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:
Dec. 27, 2011
Filed:
Jan. 23, 2004
Ralf-peter Peters, Bergisch-Gladbach, DE;
Gert Blankenstein, Dortmund, DE;
Dirk Osterloh, Unna, DE;
Boehringer Ingelheim Microparts GmbH, Dortmund, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to a microfluidic arrangement for metering one or more first metered amounts of liquid (A) and for separating the latter from a second amount of liquid (B), having the following features: the arrangement has a first channel and one or more second channels; the first channel has one inlet and one outlet; in the area of the outlet the arrangement has a capillarity, which is greater than or equal to the capillarity in the area of the inlet; the one or more second channels branch off from the first channel at one or more branch points; the one or more second channels have a greater capillarity than the first channel at the branch points; and the one or more second channels have a predetermined volume. In the arrangement as depicted in the invention a liquid is transported in the first channel from the inlet to the outlet. At the branch points one portion of the liquid at a time enters the one or more second channels and fills them completely with the first metered amounts of liquid (A). The portion of the liquid remaining after the last branch point in the first channel emerges as the second amount of liquid via the outlet from the first channel. The amounts of liquid (A) metered in the one or more second channels are separated from the remaining amount of liquid (B) by a gas, which is located in the first channel after filling all one or more second channels.