...that the first rickshaw was invented in 1869 by an American Baptist minister, the Rev. E. Jonathan Scobie, to transport his invalid wife around the streets of Yokohama?
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8156964 | Fast acting valve apparatuses Embodiments of valve apparatuses are described. ... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8136553 | Microfluidic circuit having an active component A microfluidic circuit comprising microchannels (24, 26) containing different fluids (F1, F2), with a laser beam being focused at (32) on an interface (30) between the fluids so as to form a pump, a valve, or a mixer, for example. | 03/20/2012 |
| 8066031 | Electro-hydraulic devices A microfluidic device includes a substrate including multiple electro-hydraulic valves and/or electro-hydraulic pumps that each include a flow channel and one or more hydraulic control channels, actuators for controlling the electro-hydraulic valves and/or electro-h... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8037903 | Micromachined electrowetting microfluidic valve This invention relates to a systems and methods of controlling the flow of a fluid in a capillary or microfluidic channel. A first pair of electrodes can influence the wetting of a fluid front at a relatively hydrophobic surface in the channel. A second pair of elec... | 10/18/2011 |
| 7980272 | Microfluidic valve, method of manufacturing the same, and microfluidic device comprising the microfluidic valve Provided is a microfluidic valve, a method of manufacturing the microfluidic valve, and a microfluidic device that employs the microfluidic valve. The microfluidic valve includes a platform that includes two substrates combined facing each other; a channel having a ... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7926514 | Valve unit and reaction apparatus having the same Provided are a valve unit and a reaction apparatus having the valve unit. The valve unit includes a phase transition material, which melts and expands upon an application of the electromagnetic waves to the valve filler, and the valve filler is directed into the cha... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7909063 | Microchip inspection system and program employed for the same There is described a microchip inspection system, which makes it possible not only to correct the influence of the viscosity change of the liquid, but also to accurately conduct the liquid conveyance controlling operation. The microchip inspection system includes: a... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7814936 | Sound pressure level feedback control Methods and systems are provided for predicting internal sound pressure within a flow passage, by measuring a vibration velocity response of a wall of the flow passage, for example, using accelerometers. A radiation model may then be used for predicting externally r... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7757716 | Microfluidic valve apparatuses with separable actuation and fluid-bearing modules A valve apparatus includes a fluid-bearing module and an actuation module. The fluid-bearing module includes a substrate and a channel formed in the substrate, the channel having microfluidic dimensions. The actuation module is detachably secured to the fluid-bearin... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7757717 | Microfluidic devices with separable actuation and fluid-bearing modules A fluid transport/containment apparatus includes a fluid-bearing module and an actuation module. The fluid-bearing module includes a substrate and fluid transport/containment elements distributed therein, with one or more of the fluid transport/containment elements ... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7721762 | Fast acting valve apparatuses Embodiments of valve apparatuses are described. ... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7703479 | Plasma actuator An actuator including a first and second conductor on a dielectric, wherein application of a voltage to the first conductor creates a plasma, thereby modifying a fluid flow in communication with the actuator. Related systems and methods are also provided. ... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7694694 | Phase-change valve apparatuses A valve apparatus includes a substrate, a main flow channel formed in the substrate, a control channel formed in the substrate such that the main flow channel and the control channel meet at a junction, a bi-phase material within the control channel, a heating eleme... | 04/13/2010 |
| 7686040 | Electro-hydraulic devices A microfluidic device includes a substrate including multiple electro-hydraulic valves and/or electro-hydraulic pumps that each include a flow channel and one or more hydraulic control channels, actuators for controlling the electro-hydraulic valves and/or electro-h... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7650910 | Electro-hydraulic valve apparatuses An electro-hydraulic valve apparatus includes a flow channel, a hydraulic control channel defining an electro-hydraulic valve junction where the hydraulic control channel is adjacent to the flow channel, a flexible wall between the flow channel and the hydraulic con... | 01/26/2010 |
| 7323140 | Moving microdroplets in a microfluidic device The present invention relates to a system and method for moving samples, such as fluid, within a microfluidic system using a plurality of gas actuators for applying pressure at different locations within the microfluidic. The system includes a substrate which forms ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7314567 | Method for transferring heterogeneous liquids in microchannels without the occurrence of mixing In the method for mixing-free transport of homogeneous liquids in microchannels a heterogeneous liquid flow (14) is autonomously divided into portions, transported over a distance and then autonomously recombined. When the flow is divided into portions, indiv... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7315109 | Actuators and fluid delivery systems using such actuators An actuator includes a non-magnetic, electroactive material that is suitable to impart force upon application of an electric current, a power supply to provide an electric current to the electroactive material and a controller in operative connection with the power ... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7291791 | Resin substrate A substrate is made of resin or a composite material. Pins with Au plating on their surface are soldered, with a soldering material made of Sn and Sb, to a substrate body having a first main surface, and formed into substantially a rectangular shape to project over ... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7270786 | Methods and systems for processing microfluidic samples of particle containing fluids The present invention relates to a microfluidic system for processing a cell-containing liquid. The system includes a microfabricated substrate having an enrichment channel to prepare an enriched cell sample from the cell-containing liquid. A flow through member is ... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7251392 | Reduction of driving voltage in a switchable element A switchable element is described, which comprises a fluid chamber (111) containing a polar (101) and a non-polar (102) liquid, which are immiscible. The element is further provided with two electrodes (103,104), which are arranged to con... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7243670 | Microfluidic system A microfluidic system, particularly a microfluidic chip, with at least one operational channel, in which a fluid and/or the constituents contained therein are moveable in the direction of the operational channel by a driving force, particularly by using pressure, ac... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7238324 | Microfluidic device for the controlled movement of fluid A microfluidic device for controlling the flow of a micro amount of fluid is provided. The microfluidic device is manufactured by binding a sensing substrate including a sensing electrode, an electrode interconnect, and a electrode pad, with a channel substrate incl... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7216660 | Method and device for controlling liquid flow on the surface of a microfluidic chip The invention is directed to a method and device for routing, mixing, or reacting droplets or liquid microstreams along the surface of a flat substrate. The flow of liquid microstreams or microdroplets along designated pathways is confined by chemical surface patter... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7204263 | Flow control method for micro system A method of simply controlling the flow of fluid in a micro system without using a complicated value structure, comprising the steps of adding the substance transformed from sol-gel by stimulation to the fluid flowing through the micro flow passage of the micro syst... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7204264 | High pressure capillary micro-fluidic valve device and a method of fabricating same A freeze-thaw valve and a method of micro-machining the freeze-thaw valve is provided and includes a valve housing, wherein the valve housing defines a housing cavity and includes a housing inlet, a housing vent, a capillary tubing inlet and a capillary tubing outle... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7195036 | Thermal micro-valves for micro-integrated devices The movement and mixing of microdroplets through microchannels is described employing silicon-based microscale devices, comprising microdroplet transport channels, reaction regions, electrophoresis modules, and radiation detectors. The discrete droplets are differen... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7192557 | Methods and systems for releasing intracellular material from cells within microfluidic samples of fluids The present invention relates to a microfluidic system for processing a cell-containing liquid. The system includes a lysing zone to receive the cell-containing sample and a positioning element to position the cell-containing sample in a lysing position in the vicin... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7178554 | Ultrasonically controlled valve An ultrasonically operated valve a source of ultrasonic energy for excitation of a pressurized liquid. The vibration of the ultrasonic horn imparts a pulsing of the pressure of the liquid within the valve. Selection of a sealing mechanism that responds at a differen... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7168447 | Fluid distribution unit for dividing a stream of fluid into a plurality of partial streams The invention relates to a liquid distribution unit (10, 20) for dividing a liquid current into a plurality of partial currents. Said unit comprises at least one liquid inlet (13, 23) for the supplied liquid current, a plurality of liquid outlets (1... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7165566 | Method of forming a microstructure using maskless lithography A method is provided for fabricating a microstructure using maskless lithography. A first layer is provided in a spaced relationship to a base layer so as to define a construction cavity therebetween. The first layer has a passageway therethrough that communicates w... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7159618 | Electrically opened micro fluid valve The invention relates to an electrically-opened micro fluid-valve. The inventive valve comprises: at least one planar support (12); at least one afferent microchannel (14); at least one efferent microchannel (16), said microchannels being arrang... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7156172 | Method for accelerating oil well construction and production processes and heating device therefor Methods are described for providing localized heating in an oil well at precise depths to accomplish or expedite specific objectives. The methods involve the use of a heating tool which can be lowered into an oil well to apply heat at a precise depth to achieve a de... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7156117 | Method of controlling the movement of fluid through a microfluidic circuit using an array of triggerable passive valves The present invention is directed to methods of controlling the flow of fluids through a microfluidic circuit and, more particularly, to methods of controlling the movement of fluid through a microfluidic circuit using one or more triggerable passive valves. In one ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7155082 | Switchable microfluidic optical waveguides The present invention provides microfluidic optical waveguides and waveguide switches providing capability for multiple outlet paths for the fluid waveguides and optical signals contained therein. A microfluidic structure comprises a core inlet channel, one or more ... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7137412 | Relay A relay long in service life aiming at higher reliability and lower cost is achieved by use of a technology of microelectromechanical•systems. The relay comprises a flow path having narrow chokes and wide chokes, formed by bonding two insulating members together, ... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7131461 | Stream switching system An improved double block and double bleed stream switching system (modifiable to, for example, a double block, single bleed stream switching system) includes a common stream path for a multitude of gas streams from, for example, a process pipeline. The improved stre... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7128081 | Peltier based freeze-thaw valves and method of use A freeze-thaw valve is provided using a Peltier heat pump where the thermal short-circuit path between a cooled thermal mass and a heated thermal mass is reduced or absent and the valve state transition time is minimized. The freeze-thaw valve comprises a Peltier he... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7086777 | Device for creating hydrodynamic cavitation in fluids This invention provides a device and method for creating hydrodynamic cavitation in fluids which includes a flow-through chamber intermediate an inlet opening and an outlet opening; the flow-through chamber having an upstream opening portion communicating with the i... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7059352 | Triggerable passive valve for use in controlling the flow of fluid The present invention is directed to valves for use in controlling the flow of fluid and, more particularly, to a triggerable passive valve for use in controlling the flow of fluid. In one embodiment, a fluid delivery channel is connected to a flow restrictor and a ... | 06/13/2006 |