Title:
バルブレス液体マイクロスイッチ
Document Type and Number:
Japanese Patent JP3941885
Kind Code:
B2
Abstract:
This invention provides a valveless method and apparatus for high speed switching of liquid flow between intersecting microchannels. Liquid flow is controlled by manipulating external driving pressures. The switch comprises three intersecting microchannels, each having a liquid reservoir at its nonintersecting end for liquid inlet and outlet. It further includes applying a driving pressure to each reservoir switching the driving pressures. The microswitch of this invention operates to establish a liquid flow from a first channel to a second channel by applying a pressure differential between the first and second reservoirs, while simultaneously preventing flow into the third channel by applying a pressure to the third reservoir which equals the pressure at the junction of the three channels. By switching one or more driving pressures, the flow to the second channel can be stopped and the liquid flow redirected to the third channel. This invention further includes switches wherein more than three channels are included in the flow network, either intersecting in a single junction or in multiple junctions.
Inventors:
Brody, James P.
Application Number:
JP54243297A
Publication Date:
July 04, 2007
Filing Date:
May 06, 1997
Export Citation:
Assignee:
University of Washington
International Classes:
B81B1/00; B81B7/02; B01L3/00; B01L99/00; F15C1/00; F15C1/20; G01N15/14
Domestic Patent References:
| JP10507516A | ||||
| JP4945759A | ||||
| JP4962871A | ||||
| JP59166703A |
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Hidesaku Yamamoto