Method and apparatus for controlling minute amount of fluid

• US 20060037657A1
• Filed: 08/12/2003
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Takeshi Oshikubo, Yuichi Shibata
• Original Assignee: Takeshi Oshikubo, Yuichi Shibata
• Inventors: Shibata, Yuichi, Oshikubo, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US10/525,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20060037657A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/827
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0694 by action on throttling means or flow sources of very small size, e.g. microfluidics microvalves F16K99/0001; microstructural devices per se B81B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2191 By non-fluid energy field affecting input [e.g., transducer]

Abstract

The present invention relates to a controlling method and a controlling apparatus wherein, in a microscopic flow passage such as a micro flow passage or a nano flow passage, an inhalation of a sample microscopic fluid and a flow amount control and a quantity amount control of the sample microscopic fluid can be carried out. A driving microscopic fluid, which is putted into the microscopic flow passage such as the micro flow passage or the nano flow passage and reacts to an electric field or a magnetic field, is moved by changing the electric field or the magnetic field from an outer side and by positioning it, thereby the inhalation and the flow amount of the sample microscopic fluid is controlled.

Claims

1. A microscopic fluid controlling method comprising the steps of:

moving a first microscopic fluid by changing an electric field or a magnetic field and by positioning said first microscopic fluid in a microscopic flow passage;

inhaling a second microscopic fluid in said microscopic flow passage by succeeding said first microscopic fluid; and

controlling said second microscopic fluid existed in said microscopic flow passage in respective of a move of said first microscopic fluid.

12. A microscopic fluid controlling method according to claim 1, wherein the microscopic fluid controlling method comprises further the step of:

dividing into plural portions said second microscopic fluid by a third microscopic fluid.

13. A microscopic fluid controlling method according to claim 1, wherein the microscopic fluid controlling method comprises further the step of:

dividing into plural portions said second microscopic fluid by heating.

14. A microscopic fluid controlling method according to claim 1, wherein said second microscopic fluid existing in said microscopic flow passage is controlled by blending and separating said second microscopic fluid according to a mass of said second microscopic fluid.

15. A microscopic fluid controlling method according to claim 1, wherein the microscopic fluid controlling method comprises further the step of:

positioning and moving said first microscopic fluid by changing a magnetic force and an applied electric power.

16. A microscopic fluid controlling method according to claim 12, wherein the microscopic fluid controlling method comprises further the step of:

moving said first microscopic fluid and dividing said second microscopic fluid into plural portions by said third microscopic fluid, by changing a magnetic force and an applied electric power.

17. A microscopic fluid controlling method according to claim 13, wherein said second microscopic fluid is moved to a heating portion by said first microscopic fluid, and by heating said second microscopic fluid existing on said heating portion, and said second microscopic fluid is separated.

2-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A microscopic fluid controlling apparatus comprising:

a first microscopic fluid moving means for positioning and moving a first microscopic fluid in a microscopic flow passage;

a second microscopic fluid inhaling means for inhaling a second microscopic fluid in said microscopic flow passage by succeeding said first microscopic fluid; and

a controlling means for controlling said second microscopic fluid.

18. A microscopic fluid controlling apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a second microscopic fluid dividing means for dividing into plural portions said second microscopic fluid.

19. A microscopic fluid controlling apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a second microscopic fluid heating and dividing means that heats said second microscopic fluid and divides said second microscopic fluid.

20. A microscopic fluid controlling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the microscopic fluid controlling means comprises further:

a rotating means for positioning said first microscopic fluid existing in said microscopic flow passage and moving said first microscopic fluid in said microscopic flow passage; and

second microscopic fluid dividing means for dividing into plural portions said second microscopic fluid; and

a second microscopic fluid blending and separating means for blending and separating said second microscopic fluid.

9-11. -11. (canceled)