US Patent 11772093 Methods of mechanical microfluidic manipulation

Methods and apparatuses for mechanically controlling microfluidic movement using a force applicator and an elastically deformable sheet are described herein. These apparatuses may include a mechanical microfluidics actuator devices and a cartridge. A microfluidic droplet may be moved or displaced within an air gap of the cartridge by applying a compressive force locally and selectively reduce the gap width of the air gap near the microfluidic droplet causing the microfluidic droplet to move toward the reduced gap. Compressive forces may also be used to divide, join, mix or perform other operations on the microfluidic droplets.