US3917451A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrokinetic streaming current detection
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1973-07-02
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Granted: 1975-11-04
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Expires: 1993-07-02
Abstract
Abstract An electrokinetic streaming system with an oscillating drive is employed for the rapid, accurate reproducible detection of the fixed charge density of a coating on the inner surface of a flow restriction disposed in the path of oscillating plug-like liquid flow. As an application of this invention, identification of biological materials can be made and reactions can be detected between a reference coating of biological material and a coating of a second biological material, for example, an antigen-antibody (or antibody-antigen) reaction.
Inventors
- 👤 James N Groves
- 👤 Joel H Kaplan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 04:11
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/60; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S436/00; Y10S436/806; Y10S436/807; Y10S436/808; Y10S436/81; Y10S436/826
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
APPARATUS FOR USE IN ELECTROKINETIC STREAMING CURRENT DETECTION COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A. A PAIR OF ELECTROLYTE CHAMBERS HAVING ELECTRICALY NON-CON DUCTING WALL STRUCTURE, B. MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID PAIR OF CHAMBERS FOR PROVIDING FLOW COMMUNICATION THEREBETWEEN THROUGH A FLOW RESTRICTION, C. A FIRST REVERSIBLE ELECTRODE PROJECTING INTO THE FIRST OF SAID CHAMBERS AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED EXTERNALLY OF SAID FIRST CHAMBER, D. SECOND REVERSIBLE ELECTRODE MEANS PROJECTING INTO THE SECOND OF SAID CHAMBERS AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED EXTERNALLY OF SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND E. MEANS IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND CHAMBERS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING PRESSURE IN SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND SUCTION IN SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND THEN REVERSING AND SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING PRESSURE IN SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND SUCTION IN SAID FIRST CHAMBER THE REVERSAL OF THE PRESSURE/SUCTION ACTION BEING ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDING TO A FIXED FREQUENCY WHEREBY WHEN SAID CHAMBERS ARE PARTIALLY FILLED WITH ELECTROLYTE, OSCILLATING FLOW OF ELECTROLYTE THROUGH THE FLOW RESTRICTION IS ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED, SAID ELECTRODES BEING CONNECTED TO AN AMPLIFIER THE OUTPUT OF WHICH IS CONNECTED TO A RECTIFIER/RECORDER COMBINATION.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
APPARATUS FOR USE IN ELECTROKINETIC STREAMING CURRENT DETECTION COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A. A PAIR OF ELECTROLYTE CHAMBERS HAVING ELECTRICALY NON-CON DUCTING WALL STRUCTURE, B. MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID PAIR OF CHAMBERS FOR PROVIDING FLOW COMMUNICATION THEREBETWEEN THROUGH A FLOW RESTRICTION, C. A FIRST REVERSIBLE ELECTRODE PROJECTING INTO THE FIRST OF SAID CHAMBERS AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED EXTERNALLY OF SAID FIRST CHAMBER, D. SECOND REVERSIBLE ELECTRODE MEANS PROJECTING INTO THE SECOND OF SAID CHAMBERS AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED EXTERNALLY OF SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND E. MEANS IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND CHAMBERS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING PRESSURE IN SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND SUCTION IN SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND THEN REVERSING AND SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING PRESSURE IN SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND SUCTION IN SAID FIRST CHAMBER THE REVERSAL OF THE PRESSURE/SUCTION ACTION BEING ACCOMPLISHED ACCORDING TO A FIXED FREQUENCY WHEREBY WHEN SAID CHAMBERS ARE PARTIALLY FILLED WITH ELECTROLYTE, OSCILLATING FLOW OF ELECTROLYTE THROUGH THE FLOW RESTRICTION IS ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED, SAID ELECTRODES BEING CONNECTED TO AN AMPLIFIER THE OUTPUT OF WHICH IS CONNECTED TO A RECTIFIER/RECORDER COMBINATION.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow restriction is in the form of a capillary tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein means are provided for selectively isolating the bore of the capillary tube from flow communication with the open volume of the chambers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for simultaneously reversibly applying pressure and suction to the chambers comprises a mechanical drive with pneumatic coupling to said chambers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 4 in which the mechanical drive is a pair of piston/cylinder combinations and drive means for the pistons such that the displacement volume rate of each piston varies sinusoidally with time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the flow restriction is coated with biological material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow restriction is removable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the removable restriction is a capillary tube.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of characterizing a biological material comprising the steps of: a. depositing at least one layer of biological material on the inner surface of a flow restriction, b. passing an oscillating flow of liquid electRolyte through said flow restriction in contact with said layer by which the volume rate of flow varies as a function of time, said electrolyte being of a preselected value of pH and remaining electrically coupled with a pair of electrodes, one of said electrodes being disposed on either side of said flow restriction, c. amplifying the alternating current generated by the oscillating flow of electrolyte, d. rectifying the alternating current and e. recording the value of the resulting direct current.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
116 words
The method of characterizing a biological material comprising the steps of: a. depositing at least one layer of biological material on the inner surface of a flow restriction, b. passing an oscillating flow of liquid electRolyte through said flow restriction in contact with said layer by which the volume rate of flow varies as a function of time, said electrolyte being of a preselected value of pH and remaining electrically coupled with a pair of electrodes, one of said electrodes being disposed on either side of said flow restriction, c. amplifying the alternating current generated by the oscillating flow of electrolyte, d. rectifying the alternating current and e. recording the value of the resulting direct current.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 9 in which the electrolyte is automatically titrated to the desired pH value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9 in which two layers of different biological materials are deposited.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the second layer of biological material is applied by isolating a volume including the flow restriction bore and then admitting the second biological material to said bore.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 in which the two layers present antigen-antibody interaction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the oscillating flow is turbulent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method claim 9 wherein the rate of oscillation is in the range of from 0.3 to 2 Hz.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the volume rate of flow varies sinusoidally with time.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the step of depositing the at least one layer of biological material is accomplished by chemical bonding.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 in which the sequence of steps is repeated at a series of values of pH for the electrolyte.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-03 | 1979-05-05 | 1979-11-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-03 | 1983-05-05 | 1983-11-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-03 | 1987-05-05 | 1987-11-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |