1. A linear compressor, comprising:
a shell in which a discharge port is provided;
a cylinder disposed in the shell to define a compression space for a refrigerant;
a piston disposed to be reciprocated in an axial direction within the cylinder;
a discharge valve disposed at one side of the cylinder to selectively discharge the refrigerant compressed in the compression space;
a valve spring coupled to the discharge valve to provide a restoring force; and
a stopper coupled to the valve spring to restrict deformation of the valve spring, wherein the stopper comprises a guide recessed in a direction in which the valve spring is deformed to reduce an impulse between the stopper and the valve spring.
2. The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the guide comprises a contact surface that contacts the valve spring.
3. The linear compressor according to claim 2, wherein the contact surface comprises a rounded surface.
4. The linear compressor according to claim 2, wherein the contact surface comprises a surface that extends at an incline in a radial direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction.
5. The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the stopper comprises:
a stopper body that supports the valve spring;
a spring support disposed at an edge of the stopper body to support the valve spring; and
a valve avoidance groove defined in a central portion of the stopper body to prevent the stopper body from interfering with the discharge valve.
6. The linear compressor according to claim 5, wherein the guide extends from the spring support to the valve avoidance groove.
7. The linear compressor according to claim 5, wherein the spring support protrudes from the stopper body toward the valve spring with respect to the guide, and wherein the valve spring is seated on the spring support.
8. The linear compressor according to claim 7, wherein the stopper further comprises a guide protrusion that protrudes from the spring support toward the valve spring and is coupled to a spring recess of the valve spring.
9. The linear compressor according to claim 5, further comprising:
a frame that fixes the cylinder to the shell;
a discharge cover coupled to the frame, wherein the discharge cover has at least one resonance chamber to reduce pulsation of the refrigerant discharged through the discharge valve; and
a spacer disposed on the discharge cover to support the stopper.
10. The linear compressor according to claim 9, wherein the at least one resonance chamber comprises a plurality of resonance chambers, wherein the discharge cover further comprises a seat that partitions the plurality of resonance chambers and supports the spacer, and wherein each of the plurality of resonance chambers is recessed from the seat.
11. The linear compressor according to claim 5, wherein the valve spring comprises:
a spring body having a plurality of cutoffs; and
an insertion hole defined in the spring body, wherein the insertion hole is coupled to an insertion protrusion of the discharge valve, and wherein the valve avoidance groove is defined at a position corresponding to a position of the insertion protrusion.
12. The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein a recessed shape of the guide corresponds to a deformed shape of the valve spring when the discharge valve is opened.
13. The linear compressor according to claim 1, further comprising:
a frame that fixes the cylinder to the shell;
a discharge cover coupled to the frame, wherein the discharge cover has at least one resonance chamber to reduce pulsation of the refrigerant discharged through the discharge valve;
a first spacer disposed between the valve spring and the stopper to space the valve spring from the stopper; and
a second spacer disposed on the cover body to support the stopper.
14. The linear compressor according to claim 13, wherein the guide extends from an inner circumferential surface of the first spacer toward a central portion of the stopper.
15. The linear compressor according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder comprises at least one nozzle to introduce the refrigerant discharged through the discharge valve to an inside of the cylinder and in which a filter member is disposed.
16. A linear compressor, comprising:
a shell in which a discharge port is provided;
a cylinder disposed in the shell to define a compression space for a refrigerant;
a frame that fixes the cylinder to the shell;
a piston disposed to be reciprocated in an axial direction within the cylinder;
a discharge valve disposed at one side of the cylinder to selectively discharge the refrigerant compressed in the compression space;
a discharge cover coupled to the frame, wherein the discharge cover has at least one resonance chamber to reduce pulsation of the refrigerant discharged through the discharge valve;
a valve spring disposed on the discharge cover; and
a stopper coupled to the valve spring, wherein one surface of the stopper is recessed in a direction in which the valve spring is deformed.
17. The linear compressor according to claim 16, wherein the recessed surface of the stopper comprises a rounded surface that contacts the valve spring.
18. The linear compressor according to claim 16, wherein the recessed surface of the stopper comprises an inclined surface that contacts the valve spring.
