3897 results about "Electrophoreses" patented technology

This invention relates to an electrophoretic display comprising cells of well-defined shape, size and aspect ratio which cells are filled with charged pigment particles dispersed in a solvent, and novel processes for its manufacture.

Microchannels having at least an acrylic inner surface and methods of their use in electrophoretic applications are provided. The subject microchannels may be in the form of a variety of configurations suitable for holding an electrophoretic medium. The subject microchannels give rise to substantially reduced EOF and / or adsorption as compared to fused silica under conditions of electrophoresis and find use in a variety of electrophoretic applications in which charged entities are moved through a medium under the influence of the an applied electric field.

This invention relates to an electrophoretic display with improved contrast ratio, switching performance, reflectivity at the Dmin state and structural integrity, and methods for its manufacture.

The present invention is directed to a transdermal delivery system for delivering a medicinal or cosmetic agent through the skin of a subject, which delivery system comprises (a) one or more display cells comprising partition walls and top-openings; (b) a liquid composition filled in the display cells wherein said liquid composition comprises the medicinal or cosmetic agent; and (c) a sealing layer to enclose the liquid composition within the microcups wherein said sealing layer is hardened in situ.

In electrophoretic media, it is advantageous to use pigment particles having about 1 to 15 percent by weight of a polymer chemically bonded to, or cross-linked around, the pigment particles. The polymer desirably has a branched chain structure with side chains extending from a main chain. Charged or chargeable groups can be incorporated into the polymer or can be bonded to the particles separately from the polymer. The polymer-coated particles can be prepared by first attaching a polymerizable or polymerization-initiating group to the particle and then reacting the particle with one or more polymerizable monomers or oligomers.

<heading lvl="0">Abstract of Disclosure< / heading> This invention relates to an electrophoretic display or a liquid crystal display and novel processes for its manufacture. The electrophoretic display (EPD) of the present invention comprises microcups of well-defined shape, size and aspect ratio and the microcups are filled with charged pigment particles dispersed in an optically contrasting dielectric solvent. The liquid crystal display (LCD) of this invention comprises well-defined microcups filled with at least a liquid crystal composition having its ordinary refractive index matched to that of the isotropic cup material. A novel roll-to-roll process and apparatus of the invention permits the display manufacture to be carried out continuously by a synchronized photo-lithographic process. The synchronized roll-to-roll process and apparatus permits a pre-patterned photomask, formed as a continuous loop, to be rolled in a synchronized motion in close parallel alignment to a web which has been pre-coated with a radiation sensitive material, so as to maintain image alignment during exposure to a radiation source. The radiation sensitive material may be a radiation curable material, in which the exposed and cured portions form the microcup structure. In an additional process step, the radiation sensitive material may be a positively working photoresist which temporarily seals the microcups. Exposure of a selected subset of the microcups via the photomask image permits selective re-opening, filling and sealing of the microcup subset. Repetition with additional colors permits the continuous assembly of a multicolor EPD or LCD display.

The invention provides a system that can process a raw biological sample, perform a biochemical reaction and provide an analysis readout. For example, the system can extract DNA from a swab, amplify STR loci from the DNA, and analyze the amplified loci and STR markers in the sample. The system integrates these functions by using microfluidic components to connect what can be macrofluidic functions. In one embodiment the system includes a sample purification module, a reaction module, a post-reaction clean-up module, a capillary electrophoresis module and a computer. In certain embodiments, the system includes a disposable cartridge for performing analyte capture. The cartridge can comprise a fluidic manifold having macrofluidic chambers mated with microfluidic chips that route the liquids between chambers. The system fits within an enclosure of no more than 10 ft3. and can be a closed, portable, and / or a battery operated system. The system can be used to go from raw sample to analysis in less than 4 hours.

