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US 11,156,543 B2Granted
System and method for providing stable fluid flow
AssigneeLife Technologies Corporation
InventorsMichael Ward, Jason Malkin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An embodiment of a system with a minute measure of pulsatility in a flow of a fluid is described that comprises a first pump configured to flow the fluid to a junction at a first flow rate that comprises a measure of pulsatility; and a second pump configured to flow a portion of the fluid from the junction at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate to produce a flow of the fluid at a third flow rate from the junction with a minute measure of pulsatility.
Claims24
A system, comprising:
- a flow cell,
- the flow cell being configured to receive a sample fluid from a sample fluid source in fluid communication with the flow cell, and the flow cell being configured to receive a carrier fluid from a carrier fluid source in fluid communication with the flow cell,
- the carrier fluid having a carrier fluid flowrate,
- a first output pump,
- the first output pump being in fluid communication with a first junction, the first junction being in further fluid communication with the flow cell,
- the first output pump being in fluid communication with a second junction, the second junction being in fluid communication with the first junction,
- the first output pump being configured to flow a fluid from the first junction to the second junction along a first output pathway,
- a second output pump being in fluid communication with the first junction and in fluid communication with a second junction such that the first output pump, the first junction, the second output pump, and the second junction define a fluidic circuit,
- the second output pump being configured to flow fluid between the first junction and the second junction along a second fluid pathway, and
- the first output pump and the second output pump being operable so as to effect an output flow of fluid from the second junction having an output flowrate greater than the carrier fluid flowrate,
- the output flowrate giving rise to a pressure differential that encourages sample fluid from the sample source into the flow cell and encourages sample fluid from the flow cell in the direction of the first junction.
8 more elements
A method, comprising:
- with a system that comprises:
- (i) a first output pump in fluid communication with a first junction and a second junction, the first output pump being configured to flow a fluid from the first junction to the second junction along a first output pathway,
- (ii) a second output pump in fluid communication with the first junction and the second junction, the second output pump being configured to flow a fluid between the first junction and the second junction along a second output pathway, the first junction, the second output pump, and the second junction defining a fluidic circuit,
- (iii) a flow cell in fluid communication with a source of sample fluid and a source of carrier fluid, the carrier fluid being introduced to the flow cell at a carrier fluid flowrate,
- operating the first output pump and the second output pump so as to effect an output flow of fluid from the second junction having an output flowrate greater than the carrier fluid flowrate,
- the output flowrate giving rise to a pressure differential that encourages sample fluid from the sample source into the flow cell and encourages sample fluid from the flow cell in the direction of the first junction.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.