Focused acoustic radiation for rapid sequential ejection of subwavelength droplets
US10325768B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 2, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jun 18, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 18, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB01L2400/0436
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Focused acoustic radiation, referred to as tonebursts, are applied to a volume of liquid to generate a set of droplets. In one embodiment, a first toneburst is applied to temporarily raise a mound or protuberance on a free surface of the fluid. After the mound has reached a certain state, at least two additional toneburst can be applied to the protuberance to sequentially eject multiple bursts of multiple droplets. In one embodiment, the state of the mound can be maintained by a sustained acoustic signal, during which time multiple additional tonebursts can be applied to sequentially eject multiple bursts of multiple droplets from the mound.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.