Patents by Inventor Valerie Smekens

Valerie Smekens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9168521
    Abstract: A microfluidic device includes a first microchannel, a second microchannel, and a valve comprising at least an input port and an output port, the ports respectively connected to the first microchannel and the second microchannel, the valve designed to control a flow of a liquid along a flow direction (z) defined by the ports; wherein the valve further comprises one or more walls joining the ports and defining a hollow chamber that is wider than each of the microchannels in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction, the walls at least partly deformable along a deformation direction (?y) intersecting the flow direction, such that the walls can be given at least a first deformation state and a second deformation state, such that the liquid can be pulled along the flow direction substantially more in the second deformation state than in the first deformation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, CORIS BIOCONCEPT
    Inventors: Emmanuel Delamarche, Martina Hitzbleck, Laetitia C. Avrain, Thierry C. Laurent, Pascal Y. Mertens, Valerie Smekens
  • Publication number: 20150159195
    Abstract: A method and a device for fast amplification and detection of target nucleotide sequences possibly present in a sample, combine preferably PCR amplification with oligochromatographic detection by capillarity on a test strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Thierry Leclipteux, Pascal Mertens, Laetitia Avrain, Isabelle Ote, Valerie Smekens