# US 10,946,133 B2 · Systems and methods for parallel channel microfluidic separation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,946,133 B2 - Document ID: US10946133B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/962,420 - Filed: 2018-04-25 - Published: 2018-08-23 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-31 - Assignees: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. - Applicants: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc - Inventors: Jason Oliver Fiering; Hoi-Cheong Steve Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10946133B2 ## CPC - A61M 1/3678: {Separation of cells using wave pressure; Manipulation of individual corpuscles} - A61M 1/362: {changing physical properties of target cells by binding them to added particles to facilitate their subsequent separation from other cells, e.g. immunoaffinity} - A61M 1/3623: {Means for actively controlling temperature of blood} - A61M 1/365: {through membranes, e.g. by inverted trans-membrane pressure [TMP]} - A61M 2205/3673: thermo-electric, e.g. Peltier effect, thermocouples, semi-conductors - B01D 21/283: {Settling tanks provided with vibrators} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract The present disclosure describes a system and method for microfluidic separation. More particularly, the disclosure describes a system and method for the purification of a fluid by the removal of undesired particles. The device includes microfluidic separation channels that include multiple outlets. The device also includes isolation slots positioned between each of the microfluidic separation channels. The device's base includes multiple acoustic transducers which in some implementations are configured to protrude into the isolation slots. The acoustic transducers are configured to generate aggregation axes within the separation channels, which are used to separate out undesired particles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A separation device comprising: a first substrate comprising: a first plurality of microfluidic channels defined in a first face of the first substrate, wherein each of the first plurality of microfluidic channels comprises an upstream portion and a downstream portion; a second plurality of microfluidic channels defined in a second face of the first substrate, wherein each of the second plurality of microfluidic channels comprises an upstream portion and a downstream portion; and a plurality of connecting channels coupling the downstream portion of the first plurality of microfluidic channels to the upstream portion of the second plurality of microfluidic fluid channels; a second substrate coupled with the first face of the first substrate, the second substrate defining a wall of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels; and a third substrate coupled with the second face of the first substrate, the third substrate defining a wall of the second plurality of microfluidic fluid channels, wherein at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate is configured to couple with a base substrate comprising one or more acoustic transducers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The separation device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises an isolation slot positioned between each of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The separation device of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more acoustic transducers protrudes perpendicular to a face of the base substrate and into the isolation slot positioned between each of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The separation device of claim 2, wherein the isolation slot positioned between each of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels runs substantially parallel to and an entire length of the first plurality of microfluidic channels. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The separation device of claim 1, further comprising the base substrate comprising the one or more acoustic transducers, each of the one or more acoustic transducers coupled with the second face of the first substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The separation device of claim 1, wherein the downstream portion of the each of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels further comprises a first outlet positioned substantially along a longitudinal axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The separation device of claim 1, wherein the downstream portion of the each of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels further comprises a second outlet positioned adjacent to a lateral wall of a first outlet positioned substantially along a longitudinal axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The separation device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate defines a manifold configured to distribute a fluid to the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The separation device of claim 8, wherein the manifold comprises a network of biomimetic channels. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The separation device of claim 8, wherein a distribution portion of the manifold is defined in the first face of the first substrate and a collection portion of the manifold is defined in the first face and the second face of the first substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The separation device of claim 10, wherein a portion of the collection portion of the manifold defined in the second face of the first substrate is fluidically connected to the collection portion of the manifold defined in the first face of the first substrate by the plurality of connecting channels. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The separation device of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of microfluidic channels further comprise: a first wall having a first thickness; and a second wall opposite the first wall and having a second thickness. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The separation device of claim 12, wherein the second thickness is different than the first thickness. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: providing a fluid cleansing device comprising: a first substrate comprising: a first plurality of microfluidic channels defined in a first face of the first substrate, wherein each of the first plurality of microfluidic channels comprises an upstream portion and a downstream portion; a second plurality of microfluidic channels defined in a second face of the first substrate, wherein each of the second plurality of microfluidic channels comprises an upstream portion and a downstream portion; and a plurality of connecting channels coupling the downstream portion of the first plurality of microfluidic channels to the upstream portion of the second plurality of microfluidic fluid channels; a second substrate coupled with the first face of the first substrate, the second substrate defining a wall of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels; and a third substrate coupled with the second face of the first substrate, the third substrate defining a wall of the second plurality of microfluidic fluid channels, wherein at least one of the first substrate, the second substrate, or the third substrate is configured to couple with a base substrate comprising one or more acoustic transducers; flowing a fluid comprising particles through the first plurality of microfluidic channels; and directing, with an acoustic wave generated by the one or more acoustic transducers, the particles to a first aggregation axis of each of the first plurality of microfluidic channels. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising flowing the fluid through a manifold defined in the first substrate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the manifold comprises a network of biomimetic channels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: flowing the fluid through a distribution portion of the manifold defined in the first face of the first substrate; and collecting at least a portion of the fluid at a collection portion of the manifold defined in the first face and the second face of the first substrate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first substrate comprises an isolation slot positioned between each of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein each of the one or more acoustic transducers protrudes perpendicular to a face of the base substrate and into the isolation slot positioned between each of the first plurality of microfluidic fluid channels. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting a frequency of the acoustic wave based on a wall thickness of the first substrate.