Acoustic liquid dispensing apparatus
First Claim
1. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a container having a chamber adapted for holding a liquid;
an orifice positioned at an end of the chamber for allowing a free surface of the liquid to form when the liquid is held in the chamber, the free surface being the region where the liquid interfaces with the environment outside of the container, the orifice being configured to retain the liquid in the container if the container is positioned with the orifice facing in a downward direction and the liquid is being held in the chamber;
an acoustic transducer means at least partially positioned in the chamber for periodically propagating a focused acoustic beam toward the orifice and through at least some of the liquid when the liquid is being held in the chamber, the focused acoustic beam being capable of causing a droplet of the liquid to be ejected from the free surface of the liquid when the focused acoustic beam is focused at or near the free surface; and
a calibration surface positioned in the chamber for intercepting a part of the focused acoustic beam to generate a reflected acoustic wave.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing droplets of a liquid, and methods for measuring various fluid parameters of the liquid are described. The liquid dispensing apparatus comprises a container having a chamber for holding a liquid. An orifice is positioned at an end of the chamber for dispensing droplets of the liquid, the orifice being configured to retain the liquid in the container if the container is positioned with the orifice facing in a downward direction. An acoustic transducer means is at least partially positioned in the chamber for periodically propagating a focused acoustic beam toward the orifice and through at least some of the liquid while the liquid is contained in the chamber, with the focused acoustic beam being capable of causing a droplet of the liquid to be ejected from the orifice when a free surface of the liquid is within the depth of field of the acoustic transducer means. Fluid parameters that can be measured include the sound velocity in the liquid, liquid level and liquid concentration, liquid acoustic impedance, liquid density ultrasonic attenuation and ultrasonic viscosity.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a container having a chamber adapted for holding a liquid; an orifice positioned at an end of the chamber for allowing a free surface of the liquid to form when the liquid is held in the chamber, the free surface being the region where the liquid interfaces with the environment outside of the container, the orifice being configured to retain the liquid in the container if the container is positioned with the orifice facing in a downward direction and the liquid is being held in the chamber; an acoustic transducer means at least partially positioned in the chamber for periodically propagating a focused acoustic beam toward the orifice and through at least some of the liquid when the liquid is being held in the chamber, the focused acoustic beam being capable of causing a droplet of the liquid to be ejected from the free surface of the liquid when the focused acoustic beam is focused at or near the free surface; and a calibration surface positioned in the chamber for intercepting a part of the focused acoustic beam to generate a reflected acoustic wave. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising:
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a container having a chamber adapted for holding a liquid; an orifice in the chamber for allowing a free surface of the liquid to form when the liquid is held in the chamber, the free surface being the region where the liquid interfaces with the environment outside of the container, the orifice being sized to retain the liquid in the container if the container is positioned with the orifice facing in a downward direction and the liquid is being held in the chamber; and an acoustic transducer means at least partially positioned in the chamber for periodically propagating a focused acoustic beam toward the orifice and through at least some of the liquid when the liquid is held in the chamber, the acoustic transducer means comprising a lens configured to focus the focused acoustic beam on the free surface when the liquid is held in the chamber; wherein droplets having a volume of less than one nanoliter are ejected from the free surface when the focused acoustic beam is propagated through the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification