Claims
- 1-71. (Canceled).
- 72. An apparatus for manipulating micron scale items having a dielectric constant greater than that of an environment in which they are to be manipulated, said items being provided in a region upon a support, said apparatus comprising:
a. a manipulating electrode comprising:
i. a first electrode conducting element; and ii. spaced from said first electrode conducting element, a second, counter electrode conducting element, said first and second conducting elements having surfaces such that any two that face each other, are shaped, sized and spaced such that the spacing between them is large relative to the extent of either facing surface, in any one dimension; and b. a means for a coupling a voltage source to said electrode, to establish a voltage between said first and second electrode conducting elements.
- 73. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising a stage configured to position said first electrode conducting element and said support such that said first electrode is at a selectable point relative to and adjacent a surface of said region of items.
- 74. The apparatus of claim 72, further wherein there exists at least one dimension of said first conducting electrode that is small relative to at least one dimension of said second conducting electrode.
- 75. The apparatus of claim 72, said first electrode conducting element comprising an elongated electrode, elongated along a first dimension.
- 76. The apparatus of claim 75, said second conducting electrode element comprising a plate that is extended in two dimensions that are substantially perpendicular to said first dimension.
- 77. The apparatus of claim 76, said items being supported by said plate.
- 78. The apparatus of claim 77, said support and said items being located between said first and second conducting electrodes.
- 79. The apparatus of claim 76, said plate comprising a recess, said region in which said items reside being said recess.
- 80. The apparatus of claim 75, said second electrode conducting element comprising an elongated electrode, also elongated along said first dimension, and substantially parallel to said first electrode conducting element.
- 81. The apparatus of claim 80, said first and second electrode conducting elements comprising substantially parallel pins.
- 82. The apparatus of claim 80, said first and second electrode conducting elements comprising substantially parallel and congruent loops.
- 83. The apparatus of claim 82, said loops also extending in a second dimension that is substantially perpendicular to said first dimension.
- 84. The apparatus of claim 80, said first and second conducting elements being substantially parallel, and both having terminal ends, said terminal ends being positioned so that said region in which said items reside is located adjacent said terminal ends.
- 85. The apparatus of claim 72, said first electrode conducting element comprising a disc, having a center and a perimeter, and said second electrode conducting element comprising a ring that is substantially concentric with and circumscribes said disc, said ring having an inner boundary that is spaced from said perimeter of said disc.
- 86. The apparatus of claim 76, said means for coupling a voltage source comprising means for providing a voltage between said plate and said first electrode conducting element.
- 87. The apparatus of claim 80, said means for coupling a voltage source comprising means for providing a voltage between said first and second electrode conducting elements.
- 88. The apparatus of claim 87, further comprising an AC voltage source, coupled to said first electrode conducting element.
- 89. The apparatus of claim 76, further comprising a DC voltage source coupled to said first electrode conducting element.
- 90. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising a transport mechanism for providing relative motion between said manipulating electrode with said retained items and said support, such that they become more separated.
- 91. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising:
a. a transport mechanism for providing relative motion between said manipulating electrode with said retained items and a target, such that they become closer; and b. a switch, coupled to said means for coupling voltage, that disconnects said voltage from said electrode.
- 92. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising a transport mechanism that provides relative motion between said manipulating electrode with said retained items, and a target, comprising a receptacle target region, such that the manipulating electrode and the target become closer and such that said elongated electrode is placed into said receptacle target region.
- 93. The apparatus of claim 92, further wherein said receptacle target region contains a fluid formulated to wash said items from said electrode when said electrode is immersed in said fluid.
- 94. The apparatus of claim 92, further comprising an AC voltage source, and a switch configured to disconnect said voltage source from said electrode, upon activation of said switch.
- 95. The apparatus of claim 72, said elongated manipulating electrode comprising an array of elongated manipulating electrodes.
- 96. The apparatus of claim 95, further comprising a transport device coupled between said array of electrodes with said retained items and a target comprising an array of receptacle target regions, to provide relative motion such that the array of electrodes and said target regions become closer and such that each electrode of said array enters into a respective receptacle of said array of receptacle target regions.
- 97. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising a humidity control module configured to maintain an atmosphere of less than approximately 80% relative humidity.
- 98. The apparatus of claim 96, further comprising a measuring module configured to measure the amount of items released within each of a selected plurality of said receptacles.
- 99. The apparatus of claim 72, said first conducting element comprising a conductor having a dielectric cover.
- 100. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising a transport mechanism coupled to provide relative motion between said manipulating electrode and a target, such that they become closer.
- 101. The apparatus of claim 100, said target comprising a well of a microtitre tray.
- 102. The apparatus of claim 100, said target comprising a recess of a pharmaceutical delivery microchip.
- 103. The apparatus of claim 72, said first conducting element comprising a conductive membrane of a recess of a pharmaceutical delivery microchip.
- 104. The apparatus of claim 103, said microchip arranged such that to collect items, said conductive membrane, and said recess are located above said support, with said recess having an opening that faces downward.
- 105. The apparatus of claim 72, said electrode having a shank that terminates in a free end, said electrode configured to establish, when a voltage is provided thereto, a surrounding electric field characterized by a significant non-zero gradient within said region where said items reside when said electrode is near to said region.
- 106. The apparatus of claim 72, said electrode having a shank that terminates in a free end, said electrode configured to establish, when a voltage is provided thereto, a surrounding electric field that gives rise to a force upon an item within said region when said electrode is near to said region, sufficient to lift said item against gravity, without regard to any surface charge condition of said item.
- 107. The apparatus of claim 72, said electrode having a shank that terminates in a free end, said electrode configured to establish, when a voltage is provided thereto, a surrounding electric field that gives rise to a dielectrophoretic force upon an item within said region when said electrode is near to said volume sufficient to lift said item against gravity, without regard to the surface charge condition of said item.
- 108. The apparatus of claim 72, further comprising a voltage supply comprising a switch configured to turn switch said voltage supply between on and off.
- 109. The apparatus of claim 81, said electrode comprising a spacing adjuster that adjustably fixes said pins of a pair a selectable variable spacing apart.
- 110. The apparatus of claim 82, said electrode comprising a spacing adjuster that adjustably fixes said loops of a pair a selectable variable spacing apart.
- 111. The apparatus of claim 95, said electrode comprising a spacing adjuster that adjustably fixes said elongated manipulating electrodes of each pair of said array, a selectable variable spacing apart.
- 112. The apparatus of claim 109, said spacing adjuster comprising a first pin support, to which a first pin of said pair is fixed, and a second pin support, to which said second pin of said pair is fixed, said first and second pin supports being movable relative to each other, and said second pin support having an opening through which said first pin protrudes, said opening being large enough to permit said relative motion between said first and second pin supports.
- 113. The apparatus of claim 110, said spacing adjuster comprising a first loop support, to which a first loop of said pair is fixed, and a second loop support, to which said second loop of said pair is fixed, said first and second loop supports being movable relative to each other, and said second loop support having an opening through which said first loop protrudes, said opening being large enough to permit said relative motion between said first and second loop supports.
- 114-204. (Canceled).
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS
[0001] The United States Government has certain rights in this invention pursuant to the Army Research Office Award # DAAH04-95-1-0104, Multidisciplinary Research in Smart Composites, awarded on Mar. 1, 1995.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09976835 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
Child |
10770347 |
Feb 2004 |
US |