Capillary transport device having means for increasing the viscosity of the transported liquid
First Claim
1. In a liquid transport device for simultaneously transporting two different aqueous liquids within a capillary passage, said device comprising two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create the capillary passage;
- and access means, including two apertures, for respectively admitting said different liquids to said passage from the exterior of the device to two spaced-apart regions of the passage;
the improvement wherein there is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, spaced a capillary distance from the other surface, control means for (a) increasing the viscosity of the liquid while it is flowing past said at least one surface, and (b) at the same time maintaining such flow continuous within said passage,whereby the rate of flow within said passage is reduced and any displacement force created when two liquids with unequal surface tensions meet within said passage, is countered.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capillary transport device is disclosed, suitable for use as an ion bridge for potentiometric test elements. Such device has an internal capillary transport passage, and two access apertures for separate access of two different liquids to two spaced-apart regions of the passage. To control the liquid flow rate within the passage, there is disposed on at least a portion of at least one of the surfaces of the passage between the two regions, means for (a) increasing the viscosity of the liquid while it is flowing past at least one surface, and (b) at the same time maintaining such flow continuous within the passage.
75 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a liquid transport device for simultaneously transporting two different aqueous liquids within a capillary passage, said device comprising two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create the capillary passage;
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and access means, including two apertures, for respectively admitting said different liquids to said passage from the exterior of the device to two spaced-apart regions of the passage; the improvement wherein there is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, spaced a capillary distance from the other surface, control means for (a) increasing the viscosity of the liquid while it is flowing past said at least one surface, and (b) at the same time maintaining such flow continuous within said passage, whereby the rate of flow within said passage is reduced and any displacement force created when two liquids with unequal surface tensions meet within said passage, is countered. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4)
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3. In a liquid transport device for simultaneously transporting two different aqueous liquids within a capillary passage, said device comprising two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create the capillary passage;
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and access means, including two apertures, for respectively admitting said different liquids to said passage from the exterior of the device to two spaced-apart regions of the passage; the improvement wherein a water-swellable composition is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, between said regions so as to predeterminedly constrain, by swelling, liquid flow within said passage between said regions to a reduced, non-zero rate. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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5. In a liquid transport device for simultaneously transporting two different liquids within a capillary passage, said device comprising two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create the capillary passage;
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and access means, including two apertures, for simultaneously admitting liquids to said passage from the exterior of the device, a portion of said passage between said apertures being constructed to bring together at a junction between the apertures, two such liquids introduced to said passage, the improvement wherein a water-swellable composition is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, between said apertures to form an initial capillary spacing between said composition and the other of said surfaces, said passage between said apertures having a predetermined length and said composition being water-swellable by an amount and at a predetermined rate such that said initial capillary spacing is reduced by at least about 25% by the time liquid introduced into one of said apertures flows to said junction.
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7. In an ion bridge fluidly connecting at least two ion-selective electrodes comprising the reagents operative to provide a determination of the activity of an ionic analyte in a liquid having a surface tension between about 25 and about 75 dynes/cm2, said bridge comprising
two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create a transport passage, said passage having portions that are in separate liquid communication with each of said electrodes; -
and access means, including two apertures, for respectively admitting liquids from the exterior of said bridge to two spaced-apart regions of the passage; the improvement wherein there is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, spaced a capillary distance from the other surface, control means for (a) increasing the viscosity of the liquid while it is flowing past said at least one surface, and (b) at the same time maintaining such flow continuous within said passage, whereby the rate of flow within said passage is reduced and any displacement force created when two liquids with unequal surface tensions meet within said passage, is countered. - View Dependent Claims (8, 10)
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9. In an ion bridge fluidly connecting at least two ion-selective electrodes comprising the reagents operative to provide a determination of the activity of an ionic analyte in a liquid having a surface tension between about 25 and about 75 dynes/cm2, said bridge comprising
two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create a transport passage, said passage having portions that are in separate liquid communication with each of said electrodes; -
and access means, including two apertures, for respectively admitting liquids from the exterior of said bridge to two spaced-apart regions of the passage; the improvement wherein a water-swellable composition is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, between said regions so as to predeterminedly constrain, by swelling, liquid flow within said passage between said regions to a reduced, non-zero rate. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. In an ion bridge fluidly connecting at least two ion-selective electrodes comprising the reagents operative to provide a determination of the activity of an ionic analyte in a liquid having a surface tension between about 25 and about 75 dynes/cm2, said bridge comprising
two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create a transport passage, said passage having portions that are in separate liquid communication with each of said electrodes; -
access means, including two apertures, for admitting liquids to said passage from the exterior of said bridge, a portion of said passage between said apertures being constructed to bring together at a junction two such liquids introduced to said passage each through a respective separate one of said apertures, the improvement wherein a water-swellable composition is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, between said apertures to form an initial capillary spacing between said composition and the other of said surfaces, said passage between said apertures having a predetermined length and said composition being water-swellable by an amount and at a predetermined rate such that said initial capillary spacing is reduced by at least about 25% by the time liquid introduced into one of said apertures flows to said junction. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In a liquid transport device for simultaneously transporting two different aqueous liquids within a capillary passage, said device comprising two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create the capillary passage;
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and access means, including two apertures, for respectively admitting said different liquids to said passage from the exterior of the device to two spaced-apart regions of the passage; the improvement wherein there is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, spaced a capillary distance from the other surface, control means for (a) increasing the viscosity of the liquid while it is flowing past said at least one surface, and (b) at the same time maintaining such flow continuous within said passage, said control means being effective to increase said viscosity during liquid flow by at least an amount sufficient, over a time period of about 3 minutes, to prevent displacement of the junction formed between two liquids, having a difference in surface tension of about 4 dynes/cm, that are introduced into said passage via said apertures. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. In an ion bridge fluidly connecting at least two ion-selective electrodes comprising the reagents operative to provide a determination of the activity of an ionic analyte in a liquid having a surface tension between about 25 and about 75 dynes/cm2, said bridge comprising
two opposed liquid transport surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow between said surfaces of introduced liquid and to create a transport passage, said passage having portions that are in separate liquid communication with each of said electrodes; -
and access means, including two apertures, for respectively admitting liquids from the exterior of said bridge to two spaced-apart regions of the passage; the improvement wherein there is disposed on at least one of said surfaces, spaced a capillary distance from the other surface, control means for (a) increasing the viscosity of the liquid while it is flowing past said at least one surface, and (b) at the same time maintaining such flow continuous within said passage, said control means being effective to increase said viscosity during liquid flow by at least an amount sufficient, over a time period of about 3 minutes, to prevent displacement of the junction formed between two liquids, having a difference in surface tension of about 4 dynes/cm, that are introduced into said passage via said apertures. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification