Electro-osmotic apparatus, method, and applications
US8998584B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 24, 2011 |
| Grant date | Apr 7, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 24, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB01L9/00
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A switchable adhesion device combines two concepts: the surface tension force from a large number of small liquid bridges can be significant (capillarity-based adhesion) and these contacts can be quickly made or broken with electronic control (switchable). The device grabs or releases a substrate in a fraction of a second via a low voltage pulse that drives electroosmotic flow. Energy consumption is minimal since both the grabbed and released states are stable equilibria that persist with no energy added to the system. The device maintains the integrity of an array of hundreds to thousands of distinct interfaces during active reconfiguration from droplets to bridges and back, despite the natural tendency of the liquid towards coalescence. Strengths approaching those of permanent bonding adhesives are possible as feature size is scaled down. The device features compact size, no solid moving parts, and is made of common materials.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.