19. The linear compressor according to claim 16, wherein the discharge valve comprises:
a valve body selectively and closely attached to the cylinder;
a valve recess recessed from the valve body in a first direction to prevent the valve body from interfering with the discharge valve; and
an insertion protrusion that protrudes from the valve body in a second direction and coupled to the valve spring.
20. The linear compressor according to claim 19, wherein the valve spring comprises:
a spring body having a plurality of cutoffs;
an insertion hole defined in a central portion of the spring body and into which the insertion protrusion of the discharge valve is inserted; and
a spring recess recessed from an outer circumferential surface of the spring body to guide a position of a guide protrusion of the stopper.
21. A linear compressor, comprising:
a shell in which a discharge port is provided;
a cylinder disposed in the shell to define a compression space for a refrigerant;
a piston disposed to be reciprocated in an axial direction within the cylinder;
a discharge valve disposed at one side of the cylinder to selectively discharge the refrigerant compressed in the compression space;
a valve spring coupled to the discharge valve to provide a restoring force; and
a stopper coupled to the valve spring to restrict deformation of the valve spring, wherein the stopper comprises a guide recessed in a direction in which the valve spring is deformed to reduce an impulse between the stopper and the valve spring, and wherein the guide comprises a rounded contact surface that contacts the valve spring, or a contact surface that extends at an incline in a radial direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction.
22. The linear compressor according to claim 21, wherein the stopper comprises:
a stopper body that supports the valve spring;
a spring support disposed at an edge of the stopper body to support the valve spring; and
a valve avoidance groove defined in a central portion of the stopper body to prevent the stopper body from interfering with the discharge valve.
23. The linear compressor according to claim 22, wherein the guide extends from the spring support to the valve avoidance groove.
24. The linear compressor according to claim 22, wherein the spring support protrudes from the stopper body toward the valve spring with respect to the guide, and wherein the valve spring is seated on the spring support.
25. The linear compressor according to claim 24, wherein the stopper further comprises a guide protrusion that protrudes from the spring support toward the valve spring and is coupled to a spring recess of the valve spring.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method comprising:
accumulating an opaque material on a region of a microfluidic chamber;
exposing the region to light; and
determining the transmission of light through the opaque material.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the opaque material comprises a metal.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the transmission of light includes observing the opaque material with an unaided eye.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the opaque material has a dimension of at least 100 microns.
5. The method of claim 1 comprising exposing the opaque material to light of a first wavelength and detecting transmission of light of the first wavelength.
6. The method of claim 2 wherein the metal comprises silver.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein the opaque material is formed by electroless deposition.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the opaque material is electrolessly deposited on a metal colloid.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the metal colloid comprises a gold-conjugated antibody.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the light is pulse modulated.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the opaque material is deposited over a region having a dimension of at least 10 microns.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmittance is determined in the absence of a photomultiplier.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmittance is determined in the absence of a wavelength selector.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmittance is determined in the absence of a columnator.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step is performed in the absence of line voltage.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the transmission of light comprises passing light through an optical sample path having a length less than 1 mm.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the optical sample path length is less than 100 microns.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein the optical sample path length is less than 50 microns.
19. An immunoassay comprising:
a microfluidic chamber having a surface;
at least one of an antigen or an antibody disposed on a portion of the chamber surface; and
an opaque layer associated with the portion of the chamber.
20. The immunoassay of claim 19 wherein the layer is opaque at a wavelength for which the microfluidic chamber is transparent.
21. The immunoassay of claim 19 wherein the opaque layer comprises a metal.
22. The immunoassay of claim 19 further comprising a layer including a metal colloid.
23. The immunoassay of claim 19 comprising a plurality of microfluidic chambers.
24. The immunoassay of claim 21 wherein the metal comprises silver.
25. The immunoassay of claim 22 wherein the metal colloid comprises a gold-conjugated antibody.
26. A method comprising:
passing a fluid sample over a surface;
allowing a sample component to bind with a binding partner disposed on the surface;
allowing a metal colloid to associate with a sample component; and
flowing a metal solution over the surface to form a metallic layer.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the metal colloid associates with a bound sample component.
