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:
Aug. 09, 2005
Filed:
Nov. 07, 2002
Roger O. Williams, Paradise Valley, AZ (US);
Roger O. Williams, Paradise Valley, AZ (US);
EDC Biosystems, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A non-contact method for measuring viscosity and surface tension information of a liquid in a first liquid containment structure. The steps of the method include oscillating a free surface of the liquid in the liquid containment structure; detecting wave characteristics of the oscillating free surface; and analyzing the wave characteristics. The oscillating step may be performed by propagating an acoustic wave from an acoustic wave emitter, through said liquid containment structure, towards the free surface. The detecting step may be performed by delivering a series of acoustic pulses at the free surface and detecting acoustic reflections from the free surface as the oscillating free surface relaxes. The analyzing step can be performed by comparing the wave characteristics with a candidate liquid wave characteristics. Prior knowledge and behavior of the selected candidate liquid can thus be imputed to the source or sample liquid. The sample liquid can be one of photoresist, solder or a biological compound. In a variation a method for acoustically ejecting a droplet of a first liquid from a first liquid containment structure comprises measuring viscosity and surface tension information of the first liquid in the first liquid containment structure and directing a variable amount of acoustic energy through the first liquid to cause the droplet ejection wherein the variable amount of acoustic energy is based on the measuring viscosity and surface tension information of the first liquid in the first liquid containment structure. Apparatuses and systems for carrying out the same are included.