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:
May. 22, 2012
Filed:
Jan. 25, 2007
Applicants:
Andrew David Ward, Andover, GB;
Colin David Bain, Durham, GB;
Christopher Daniel Mellor, London, GB;
Inventors:
Andrew David Ward, Andover, GB;
Colin David Bain, Durham, GB;
Christopher Daniel Mellor, London, GB;
Assignee:
The Science and Technology Facilities Council, Oxfordshire, GB;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 21/00 (2006.01); G01N 23/00 (2006.01); G02B 5/18 (2006.01); C08J 7/18 (2006.01); C08J 3/28 (2006.01); C08F 2/46 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A technique for shaping droplets is disclosed. Multiple optical traps, or at least one variable geometry trap, are used to deform a droplet. The surface tension of the droplet is lowered to be comparable with the force which can be applied using the optical traps, for example by using a surfactant such as Aerosol OT, with heptane droplets in a solution of sodium chloride. Solidification of deformed droplets can be achieved using polymerization.