Claims
- 1. A method, comprising:
a) providing meltable material and a device, said device comprising:
an inlet port in fluidic communication with a first microchannel, said first microchannel having a middle section and an end section, said end section intersecting a second microchannel at a junction, wherein a first heater element is associated with said inlet port, a second heater element is associated with said middle section of first microchannel, and a third heater element is associated with said second microchannel at said junction, and wherein said inlet port is linked to a gas source; b) introducing said meltable material at said inlet port; c) activating said first heater element under conditions such that said meltable material at least partially melts to created melted material; d) applying pressure with said gas source to said melted material; and e) activating said second heater under conditions such that said melted material remains melted, moves to said junction and at least partially solidifies, thereby creating a plug at said junction blocking said second microchannel.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed in any order.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed simultaneously.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (d) and (e) are performed in any order.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (d) and (e) are performed simultaneously.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (c), (d) and (e) are performed simultaneously.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said gas source is an air source.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said junction is configured as a “T” junction.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said junction is configured as a “Y” junction.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said said meltable material is selected from a group consisting of solder, plastic, polymer, electrorheological fluid and wax.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein after said melted material moves to said junction in step (e), said melted material is allowed to cool.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said inlet port is further linked to a vacuum.
- 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
(f) activating said third heater under conditions such that plug at said junction at least partially melts so as to create an at least partially melted plug; and (g) applying a vacuum through said inlet port under conditions such that said at least partially melted plug is retracted from said junction, thereby unblocking said second microchannel.
- 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising activating said second heater at approximately the same step (f) is performed.
- 15. A method, comprising:
a) providing meltable material and a device, said device comprising:
an inlet port in fluidic communication with a first microchannel, said first microchannel disposed in a substrate and having a middle section and an end section, said end section intersecting a second microchannel at a junction, said second microchannel disposed in a substrate, wherein a first heater element is associated with said inlet port, a second heater element is associated with said middle section of first microchannel, and a third heater element is associated with said second microchannel at said junction, and wherein said inlet port is linked to a gas source; b) introducing said meltable material at said inlet port; c) activating said first heater element under conditions such that said meltable material at least partially melts to created melted material; d) applying pressure with said gas source to said melted material; and e) activating said second heater under conditions such that said melted material remains melted, moves to said junction and at least partially solidifies, thereby creating a plug at said junction blocking said second microchannel.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed in any order.
- 17. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (b) and (c) are performed simultaneously.
- 18. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (d) and (e) are performed in any order.
- 19. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (d) and (e) are performed simultaneously.
- 20. The method of claim 15, wherein steps (c), (d) and (e) are performed simultaneously.
- 21. The method of claim 15, wherein said gas source is an air source.
- 22 The method of claim 15, wherein said junction is configured as a “T” junction.
- 23. The method of claim 15, wherein said junction is configured as a “Y” junction.
- 24. The method of claim 15, wherein said said meltable material is selected from a group consisting of solder, plastic, polymer, electrorheological fluid and wax.
- 25. The method of claim 15, wherein after said melted material moves to said junction in step (e), said melted material is allowed to cool.
- 26. The method of claim 15, wherein said inlet port is further linked to a vacuum.
- 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
(f) activating said third heater under conditions such that plug at said junction at least partially melts so as to create an at least partially melted plug; and (g) applying a vacuum through said inlet port under conditions such that said at least partially melted plug is retracted from said junction, thereby unblocking said second microchannel.
- 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising activating said second heater at approximately the same step (f) is performed.
- 29. The method of claim 15, wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass and silicon.
- 30. A device, comprising: an inlet port in fluidic communication with a first microchannel, said first microchannel having a middle section and an end section, said end section intersecting a second microchannel at a junction, wherein a first heater element is associated with said inlet port, a second heater element is associated with said middle section of first microchannel, and a third heater element is associated with said second microchannel at said junction, and wherein said inlet port is linked to an air source and a vacuum source
Government Interests
[0001] This work was funded in part by NIH grant number R01-HG01406. The government may have certain rights in the invention.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60423594 |
Nov 2002 |
US |