A coating of an encapsulated electrophoretic medium is formed on a substrate (106) by dispersing in a fluid (104) a plurality of electrophoretic capsules (102), contacting at least a portion of a substrate (106) with the fluid (104); and applying a potential difference between at least a part of the portion of the substrate (106) contacting the fluid (104) and a counter-electrode (110) in electrical contact with the fluid (104), thereby causing capsules (102) to be deposited upon at least part of the portion of the substrate (106) contacting the fluid (102). Patterned coatings of capsules containing different colors may be deposited in registration with electrodes using multiple capsule deposition steps. Alternatively, patterned coatings of capsules may be formed by applying a fluid form of an electrophoretic medium to a substrate, and applying a temporally varying voltage between an electrode and the substrate. The process may be repeated to allow for deposition of full color displays.

This application is directed to driving methods for electrophoretic displays. The driving methods comprise applying different voltages selected from multiple voltage levels, to pixel electrodes and optionally also to the common electrodes. In one embodiment, the different voltages are selected from a group consisting of 0V, at least two levels of positive voltage and at least two levels of negative voltage. The driving method is also suitable for a color display device.

An electrophoretic display device includes unit cells each containing i) two sets of display electrodes and a collection electrode and ii) two kinds of translucent colored electrophoretic particles having charge polarities different from each other. The unit cells are constructed so that the two display electrodes are superimposingly disposed to display the stated display color by the principle of subtractive mixture of color stimuli of the colored electrophoretic particles present on the display electrodes. Three unit cells are adjacently disposed in a same plane to form a pixel, and combinations of colors of the two kinds of translucent colored electrophoretic particles in each of the three unit cells forming the pixel are respectively one of the three primary colors and a color which provides black by subtractive mixture with one of the three primary colors.

Copper chromite particles can advantageously be used as black particles in electrophoretic media and displays. Preferably, the copper chromite particles are coated with a silica coating and a polymer coating.

The present invention is directed to driving methods for a color display device which can display high quality color states. The display device utilizes an electrophoretic fluid which comprises three types of pigment particles having different optical characteristics.

An electrophoretic display (100) has stacked first (104) and second (120) electrophoretic layers, each comprising charged particles (W, C, Y, M) in a fluid (106, 122). The first layer contains particles of white (W) and first color (M) particles and has three optical states (a) white particles adjacent a viewing surface; (b) first color particles lie adjacent the viewing surface; and (c) both types of particles shuttered to allow light to pass through the first layer. The second layer contains particles having second (C) and third (Y) colors and has three optical states (d) second particles (C) adjacent the first layer; (e) third particles (Y) adjacent the first layer; and (f) second (C) and third (Y) particles intermixed within the fluid.

A method of transferring mass of at least one solute between a liquid first phase and a fluid second phase that is immiscible with the first phase, the method comprising moving at least one droplet of said liquid first phase in a microfluidic device by using electric-type forces (electrowetting or dielectrophoresis) within a space that is filled with said fluid second phase. Said droplet is preferably moved by said electric-type forces along a path between a point for injecting said droplet into said microfluidic device, and an extraction and / or analysis zone, said path being defined in such a manner that said droplet sweeps through a significant fraction of said space filled with said fluid second phase. The method may include a step of transferring said droplet using said electric-type forces to a chemical analysis device integrated in said microfluidic device, and a step of chemically analyzing said droplet. The invention also provides a device for implementing such a method.

Methods and compositions are provided for detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms using a pair of oligonucleotides, a primer and a snp detection sequence, where the snp detection sequence hybridizes to the target DNA downstream from the primer and in the direction of primer extension. The snp detection sequence is characterized by having a nucleotide complementary to the snp and adjacent nucleotide complementary to adjacent nucleotides in the target and an electophoretic tag bonded to the 5'-nucleotide. The pair of oligonucleotides is combined with the target DNA under primer extension conditions, where the polymerase has 5'-3' exonuclease activity. When the snp is present, the electophoretic tag is released from the snp detection sequence, and can be detected by electrophoresis as indicative of the presence of the snp in the target DNA.

The present invention provides a color display device in which each pixel can display four high quality color states. More specifically, an electrophoretic fluid is provided which comprises four types of particles, dispersed in a solvent or solvent mixture. The fluid may further comprise substantially uncharged neutral buoyancy particles.

