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US 11,229,907 B2Granted
Microchip and particulate analyzing device
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorsTatsumi Ito, Shoji Akiyama, Masaya Kakuta, Takeshi Yamasaki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microchip is provided, which includes a substrate including a fluid channel structure. The fluid channel structure includes a first fluid introduction channel and a second fluid introduction channel configured to meet so as to allow merging of a first fluid introduced from the first fluid introduction channel and a second fluid introduced from the second fluid introduction channel. A tapered portion is configured to be positioned after merging the first fluid and the second fluid so as to suppress a spiral flow field generated after the merging.
Claims23
A microfluidic chip for use with a particulate analyzing device, the microfluidic chip comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- a fluid channel formed in the substrate, the fluid channel including:
- a supply port configured to receive a sample liquid flow;
- and
- a merge channel configured to convert the sample liquid flow into a sheath liquid laminar flow, the merge channel having a first fluid converting structure, a second fluid converting structure, and a third fluid converting structure, to convert the sample liquid flow into the sheath liquid laminar flow by introducing sheath liquid into the fluid channel or changing a cross section area, wherein
- the first, second, and third fluid converting structures are provided at different longitudinal locations along the fluid channel,
- a first surface portion of the fluid channel lies in a first plane upstream of the second and third fluid converting structures,
- a second surface portion of the fluid channel lies in a second plane vertically above the first plane downstream of the second and third fluid converting structures, and
- the first fluid converting structure is a first tapered portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in a first direction, the second fluid converting structure is a second tapered portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in a second direction, and the third fluid converting structure is a contracted portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in the second direction, and the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.
7 more elements
A particulate analyzing device comprising:
- a microfluidic chip, wherein the microfluidic chip comprises:
- a substrate;
- a fluid channel formed in the substrate;
- and
- a detector configured to detect particulates in a sample liquid flow, the fluid channel including:
- a supply port configured to receive the sample liquid flow;
- and
- a merge channel configured to convert the sample liquid flow into a sheath liquid laminar flow, the merge channel having a first fluid converting structure, a second fluid converting structure, and a third fluid converting structure, to convert the sample liquid flow into the sheath liquid laminar flow by introducing sheath liquid into the fluid channel or changing a cross section area, wherein
- the first, second, and third fluid converting structures are provided at different longitudinal locations along the fluid channel,
- a first surface portion of the fluid channel lies in a first plane upstream of the second and third fluid converting structures,
- a second surface portion of the fluid channel lies in a second plane vertically above the first plane downstream of the second and third fluid converting structures, and
- the first fluid converting structure is a first tapered portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in a first direction, the second fluid converting structure is a second tapered portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in a second direction, and the third fluid converting structure is a contracted portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in the second direction, and the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.
9 more elements
A system comprising:
- a particulate analyzing device;
- and
- a microfluidic chip, wherein the microfluidic chip comprises:
- a substrate;
- and
- a fluid channel formed in the substrate, the fluid channel including:
- a supply port configured to receive a sample liquid flow;
- and
- a merge channel configured to convert the sample liquid flow into a sheath liquid laminar flow, the merge channel having a first fluid converting structure, a second fluid converting structure, and a third fluid converting structure, to convert the sample liquid flow into the sheath liquid laminar flow by introducing sheath liquid into the fluid channel or changing a cross section area, wherein
- the first, second, and third fluid converting structures are provided at different longitudinal locations along the fluid channel,
- a first surface portion of the fluid channel lies in a first plane upstream of the second and third fluid converting structures,
- a second surface portion of the fluid channel lies in a second plane vertically above the first plane downstream of the second and third fluid converting structures, and
- the first fluid converting structure is a first tapered portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in a first direction, the second fluid converting structure is a second tapered portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in a second direction, and the third fluid converting structure is a contracted portion narrowing the sample liquid flow in the second direction, and the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.