Flow-switching microdevice
First Claim
1. A microdevice for controlling fluid flow, comprising a substrate and a cover plate each having a substantially planar contact surface and each contact surface having a fluid-transporting feature associated therewith, wherein the substrate contact surface is positioned in slidable and fluid-tight contact with the cover plate contact surface such that the fluid-transporting features align to form a fluid-transporting conduit having a controllable cross-sectional area no greater than about 1 mm2.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a microdevice having a valve structure that contains low or no dead volume. The microdevice comprises a substrate and a cover plate each having a substantially planar contact surface and each contact surface having a fluid-transporting feature associated therewith. The substrate contact surface is positioned in slidable and fluid-tight contact with the cover plate contact surface to allow for controllable alignment between the fluid-transporting features. As a result, fluid communication is provided therebetween through a small area. Where the cover plate fluid-transporting feature comprises a conduit, the conduit may have a substantially constant cross-sectional area. The controllable alignment between the fluid-transporting features may form an alignment-dependent variable-length flow path.
93 Citations
33 Claims
- 1. A microdevice for controlling fluid flow, comprising a substrate and a cover plate each having a substantially planar contact surface and each contact surface having a fluid-transporting feature associated therewith, wherein the substrate contact surface is positioned in slidable and fluid-tight contact with the cover plate contact surface such that the fluid-transporting features align to form a fluid-transporting conduit having a controllable cross-sectional area no greater than about 1 mm2.
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25. A microdevice for controlling fluid flow, comprising a substrate and a cover plate each having a substantially planar contact surface and each contact surface having a fluid-transporting feature associated therewith, wherein
the substrate contact surface is positioned in slidable and fluid-tight contact with the cover plate contact surface to allow for controllable alignment between the fluid-transporting features resulting in fluid communication therebetween, and further wherein the cover plate fluid-transporting feature comprises a conduit having a substantially constant cross-sectional area.
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29. A microdevice for controlling fluid flow, comprising:
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a substrate having at least two substantially planar contact surfaces and a conduit extending therethrough to provide fluid communication between the contact surfaces;
a first and a second cover plate, each cover plate having a substantially planar contact surface positioned in substantially fluid-tight contact with a substrate contact surface, wherein the first cover plate contact surface has a fluid-transporting feature associated therewith and at least one of the first or the second cover plate contact surfaces is positioned in slidable contact with a substrate contact surface to allow for controllable flow path formation involving the fluid-transporting feature and the substrate conduit. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification