Method and apparatus for manipulation using spiral electrodes
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for the discrimination of matter utilizing dielectrophoresis comprising:
- a chamber having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
at least one spiral electrode element positioned along a portion of said chamber; and
an electrical signal generator to energize said at least one spiral electrode element and create an electric field that causes a dielectrophoretic force on said matter within said chamber, thereby displacing said matter to positions within said chamber.
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a novel apparatus and novel methods for the separation, characterization, and manipulation of matter. In particular, the invention combines the use of frequency-dependent dielectric and conductive properties of particulate matter and solubilized matter with the properties of a suspending medium to discriminate and separate such matter. The apparatus includes a chamber having at least one spiral electrode element. Matter is separated in the chamber by a dielectrophoretic (DEP) force caused by the energized electrode or electrodes.
112 Citations
48 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the discrimination of matter utilizing dielectrophoresis comprising:
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a chamber having an interior surface and an exterior surface; at least one spiral electrode element positioned along a portion of said chamber; and an electrical signal generator to energize said at least one spiral electrode element and create an electric field that causes a dielectrophoretic force on said matter within said chamber, thereby displacing said matter to positions within said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of discriminating matter utilizing dielectrophoresis, comprising:
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providing a chamber, said chamber having an interior surface and an exterior surface and at least one spiral electrode element positioned along a portion of said chamber; introducing said matter into said chamber; applying at least one electrical signal to said at least one spiral electrode element to create an energized at least one spiral electrode element to cause a dielectrophoretic force on said matter; and wherein said matter is displaced to positions within said chamber, thereby discriminating said matter according to its positions within said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of determining characteristics of an unknown matter utilizing dielectrophoresis, comprising:
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providing a chamber having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a spiral electrode array positioned along a portion of said chamber;introducing a mixture including said unknown matter into said chamber; applying at least one electrical signal having an initial frequency to said spiral electrode array at different phases to create an energized spiral electrode array to cause a dielectrophoretic force on said unknown matter; and varying said initial frequency until said unknown matter is caused to be moved to a central portion of said spiral electrode array at a discriminating frequency. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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47. A method for diagnosing a condition by determining a presence of unidentified matter in a patient sample utilizing dielectrophoresis, comprising:
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obtaining a chamber having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a spiral electrode array positioned along a portion of said chamber;introducing a mixture including said unidentified matter into said chamber; applying at least one electrical signal to said spiral electrode array at different phases at a discriminating frequency of a known matter to create a traveling electric field to cause a dielectrophoretic force on said mixture; and determining whether said unidentified matter is moved to a central portion of said spiral electrode array, indicating said condition.
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48. An apparatus for the discrimination of matter, comprising:
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a chamber having an interior surface and an exterior surface, a top wall, a bottom wall and a peripheral wall; a spiral electrode array positioned along a portion of at least one of said walls; an electrical signal generator electrically connected to said spiral electrode array; and wherein said spiral electrode array energized at different phases by at least one electrical signal provided by said electrical signal generator creates an electric field in said chamber, thereby causing at least one dielectrophoretic force on said matter.
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Specification