Abstract: A disposable cartridge (10), which is suitable for use in a process of preparing a beverage, comprises a pump unit (1). A duct system (30) of the pump unit (1) has a first duct (31) and a second duct (32) which merges into the first duct (31), wherein an angle (?) between the ducts (31, 32) is considerably smaller than 90°. In a process of preparing a beverage, a first fluid is supplied by an inlet portion of the first duct (31), and a flow of a second fluid is supplied by the second duct (32). At the position where the ducts (31, 32) meet; a transfer of momentum from the flow of the second fluid to the first fluid takes place, so that an underpressure is obtained, as a result of which the first fluid is put in motion. Furthermore, a joint flow of the first fluid and the second fluid is obtained in an outlet portion of the first duct (31).

Abstract: In a technique for substance sampling and/or substance delivery via the skin barrier, the skin is domed and then a portion removed. Typically a contact portion of the apparatus effects doming of the skin and a cutting, grazing or scraping arrangement removes a portion of the domed skin. The doming of the skin and hence the skin removal is closely controlled. Samples may be taken via the removed portion of the skin and/or substances delivered therethrough.

Abstract: The system includes a reservoir for fluid; a droplet generator for creating a stream of fluid droplets from the fluid wherein the velocity of the stream of droplets is within a range of 20 meters per second to 200 meters per second and the size of the droplets is within a range of 5 microns to 200 microns. A nozzle or nozzles direct the stream of droplets to safely clean a selected tooth or teeth surface area. The specific momentum of effective fluid droplets within the stream of fluid droplets is important in safe and effective cleaning.

Abstract: A device for making tea, which device comprises a brewing chamber (2) for enclosing a tea-pad, means for supplying heated water through one or more openings in the upper wall of the brewing chamber, and a restricted opening (8) in the lower wall (1) of the brewing chamber (2), so that tea is squirted into a liquid collection chamber (10) underneath the brewing chamber (2). The lower wall (11) of the liquid collection chamber (10) is provided with a substantial circular ridge (14) around the location where the tea hits the lower wall (11) of the liquid collection chamber (10).

Abstract: A pump unit (4) comprises a reservoir (20) for containing a liquid, a duct system (30) for conveying the liquid and a pumping section (50) for subjecting the liquid to a pumping force. Initially, in a pump unit according to the state of the art, the duct system is filled with air. This causes problems at the start of the operation of the pump unit, or, in case the applied pumping force is high enough to prevent such problems, this leads to a flow rate of the liquid that is too high. This problem is solved by bringing about an initial filling of at least a portion of a duct (31) for conveying the liquid from the reservoir (20) to the pumping section (50), under the influence of another force than a pumping force, for example under the influence of gravity.

Abstract: A system for preparing a beverage comprises a beverage maker (15) and a cartridge (10) that is removably arranged in the beverage maker (15). The cartridge (10) comprises a beverage making unit (1) having a duct system (30) for conveying flows of steam and flows of liquid. The duct system (30) comprises two combinations of ducts (31, 32; 41, 42), wherein the arrangement of the ducts (31, 32; 41, 42) of each combination is adapted to enabling a flow of steam to perform a pumping action on a flow of liquid. The beverage maker (15) comprises a steam generator (16) having two steam sockets (17, 18), wherein each of the steam sockets (17, 18) is in communication with another combination of ducts (31, 32; 41, 42) of the duct system (30). As each of the combinations of ducts (31, 32; 41, 42) is associated with a different steam inlet (36, 46), and the steam inlets (36, 46) may be located at different positions on the cartridge (10), it is achieved that the duct system (30) may be of a relatively simple design.

Abstract: The light modulator for modulating light has a light modulating element, having a medium with a particle (6) and an optical state depending on the position of the particle (6), and a particle controller (10,11,100) being arranged to enable a movement of the particle (6) to one of the positions for modulating the light. For the light modulator to have a particle (6) which can relatively easily be moved, the particle (6) has a carrier particle (81) which contributes in operation to the ability of the particle (6) to be moved and is substantially non-contributing to the optical state, and an optical particle (86) which has an optical property for contributing to the optical state, is associated with the carrier particle (81), and has a position depending on the position of the carrier particle (81).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device, such as an electro-luminescent display device, comprising a substrate, first electrodes which are arranged over the substrate, second electrodes which are arranged over the first electrodes and at least one electrically insulating structure which separates two of the second electrodes and is arranged over at least one of the first electrodes. The insulating structure comprises an opening which extends from the top surface of the structure to the first electrode beneath the structure. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a device. In one preferred embodiment, this method involves the use of sacrificial structures with which openings are obtained the upper parts of which extend along the entire length of the respective insulating structures.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device (21) comprises a first (23) and a second (26) electrode layer, at least the second electrode layer (26) being provided in accordance with a desired pattern and one or more functional layers (24, 25R, 25G, 25B), the one or at least one of said functional layers being an electroluminescent layer. In order to pattern the second electrode layer (26) the EL device (21) comprises a relief pattern (27) having one or more overhanging sections (29). The EL device has means for hindering the transport of fluid along a capillary channel (33) formed by an overhanging section (29) and the surface (28a) supporting that section, an example of such means being protrusions (35) which block and/or reroute the capillary channel (33). Thus the transport of fluid by the channels (33) during manufacture of the EL device is hindered and color bleeding between pixels of the EL device and/or leakage current among electrodes of the first electrode layer is prevented.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent (EL) device (1) has at least one EL element (10) comprising an organic electroluminescent layer (6) and a relief pattern (7). The relief pattern serves to contain the fluid layer from which the EL layer (6) is obtained. In order to counteract the adverse effect the relief pattern may have on the service life of the EL device, the EL device is provided with an EL layer (6) substantially uniform in thickness. In addition, a matrix or segmented display device comprising a plurality of EL elements (10) is provided. In a preferred method of manufacturing the EL device the fluid layer is deposited by means of ink-jet printing, dispensing or spin-coating.

