Valve with material having modifiable degree of penetrability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9874294-B2
Application number	US-201013375789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2010
Priority date	Jun 3, 2009
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a valve ( 2 ) for controlling a passage of particles from a first region ( 6 ) to a second region ( 7 ), wherein the valve ( 2 ) comprises a valve material ( 4 ) having a modifiable degree of penetrability and a valve region ( 16 ) comprising the valve material ( 4 ), wherein the valve region ( 16 ) and the valve material ( 4 ) are adapted such that the particles have to penetrate the valve material ( 4 ) if the particles pass the valve ( 2 ) for being transferred from the first region ( 6 ) to the second region ( 7 ). The degree of opening of the valve ( 2 ) can easily be controlled by modifying the degree of penetrability of the valve material ( 4 ), for example, by modifying the temperature of the valve material ( 4 ). Moreover, by penetrating the valve material ( 4 ) the particles can be separated from other elements like a fluid containing the particles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve for controlling a passage of particles, contained in a fluid in a first region, from the first region to a second region, the valve comprising:
a valve material having a modifiable degree of penetrability; and
a valve region comprising the valve material, wherein the valve region and the valve material are adapted such that the particles penetrate the valve material and pass through the valve from the first region to the second region when the valve material is in a penetrable state, enabling separation of the particles from the fluid.

2. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the valve further comprises a valve control unit for controlling the degree of penetrability of the valve material.

3. The valve as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the valve control unit is adapted to control at least one of phase and viscosity of the valve material for controlling the degree of penetrability, and the valve material and the valve control unit are adapted such that the valve material is switchable between a solid state in which the degree of penetrability is reduced and a liquid state, corresponding to the penetrable state, in which the degree of penetrability is increased.

4. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the valve material is adapted such that the degree of penetrability of the valve material is temperature dependent.

5. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the valve material is at least one of hydrophobic or inert with respect to water.

6. The valve as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the valve material is hydrophilic.

7. A multi-region device comprising:
the first region and the second region;
the valve as claimed in claim 1 , arranged between the first region and the second region.

8. The multi-region device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the multi-region device comprises a layer having a surface with hydrophilic regions defining the first and second regions, wherein the valve region comprising the valve material is located between the hydrophilic regions.

9. A particles actuating device comprising:
a multi-region device receiving region for receiving the multi-region device as claimed in claim 7 ; and
means for actuating particles located in the first region to move in a direction of the second region when the multi-region device is located in the multi-region device receiving region, for transferring the particles from the first region to the second region through the valve.

10. The particles actuating device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the particles contained in the fluid in the first region comprise magnetic particles, and
wherein the means for actuating the particles comprises a magnetic actuation unit configured to generate a moving magnetic field for moving the magnetic particles in the first region in the direction of the second region.

11. A method for manufacturing a valve for controlling a passage of particles, contained in a first region, from the first region to a second region, the method comprising:
providing a valve region; and
arranging a valve material, having a modifiable degree of penetrability, in the valve region and adapting the valve region and the valve material to enable the particles to penetrate the valve material and to pass through the valve from the first region to the second region when the valve material is in a penetrable state, for separating the particles from the fluid.

12. A method for manufacturing a multi-region device, the method comprising:
providing the first region and the second region; and
arranging the valve manufactured as claimed in claim 11 between the first region and the second region for controlling a passage of the particles from the first region to the second region.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein providing the first region and the second region, and arranging the valve between the first region and the second region comprise:
providing a first layer comprising a surface having hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions; and
providing water and the valve material on the surface such that the water is arranged at the hydrophilic regions and the valve material is arranged at the hydrophobic regions.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising:
providing at least one hole in one of the first layer or the second layer; and
applying the valve material to the valve through the at least one hole.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:
providing a channel perpendicular to a transfer direction of the particles at an end of the first layer at which the hole is arranged, the channel crossing the transfer direction and the particles being transferred through the channel by capillary forces.

16. A particles actuating device, comprising:
a multi-region device comprising:
a first region providing a fluid containing particles;
a second region; and
a valve between the first region and the second region, the valve comprising a valve region including a valve material having a modifiable degree of penetrability, the valve region and the valve material being configured such that the particles of the fluid pass through the valve from the first region to the second region when the valve material is in a penetrable state, enabling separation of the particles from the fluid; and

means for actuating the particles located in the first region to move in a direction of the second region.

17. The particles actuating device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the multi-region device comprises a layer having a surface with hydrophilic regions defining the first and second regions, and a hydrophobic region defining the valve region.

Assignees

• Den Dulk Remco Christiaan
• Penterman Roel
• Prins Menno Willem Jose
• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Den Dulk Remco Christiaan
• Penterman Roel
• Prins Menno Willem Jose

Classifications

• F16K99/0044

  using thermo-electric means · CPC title

• B01L2400/0677

  phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers · CPC title

• B01L2200/10

  Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept · CPC title

• B01L3/50273

  characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids · CPC title

• B01L2300/0816

  Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions · CPC title