The present invention is directed to color display devices which are capable of displaying multiple color states. The display device comprises a plurality of display cells, wherein each of said display cells is (a) sandwiched between a first layer comprising a common electrode and a second layer comprising a plurality of driving electrodes, wherein at least one of the driving electrodes is a designated electrode, (b) filled with an electrophoretic fluid comprising at least two types of pigment particles dispersed in a solvent or solvent mixture, and (c) capable of displaying at least four color states. The display device may also comprise hiding layers or a brightness enhancement structure on the viewing side.

A method of depositing diamond particles on a surface of a substrate is provided. The method is effected by (a) charging the diamond particles by a positive charge to obtain positively charged diamond particles; and (b) electrophoretically depositing the positively charged diamond particles on the surface of the substrate, for obtaining a green diamond particles coat on the surface of the substrate.

An apparatus and method for performing nucleic acid (DNA and / or RNA) sequencing on a single molecule. The genetic sequence information is obtained by probing through a DNA or RNA molecule base by base at nanometer scale as though looking through a strip of movie film. This DNA sequencing nanotechnology has the theoretical capability of performing DNA sequencing at a maximal rate of about 1,000,000 bases per second. This enhanced performance is made possible by a series of innovations including: novel applications of a fine-tuned nanometer gap for passage of a single DNA or RNA molecule; thin layer microfluidics for sample loading and delivery; and programmable electric fields for precise control of DNA or RNA movement. Detection methods include nanoelectrode-gated tunneling current measurements, dielectric molecular characterization, and atomic force microscopy / electrostatic force microscopy (AFM / EFM) probing for nanoscale reading of the nucleic acid sequences.

An electrophoretic medium comprises at least one electrically charged particle dispersed posed in a fluid. The electrically charged particle comprises an inorganic black pigment having a surface area of at least about 7 m2 / g. Preferred pigments are magnetite and mixed metal oxides containing two or more of iron, chromium, nickel, manganese, copper and cobalt, for example copper iron manganese oxide spinel and copper chromium manganese oxide spinel. The inorganic black pigment may bear a polymer coating.

Probe sets for the multiplexed detection of the binding of, or interaction between, one or more ligands and target antiligands are provided. Detection involves the release of identifying tags as a consequence of target recognition. The probe sets include electrophoretic tag probes or e-tag probes, comprising a detection region and a mobility-defining region called the mobility modifier, both linked to a target-binding moiety. The probes comprise interactive functionalities adjacent the cleaved portion positioned in the probes such that the interactive functionality does not form part of the e-tag reporters. Target antiligands are contacted with a set of e-tag probes and the contacted antiligands are treated with a selected cleaving agent resulting in a mixture of e-tag reporters and uncleaved and / or partially cleaved e-tag probes. The mixture is exposed to a capture agent effective to bind to uncleaved or partially cleaved e-tag probes, followed by electrophoretic separation. In a multiplexed assay, different released e-tag reporters may be separated and detected providing for target identification.

The present invention is directed to color tuning methods for electrophoretic display devices. For example, a color tuning agent may be added to a composition for forming a display cell structure or a primer layer. Alternatively, a separate color tuning layer may be added to a display device. Further, a color tuning agent may be added to an electrophoretic display fluid. The color tuning methods are useful for adjusting the color temperature of a display device.

The movement and mixing of microdroplets through microchannels is described employing microscale devices, comprising microdroplet transport channels, reaction regions, electrophoresis modules, and radiation detectors. Microdroplets are metered into defined volumes and are subsequently incorporated into a variety of biological assays. Electronic components are fabricated on the same substrate material, allowing sensors and controlling circuitry to be incorporated in the same device.

The present invention provides a reflective color display device which can display multiple color states, without the disadvantages associated with previously known color display devices. The display fluid of the present invention comprises (a) black and white electrophoretic particles which are oppositely charged and (b) charged color-generating particles having photonic crystal characteristics, all of which are dispersed in a solvent or solvent mixture.