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:
Mar. 10, 1998
Filed:
May. 31, 1996
James P Brody, Seattle, WA (US);
University of Washington, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
This invention provides a valveless method and apparatus for high speed switching of liquid flow between intersecting microchannels. Liquid flow is controlled by manipulating external driving pressures. The switch comprises three intersecting microchannels, each having a liquid reservoir at its nonintersecting end for liquid inlet and outlet. It further includes applying a driving pressure to each reservoir switching the driving pressures. The microswitch of this invention operates to establish a liquid flow from a first channel to a second channel by applying a pressure differential between the first and second reservoirs, while simultaneously preventing flow into the third channel by applying a pressure to the third reservoir which equals the pressure at the junction of the three channels. By switching one or more driving pressures, the flow to the second channel can be stopped and the liquid flow redirected to the third channel. This invention further includes switches wherein more than three channels are included in the flow network, either intersecting in a single junction or in multiple junctions.