Patent ID: 7993911

Claim:
A microfluidic network comprising: a draft conduit for flow of droplets, the draft conduit comprising a first section comprising a draft outlet and having a longitudinal axis and a second section comprising a draft inlet and having a longitudinal axis; and a delivery conduit, having a longitudinal axis positioned obliquely, perpendicularly, or both, to the longitudinal axes of the first and second sections of the draft conduit, the second section comprising an inlet port; a compensation conduit, having a longitudinal axis positioned obliquely or perpendicularly to a plane formed by the longitudinal axis of the delivery conduit and at least one of the longitudinal axes of the first and second segments of the draft conduit, and comprising a compensation port; and at least one liquid bridge comprising a chamber, the draft outlet, the draft inlet, the inlet port, and the compensation port, wherein the longitudinal axes of the draft conduit sections, the delivery conduit, and the compensation conduit intersect in the chamber; wherein the inlet port is positioned for delivery of a liquid to be queued into the draft conduit so that a liquid flows from the bridge within the carrier liquid in the conduit, and the compensation port is positioned for withdrawal of a liquid to compensate for a liquid added to the conduit via the inlet port.