Abstract: A polymer comprising structural units of the formula I has a number average molecular weight of less than 300.103 g/mole and a weight average molecular weight of less than 500.103 g/mole. A preferred example is a polyphenylene-vinylene. A composition of this polymer can be deposited on a substrate by means of inkjet printing excellently.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus includes a voltage generator or power source that applies a potential difference to an object in contact with the immersion liquid such that bubbles and/or particles in the immersion liquid are either attracted or repelled from that object due to the electrokinetic potential of the surface of the bubble in the immersion liquid.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electroluminescent device comprising forming a pattern, depositing a liquid, and processing the liquid to form an electroluminescent region. The pattern includes an overhanging structure with a negatively-sloped section thereunder and a functional region bounded on at least one side by a positively-sloped section. The overhanging structure is on a side of the positively-sloped section that is opposite the functional region. The liquid is suitable for forming a functional layer within the functional region such that the liquid contacts the a positively-sloped surface of the positively-sloped sections. The positively-sloped sections have a shape and size such that at least some of the liquid is prevented from reaching the negatively-sloped section and being taken up by a capillary channel of the negatively-sloped section.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device (1) has a relief pattern (17) comprising overhanging sections (13) for patterning an electrode layer (11) of the device (1). In order to prevent the take up and transport of fluid, from which a functional layer (7, 9) is obtainable, along the capillary channels (23) formed by the overhanging sections (13), the relief pattern (17) comprises accompanying sections (15) which are positioned at distance of the overhanging sections (13) and between the sections (13) and the electroluminescent areas (21) comprising the functional layers (7, 9). A method of manufacturing the EL device (1) comprises depositing the functional layer or layers (7, 9) by means of a wet deposition method such as inkjet printing.

Abstract: A polymer comprising structural units of the formula I has a number average molecular weight of less than 300.103 g/mole and a weight average molecular weight of less than 500.103 g/mole. A preferred example is a polyphenylene-vinylene. A composition of this polymer can be deposited on a substrate by means of inkjet printing excellently. This can be used for the manufacture of electroluminescent devices, in particular multicolor electroluminescent devices.

Abstract: The positional arrangement of the color section in each pixel of an electroluminescent display panel is different from the positional arrangement of the color sections in at least one adjacent pixel. This yields an improved image quality as perceived by the viewer, in particular when moving images are displayed on low-resolution displays. A preferred embodiment of the invention is an electroluminescent display panel in which the color sections are arranged on continuous lines, which are oriented to run diagonally across the display panel.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent device (41) has a plurality of independently addressable electroluminescent elements (51A, B, C, D, E, F) and comprises a patterned first electrode layer comprising a plurality of first electrodes (43A, B, C) and a second electrode layer (26A, B, C, D); an organic, optionally patterned, electroluminescent layer (25) disposed between said first and said second electrode layer; an organic charge transport layer having charge transport areas (24A, B, C, D, E, F) disposed between the first electrode layer and the organic electroluminescent layer (25); and a relief pattern (27) extending between and along neighboring first electrodes. The relief pattern separates said charge transport areas along neighboring first electrodes which has the effect of disconnecting any current path between neighboring first electrodes via the charge transport layer. Thus, the EL device has a small leakage current and can be easily manufactured.

Abstract: A method of providing a track (12) on a substrate (10) includes a first step wherein a first liquid (1) is applied to the substrate (10) in accordance with a desired double pattern (11) and, upon solidification of said first liquid, a second step wherein a second liquid (2) is applied within the double pattern (11), forming the track (12) upon solidification. The double pattern (11) laterally bounds the track (12). The liquids (1, 2) may be applied by a dispenser or an ink jet printer. The first and the second step may be carried out in one operation, wherein the application of the first liquid (1) has a lead (3) over the application of the second liquid (2). A narrow track (12) may be formed when the first liquid (1) has a head group that adheres to the substrate (10) and a tail that repels the second liquid (2).

Abstract: An assembly for a thin-film optical device includes a substrate and a plurality of elongated banks arranged on the substrate and spaced apart to form a plurality of channels for receiving a substance. At least one channel widens locally at at least one position along that channel to define a site for depositing a quantity of the substance.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device has at least two electroluminescent elements arranged on a substrate in accordance with a desired pattern, each element comprising a first and a second electrode layer and, disposed therebetween, an electroluminescent layer obtained from a liquid layer. A partitioning relief pattern including partitioning ribs of an insulating material protruding from the substrate, forms enclosure areas for containing the liquid layer in accordance with the desired pattern. In order to prevent mixing of liquids between adjacent electroluminescent elements and to allow filling of a maximum amount of liquid in each element, the partitioning element between adjacent elements is comprised of at least two partitioning ribs with an intermediate groove in the area between the partitioning ribs. The invention also refers to a method for manufacturing of an electroluminescent device.