Apparatus for manipulating droplets by electrowetting-based techniques
US6911132B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 24, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jun 28, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 15, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J2002/14395
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for manipulating droplets. The apparatus is a single-sided electrode design in which all conductive elements are contained on one surface on which droplets are manipulated. An additional surface can be provided parallel with the first surface for the purpose of containing the droplets to be manipulated. Droplets are manipulated by performing electrowetting-based techniques in which electrodes contained on or embedded in the first surface are sequentially energized and de-energized in a controlled manner. The apparatus enables a number of droplet manipulation processes, including merging and mixing two droplets together, splitting a droplet into two or more droplets, sampling a continuous liquid flow by forming from the flow individually controllable droplets, and iterative binary or digital mixing of droplets to obtain a desired mixing ratio.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.