Method for controlling a communication between two areas by electrowetting, a device including areas isolatable from each other and method for making such a device
First Claim
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1. A method for isolating two areas, comprising:
- providing one or more walls between the two areas, wherein the one or more walls contain one or more apertures;
placing, by electrowetting in the one or more apertures, a substance in a liquid state capable of reacting to at least one external stimulus in order to pass from the liquid state to a solid or gel state;
applying the at least one external stimulus, thereby causing the substance to pass from the liquid state to the solid or gel state forming a closure member.
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Abstract
Device for displacing drops of liquid by electrowetting, and a method for isolating two areas delimited by at least one wall including a step for:
- placing by electrowetting, in an aperture of said wall, a substance capable of reacting to at least one external stimulus in order to pass from a liquid state to a gel or solid state, forming a closure member.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for isolating two areas, comprising:
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providing one or more walls between the two areas, wherein the one or more walls contain one or more apertures; placing, by electrowetting in the one or more apertures, a substance in a liquid state capable of reacting to at least one external stimulus in order to pass from the liquid state to a solid or gel state; applying the at least one external stimulus, thereby causing the substance to pass from the liquid state to the solid or gel state forming a closure member.
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2. A method for having two areas communicate, comprising:
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providing one or more walls between the two areas, wherein the one or more walls contain one or more apertures, and wherein the one or more apertures contains a substance in a solid or gel state capable of reacting to at least one external stimulus in order to pass from the solid or gel state to a liquid state; applying at least one external stimulus, thereby causing the substance to pass from the solid or gel state to the liquid state; while the substance is in the liquid state, removing the substance by electrowetting from the one or more apertures.
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3. A method for controlling the communication between two areas, comprising:
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providing one or more walls between the two areas, wherein the one or more walls contain one or more apertures; providing a substance capable of reacting to a first external stimulus in order to pass from a liquid state to a solid or gel state, and capable of reacting to a second external stimulus in order to pass from a solid or gel state to a liquid state; placing by electrowetting in the one or more apertures, the substance in the liquid state; while the substance is in the one or more apertures in the liquid state, applying the first external stimulus, thereby causing the substance to pass from the liquid state to the solid or gel state forming a closure member; while the substance is in the one or more apertures in the solid or gel state, applying the second external stimulus, thereby causing the substance to pass from the solid or gel state to the liquid state; while the substance is in the liquid state, removing the substance by electrowetting from the one or more apertures. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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- 13. A device for displacing drops by electrowetting including at least two areas separated by a wall, at least one communication passage formed in said wall, at least one first substance as a first drop of liquid or a solid or a gel, said substance as a liquid being capable of being transformed into a solid or a gel when it is subject to at least one first stimulus and/or said substance as a solid or a gel being capable of liquefying when it is subject to at least a second stimulus, means for displacing by electrowetting said substance in order to bring it into the communication passage or to move it away therefrom and means for applying at least one stimulus to the substance.
Specification