corresponding to the fluid density and a second output signal corresponding to the mass flow rate. The system is also equipped to measure elapsed time and to stop fluid flow in response to either of the first and second output signals.

The invention is directed to a method and device for routing, mixing, or reacting droplets or liquid microstreams along the surface of a flat substrate. The flow of liquid microstreams or microdroplets along designated pathways is confined by chemical surface patterning. Individually addressable heating elements, which are embedded in the substrate, can be used to generate flow via thermocapillary effects or to trigger or quench chemical reactions. The open architecture allows the liquid to remain in constant contact with the ambient atmosphere. The device can be used for microfluidic applications or as a surface reactor or biosensor, among other applications.

In certain embodiments this invention provides a pulsed-laser triggered microfluidic switching mechanism that can achieve a switching time of 70 μs. This switching speed is two orders of magnitude shorter than that of the fastest switching mechanism utilized in previous μFACS.

The present invention provides multi-layered microfluidic devices comprising an interface layer between every two substrate layers. The interface layer simplifies the manufacturing process of the multi-layered devices because the interface may comprise a material suitable for etching whereby manufacturing of these devices is simplified to a great extent.

The invention also provides methods of manufacturing the multi-layered devices wherein the devices may comprise substrates composed of non-similar materials that are bonded together by anodic bonding.

This invention relates to microchannel apparatus that includes microchannels with interior surface features for modifying flow; processes utilizing this microchannel architecture, and methods of making apparatus having these features.

The disclosure describes a novel approach for displaying information on a ventilator system. The disclosure describes a novel respiratory system including a removable primary display and system status display. Further, the disclosure describes a novel method for displaying ventilator information and a novel method for controlling a ventilator system.

A microvalve which utilizes a low temperature (<300° C.) fabrication process on a single substrate. The valve uses buckling and an electromagnetic actuator to provide a relatively large closing force and lower power consumption. A buckling technique of the membrane is used to provide two stable positions for the membrane, and to reduce the power consumption and the overall size of the microvalve. The use of a permanent magnet is an alternative to the buckled membrane, or it can be used in combination with the buckled membrane, or two sets of micro-coils can be used in order to open and close the valve, providing the capability for the valve to operate under normally opened or normally closed conditions. Magnetic analysis using ANSYS 5.7 shows that the addition of Orthonol between the coils increases the electromagnetic force by more than 1.5 times. At a flow rate of 1 mL/m, the pressure drop is <100 Pa. The maximum pressure tested was 57 kPa and the time to open or close the valve in air is under 100 ms. This results in an estimated power consumption of 0.1 mW.

The disclosure describes a novel approach for displaying information on a ventilator system. The disclosure describes a novel respiratory system including a removable primary display and system status display. Further, the disclosure describes a novel method for displaying ventilator information and a novel method for controlling a ventilator system.

The invention relates to a microfluidic device for making a liquid/liquid or gas biphasic system using a first liquid or a gas and a second liquid, non-miscible with each other, the device having a first hydrophobic surface for the second liquid, the first liquid forming a layer (6) on said first hydrophobic surface. The device comprises means for introducing a drop (7) of the second liquid into the layer of first liquid or gas and in contact with said first hydrophobic surface, and means for displacing the drop on said first hydrophobic surface along a determined path, the device having on the path of the drop, at least one wetting defect causing, upon passing of the drop over this defect, failure of the triple line of contact of the drop on the first hydrophobic surface and inclusion of first liquid (8) or gas into the drop.

The invention also relates to the associated method.