Electrokinetic Pump Having Capacitive Electrodes
First Claim
1. In an electrokinetic device comprising a pair of electrodes capable of having a voltage drop therebetween and a porous dielectric material between the electrodes, the improvement comprising the electrodes, wherein the electrodes are comprised of a material having a capacitance of at least 10−
- 4 Farads per square centimeter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrokinetic pump achieves high and low flow rates without producing significant gaseous byproducts and without significant evolution of the pump fluid. A first feature of the pump is that the electrodes in the pump are capacitive with a capacitance of at least 10−4 Farads cm2. A second feature of the pump is that it is configured to maximize the potential across the porous dielectric material. The pump can have either or both features.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. In an electrokinetic device comprising a pair of electrodes capable of having a voltage drop therebetween and a porous dielectric material between the electrodes, the improvement comprising the electrodes, wherein the electrodes are comprised of a material having a capacitance of at least 10−
- 4 Farads per square centimeter.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- 13. In an electrokinetic device comprising a pair of electrodes and a porous dielectric material between the electrodes, the improvement comprising the electrodes being sufficiently proximate to the porous dielectric material so that when there is a voltage drop between the electrodes, the voltage drop across the porous dielectric material is at least 10% of the voltage drop between the electrodes and wherein the electrokinetic device is capable of generating fluid flow at a rate of at least 1 mL/min.
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20. An electrokinetic pump system comprising:
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(a) a first flow path; (b) a second flow path, the second flow path being spaced apart from the first flow path; and (c) an electrokinetic pump comprising; (i) a first diaphragm in contact with the first flow path, the first diaphragm being flexible and impermeable; (ii) a second diaphragm in contact with the second flow path, the second diaphragm being flexible, impermeable, and spaced-apart from the first diaphragm; (iii) a pair of spaced apart electrodes having a capacitance of at least 10−
4 Farads/cm2 and being located between the diaphragms; and(iv) a porous dielectric material located between the electrodes.
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21-34. -34. (canceled)
Specification