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:
Oct. 02, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1999
Ralph-Peter Peters, Bergisch Gladbach, DE;
Microparts Gesellschaft, Dortmund, DE;
Abstract
Liquid components are separated from a liquid using separation devices, such as filters and membranes, in which capillary forces, which retain the liquid component to be separated in the separation device, are effective. If the amount of liquid is very small, it can be very difficult to remove the liquid component to be separated in the separation device in a free and unchanged form. This process step is simplified or facilitated by a wedge-shaped cut-out at an exit end of the capillary or in a columnar body which is in contact with an exit end of the capillary. A radius of curvature of a wedge edge is smaller than a radius of the capillary. A base side of the wedge-shaped cut-out is adjacent to a collecting chamber in which the separated-off liquid component is collected, and in which the capillary forces are smaller than interfering forces in the capillary itself. If interfering capillary forces are still effective in the collecting chamber, then a further wedge-shaped cut-out can be provided at the exit end of the collecting chamber. Thus, the device makes it possible to separate off liquid components in the microliter range.