The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 22, 1987
Filed:
May. 01, 1986
Frederick Sachs, Buffalo, NY (US);
Anthony Auerbach, Buffalo, NY (US);
Richard G McGarrigle, Snyder, NY (US);
James E Neil, Buffalo, NY (US);
The Research Foundation of State University of New York, Albany, NY (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the controlled heating of an ultra small volume. The invention provides a means of heating, measuring, and controlling the temperature in such ultra small volume. The present apparatus includes a heat-sensor portion comprised of an electrical resistance. Heat is generated in the heat-sensor portion by a flow of electrical current through such electrical resistance. The temperature in the heat-sensor portion is determined by measuring the electrical resistance of the circuit that includes the heat-sensor element. The apparatus is comprised of a thin-walled microcapillary tube filled internally with an electrically conductive material and coated externally with a dissimilar electrically conductive material. The external electrically conductive coating on the microcapillary tube is suitable a noble metal such as gold. The external metal coating preferably has a metallic overcoat to improve conductivity, and more preferably has a further overcoat, or outside layer, of a nonconductive material. Along the tip portion of the microcapillary tube the two dissimilar conductive materials (internal and external) meet to form a juncture of electrical resistance. This juncture is the heat-sensor portion serving both as the heating element and as the temperature sensor. The electrically conductive material inside the microcapillary tube and the electrically conductive coating on the outside of the microcapillary tube are connected to an electrical source as part of an electrical circuit.