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. 18, 2011
Filed:
Apr. 03, 2008
Mark Y. Wang, Fremont, CA (US);
Zhiliang Wan, Milpitas, CA (US);
Harshal Surangalikar, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Guanghua Wu, Dublin, CA (US);
Erhan Ata, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Mark Y. Wang, Fremont, CA (US);
Zhiliang Wan, Milpitas, CA (US);
Harshal Surangalikar, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Guanghua Wu, Dublin, CA (US);
Erhan Ata, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Micropoint Bioscience, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
This invention relates to a systems and methods of controlling the flow of a fluid in a capillary or microfluidic channel. A first pair of electrodes can influence the wetting of a fluid front at a relatively hydrophobic surface in the channel. A second pair of electrodes can electrolytically generate a bubble that can stop fluid flow when it contacts the hydrophobic surface. Flow of a fluid in a channel can be stopped on contact with the hydrophobic surface and restarted when an electrostatic field reduces the contact angle of the fluid at the hydrophobic surface. The electrostatic field can be removed and the fluid stopped again when an electrolytically generated bubble contacts the hydrophobic surface to reestablish the blocking contact angle of the fluid, gas and surface.