Patent ID: 7322970
Filing Date: 2008-01-29
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A deformable liquid handling member having a inner region circumscribed and hermetically sealed by a wall region, said wall region comprising a membrane assembly to separate a first zone outside of the member from a second zone within the inner region of the member, wherein said second zone is in fluid communication with a suction source capable of receiving liquid, and said first zone is positioned in liquid communication with a liquid releasing source during its intended use, wherein said membrane assembly is capable of maintaining a pressure differential between the second zone and the first zone without permitting air to penetrate from said first zone to said second zone, wherein said inner region comprises an inner material, wherein the inner material is an elastomeric material, said inner material having a volume expansion factor of more than 3; wherein said inner material comprises a first support layer and a second support layer, arranged in an essentially parallel configuration extending in x-/y-direction perpendicular to their thickness along the z-direction at a distance H to each other, and a spacer layer having a material thickness b significantly smaller than its x-/y extension, said spacer layer being arranged and attached in a non-parallel orientation to and between said support layers, and whereby the distance H of said support is greater than the thickness b of said spacer layer.