Georgia Tech Research Corporation

University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc

David K Schoenwald

Todd A Sulchek

Rajan Vaidyanathan

Vinu B Krishnan

Damien J Noga

Daniel S Watson

Nhin S Lam

Ronald D Noebe

Daniel W Snyder

Siping Roger Qiu

A microfluidic cell includes a compressible block and a cantilever. The compressible block includes a first horizontal surface, an opposite second horizontal surface and a plurality of vertical surfaces therebetween. A gasket structure depends downwardly from the second horizontal surface. The gasket structure defines an open cavity therein. The compressible block defines a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage each in fluid communication with the cavity and opening to a selected one of the first horizontal surface and one of the plurality of vertical surfaces. The cantilever includes body portion and a beam extending laterally therefrom. The body portion is embedded in the compressible block and a portion of the beam extends into the cavity defined by the gasket structure.

Molded microfluidic fluid cell for atomic force microscopy

SM-based actuators () and release mechanisms () therefrom and systems () including one or more release mechanisms (). The actuators () comprise a SM member () and a deformable member () mechanically coupled to the SM member () which deforms upon a shape change of the SM member triggered by a phase transition of the SM member. A retaining element () is mechanically coupled to the deformable member (), wherein the retaining element () moves upon the shape change. Release mechanism () include an actuator, a rotatable mechanism () including at least one restraining feature () for restraining rotational movement of the retaining element () before the shape change, and at least one spring () that provides at least one locked spring-loaded position when the retaining element is in the restraining feature and at least one released position that is reached when the retaining element is in a position beyond the restraining feature (). The rotatable mechanism () includes at least one load-bearing protrusion (). A hitch () is for mechanically coupling to the load, wherein the hitch is supported on the load bearing protrusion () when the rotatable mechanism is in the locked spring-loaded position.

Shape memory-based actuators and release mechanisms therefrom

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Douglasville, GA, United States of America

David K Schoenwald