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US 11,376,589 B2Granted
Valveless fluidic switching flowchip and uses thereof
AssigneeProtein Fluidics, Inc.
InventorsEvan Francis Cromwell, Wilson Toy, Liran Yosef Haller, Ori Hoxha, Braxton Dunstone, Hong Jiao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided are valveless microfluidic flowchips comprising fluid flow barrier structures or configurations. Further provided are systems and methods having increased fluid transfer control in a valveless microfluidic flowchip. The systems and methods can be used in the present valveless microfluidic flowchips as well as in currently available valveless microfluidic flowchips.
Claims20
A valveless microfluidic system comprising:
- a) a flowchip comprising:
- one or more networks of microfluidic cavities connected by microfluidic channels, wherein:
- reservoirs are cavities that are connected to only one microfluidic channel each, and nodes are cavities that are connected to two or more microfluidic channels each, wherein:
- i) a first plurality of the microfluidic channels connect only two cavities each;
- ii) a second plurality of the microfluidic channels have a greater resistance to fluid flow than that of the nodes;
- and
- iii) a plurality of the cavities include a gas pressure port;
- and
- b) a pressure sequencer comprising a set of gas valves, the pressure sequencer connected by pneumatic delivery channels to:
- (1) a high gas pressure gas source;
- (2) an intermediate gas pressure gas source;
- (3) a low pressure gas source;
- and optionally, (4) a partial vacuum pressure gas source;
- and to at least one cavity within the flowchip, wherein the pressure sequencer is configured to concurrently apply a combination of gas pressure and partial vacuum to at least one cavity.
11 more elements
A system for moving a quantity of liquid from an origin or source cavity to a destination cavity in a network of microfluidic cavities, wherein the origin or source cavity and the destination cavity are separated by a valveless microfluidic channel having a resistance to fluid flow greater than that of the source cavity, the system comprising:
- a receptacle for receiving and engaging with a flowchip comprising the network of microfluidic cavities;
- a pressure sequencer comprising a set of gas valves and configured to be connected to a first gas source for producing a high gas pressure in microfluidic cavities, a second gas source for producing a low gas pressure in microfluidic cavities, and a third gas source for producing an intermediate gas pressure in microfluidic cavities, wherein the high gas pressure is greater than the low gas pressure, the intermediate gas pressure is less than the high gas pressure but greater than the low gas pressure, and the intermediate gas pressure is insufficiently great overcome resistance to fluid flow in the valveless microfluidic channel when the source cavity is substantially empty of the liquid, wherein the pressure sequencer can apply any pressure state to any cavity;
- and
- a controller programmed to execute computer readable instructions to direct the pressure sequencer to:
- (a) apply the high gas pressure to any cavity (other than the destination cavity) connected to the origin or source cavity by a first microfluidic channel, while applying the low gas pressure to any cavity (other than the origin or source cavity) connected to the destination cavity by a second microfluidic channel, to move a portion of the quantity of liquid from the origin or source cavity, through the valveless microfluidic channel, and to the destination cavity, and
- (b) apply an intermediate gas pressure to the origin or source cavity by the first microfluidic channel before the quantity of liquid is completely removed from the source cavity, wherein the intermediate gas pressure is sufficiently great to push at least some of the quantity of liquid remaining after (a) to the destination cavity, but avoids introducing gas into the valveless microfluidic channel.
3 more elements
A valveless microfluidic system for moving a quantity of liquid from an origin or source cavity to a destination cavity, comprising:
- a) a flowchip comprising:
- one or more networks of microfluidic cavities connected by microfluidic channels, wherein:
- reservoirs are cavities that are connected to only one microfluidic channel each, and nodes are cavities that are connected to two or more microfluidic channels each, wherein:
- i) a first plurality of the microfluidic channels connect only two cavities each;
- ii) a second plurality of the microfluidic channels have a greater resistance to fluid flow than that of the nodes;
- and
- iii) a plurality of the cavities include a gas pressure port;
- b) a pressure sequencer comprising a set of gas valves, the pressure sequencer connected by pneumatic delivery channels to:
- (1) a high gas pressure gas source;
- (2) an intermediate gas pressure gas source;
- (3) a low pressure gas source;
- and optionally, (4) a partial vacuum pressure gas source;
- and to at least one cavity within the flowchip;
- and
- a controller programmed to execute computer readable instructions to direct the pressure sequencer to:
- (a) apply a high gas pressure to any cavity (other than the destination cavity) connected to the origin or source cavity by a first microfluidic channel, while applying a low gas pressure to any cavity (other than the origin or source cavity) connected to the destination cavity by a second microfluidic channel, to move a portion of the quantity of liquid from the origin or source cavity, through a connecting microfluidic channel, and to the destination cavity, and
- (b) apply an intermediate gas pressure to the origin or source cavity by the first microfluidic channel before the quantity of liquid is completely removed from the source cavity, wherein the intermediate gas pressure is sufficiently great to push at least some of the quantity of liquid remaining after (a) to the destination cavity, but avoids introducing gas into the connecting microfluidic channel.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.