APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR PROPELLING FLUIDS
First Claim
1. A method for moving a fluid in a fluidics system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a flow channel having a first pressure level therein;
providing at least one openable closed chamber in operative communication with said flow channel, said at least one openable closed chamber has a second pressure level therewithin, said second pressure level is lower than said first pressure level; and
opening said at least one openable chamber for reducing the pressure within said flow channel to move a fluid disposed within said flow channel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for moving a fluid in a fluidics system. The device may include one or more controllably openable closed chambers. The pressure within the closed chamber(s) is lower than the ambient pressure outside the fluidics system or lower than the pressure within another channel of the fluidic system. The closed chamber(s) is configured for being controllably opened. The chamber (or chambers) is configured such that when a chamber is opened the chamber is in fluidic communication with a flow channel included within the fluidics system. The fluid may be moved into the flow channel or may be moved within the flow channel. The fluid may be a liquid, a gas, a mixture of gases or an aerosol. The fluidics system may include a controller for controlling the opening of a selected chamber or chambers.
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Citations
82 Claims
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1. A method for moving a fluid in a fluidics system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flow channel having a first pressure level therein;
providing at least one openable closed chamber in operative communication with said flow channel, said at least one openable closed chamber has a second pressure level therewithin, said second pressure level is lower than said first pressure level; and
opening said at least one openable chamber for reducing the pressure within said flow channel to move a fluid disposed within said flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for moving a liquid into a fluidics system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flow channel, said flow channel is in operative communication with at least one inlet port, said at least one inlet port is sealingly covered with said liquid, said flow channel has a first pressure level therein;
providing at least one openable closed chamber in operative communication with said flow channel, said at least one openable closed chamber has a second pressure level therewithin, said second pressure level is lower than said first pressure level; and
opening said at least one openable chamber for reducing the pressure within said flow channel to move said liquid into said flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method for moving a fluid into a fluidics system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flow channel, said flow channel is in operative communication with at least one inlet port, said at least one inlet port is disposed within said fluid, said flow channel has a first pressure level therein;
providing at least one openable closed chamber in operative communication with said flow channel, said at least one openable closed chamber has a second pressure level therewithin, said second pressure level is lower than said first pressure level; and
opening said at least one openable chamber for reducing the pressure within said flow channel to move said fluid into said flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method for constructing a fluidic device, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one flow channel within said device; and
providing at least one openable closed chamber in operative communication with said at least one flow channel, said closed chamber has a first pressure level therewithin, said first pressure level is lower than the pressure level outside said fluidic device. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method for moving a liquid into a fluidics system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flow channel having at least one inlet port;
providing one or more openable closed chambers, the pressure within said one or more openable closed chambers is lower than the ambient pressure outside said fluidic system, each chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers is configured for being controllably openable, each chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers is in operative communication with said flow channel, said one or more openable closed chambers are configured for being controllably opened to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said one or more openable closed chambers;
sealingly covering said at least one inlet port of said flow channel with said liquid; and
opening at least one chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers for moving at least a portion of said liquid into said flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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17. A method for moving a fluid into a fluidics system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flow channel having at least one inlet port, said at least one inlet port has an opening;
providing one or more openable closed chambers, the pressure within said one or more openable closed chambers is lower than the ambient pressure outside said fluidic system, each chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers is configured for being controllably openable, each chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers is in operative communication with said flow channel, said one or more openable closed chambers are configured for being controllably opened to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said one or more openable closed chambers;
disposing said opening of said at least one inlet port of said flow channel within said fluid; and
opening at least one chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers for moving at least a portion of said fluid into said flow channel.
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24. A method for moving a liquid within a fluidics system, the method comprising:
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providing a flow channel having at least a first end and a second end thereof;
providing one or more openable closed chambers, the pressure within said one or more openable closed chambers is lower than the ambient pressure outside said fluidic system, each chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers is in operative communication with a portion of said flow channel, each chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers is configured for being controllably opened to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said one or more openable closed chambers;
providing a quantity of said liquid disposed within said flow channel between said first end and said second end of said flow channel, said first end of said flow channel opens outside said fluidic system and is subjected to said ambient pressure; and
opening at least one chamber of said one or more openable closed chambers to said portion of said flow channel for lowering the pressure within said portion of said flow channel below said ambient pressure for moving said liquid within said flow channel.
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29. A method for moving a liquid within or into a microfluidics device, the method comprising opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, the pressure within said at least one openable closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said opening produces a net force acting on a quantity of said liquid disposed within or on said microfluidics device to move at least a portion of said quantity of liquid within or into said device.
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30. A method for moving a liquid disposed within at least one flow channel in a microfluidics device, the method comprising opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, said at least one openable closed chamber is in operative communication with said at least one flow channel, the pressure within said at least one openable closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, to produce a net force acting on said liquid for moving at least a portion of said liquid within said device.
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31. A method for introducing a liquid into a microfluidics device, the method comprising the steps of:
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sealingly covering an opening of at least one inlet port included in said microfluidics device with a quantity of said liquid, said inlet port is in communication with at least one flow channel included within said microfluidics device; and
opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, the pressure within said at least one openable closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, to produce a net force acting on a portion of said liquid disposed within said microfluidics device to move at least a portion of said quantity of liquid into said at least one flow channel.
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- 32. A method for moving a fluid within or into a microfluidics device, the method comprising opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, the pressure within said at least one openable closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said opening reduces the pressure within said microfluidics device to move at least a portion of a quantity of said fluid disposed within or outside said microfluidics device within or into said device.
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34. A method for moving a fluid disposed within at least one flow channel in a microfluidics device, the method comprising opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, said at least one openable closed chamber is in operative communication with said at least one flow channel, the pressure within said at least one openable closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, to induce a flow of said fluid for moving at least a portion of said fluid within said device.
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36. A method for introducing a fluid into a microfluidics device, the method comprising the steps of:
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disposing an opening of at least one inlet port included in said microfluidics device within said fluid, said inlet port is in communication with at least one flow channel included within said microfluidics device; and
opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, the pressure within said at least one openable closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, to induce a flow of said fluid for moving at least a portion of said fluid into said device through said opening of said at least one inlet port.
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38. A device for moving a fluid in a fluidic system, the device comprising:
one or more openable closed chambers, the pressure within said one or more openable closed chambers is lower than the ambient pressure outside said fluidic system, said one or more openable closed chambers are in operative communication with a flow channel included within said fluidic system, said one or more openable closed chambers are configured for being controllably opened to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said one or more openable closed chambers.
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77. In a microfluidics system, a device for moving a fluid within the microfluidics system, the device comprising:
at least one openable closed chamber, the pressure within said closed chamber is lower than the pressure outside said microfluidics system, said at least one openable closed chambers is in operative communication with a flow channel included within said fluidic system, said at least one openable closed chamber is configured for being controllably opened to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said at least one openable closed chambers. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80)
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81. a microfluidics system comprising:
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a flow channel disposed within said microfluidics system; and
at least one openable closed chamber, said at least one openable closed chamber is in operative communication with a flow channel included within said microfluidics system, said at least one openable closed chamber is configured for being controllably opened to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said at least one openable closed chambers. - View Dependent Claims (82)
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81-1. A microfluidics device comprising:
at least one openable closed chamber, the pressure within said at least one openable closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said at least one openable closed chamber is in operative communication with a flow channel included within said microfluidics device, said at least one openable closed chamber is configured for being controllably opened to induce a fluid to flow within said flow channel.
Specification