28. The method of claim 26 wherein the metal colloid comprises gold.
29. The method of claim 27 wherein the metal colloid comprises a gold-conjugated antibody.
30. The method of claim 26 wherein the metallic layer is silver.
31. The method of claim 26 wherein the metal solution is a silver solution.
32. The method of claim 26 wherein the metal solution is laminarly flowed over the surface.
33. The method of claim 26 wherein the surface is a portion of a microfluidic channel.
34. The method of claim 26 wherein the sample component is one of an antigen and an antibody and the binding partner is the other of the antigen and the antibody.
35. The method of claim 26 further comprising determining the opacity of the metal layer.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein determining comprises examining the metal layer with an unaided eye.
37. The method of claim 35 wherein determining comprises irradiating the metal layer with light and measuring light transmittance.
38. The method of claim 37 wherein the light is measured at the same wavelength at which it is transmitted.
39. The method of claim 26 further comprising measuring the conductivity of the metal layer.
40. The method of claim 26 wherein the fluid is passed over a plurality of surfaces.
41. The method of claim 40 wherein each of the plurality of surfaces is associated with a different binding partner.
42. The method of claim 26 further comprising detecting the concentration of metal in the metal solution after flowing the metal solution over the surface.
43. The method of claim 26 wherein the sample has been obtained non-invasively.
44. The method of claim 43 wherein the sample comprises saliva.
45. A method comprising:
flowing a fluid sample over a surface;
allowing a sample component to bind with a binding partner disposed on the surface; and
accumulating an opaque material on a portion of the surface.
46. The method of claim 45 further comprising determining the opacity of the opaque material.
47. The method of claim 46 wherein determining comprises examining the opaque material with an unaided eye.
48. The method of claim 46 wherein determining comprises irradiating the opaque material with light and measuring light transmittance.
49. The method of claim 48 wherein the light is measured at the same wavelength at which it is transmitted.
50. The method of claim 45 wherein the surface is a portion of a microfluidic channel.
51. The method of claim 45 wherein the sample component is one of an antigen and an antibody and the binding partner is the other of the antigen and the antibody.
52. The method of claim 45 wherein the fluid is passed over a plurality of surfaces.
53. The method of claim 52 wherein each of the plurality of surfaces is associated with a different binding partner.
54. The method of claim 45 wherein the sample has been obtained non-invasively.
55. The method of claim 54 wherein the sample comprises saliva.
56. An assay kit comprising:
a surface including a microfluidic channel;
at least one of an antibody or an antigen associated with a portion of the microfluidic channel;
a metal colloid associated with an antibody or an antigen;
a metal precursor; and
instructions for performing the assay.
57. The kit of claim 56 wherein the metal precursor comprises a silver salt solution.
58. A method comprising:
contacting a sample with an antibody or an antigen;
allowing a sample component to bind with the antibody or antigen;
illuminating any bound sample component with a pulse modulated light; and
determining binding of a sample component to an antigen or antibody.
59. The method of claim 58 wherein the bound sample component associates with a light sensitive moiety.
60. The method of claim 58 wherein the bound sample component associates with a metal colloid.
61. The method of claim 58 wherein the sample component is an antibody or an antigen.
62. The method of claim 58 wherein determining comprises detecting transmission of pulse modulated light.
63. The method of claim 58 wherein the antibody or antigen is bound to a surface.
64. The method of claim 63 wherein the surface comprises a portion of a microfluidic channel.
65. The method of claim 63 further comprising forming an opaque layer on the surface.
66. The method of claim 65 wherein the opaque layer comprises a metal.
67. The method of claim 66 wherein the opaque layer is electrolessly deposited on the surface.
68. The method of claim 67 wherein the opaque layer is deposited on a gold-conjugated antibody.
69. The method of claim 58 wherein the pulse modulated light passes through a sample having an optical path length less than 1 mm.
70. The method of claim 58 wherein the pulse modulated light passes through a sample having an optical path length less than 100 microns.
71. The method of claim 58 wherein the pulse modulated light passes through a sample having an optical path length less than 50 microns.