Magnetic separation
AssigneeFerrologix, Inc.
InventorsColeman Murray, Tim Tiemann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for separating particles or cells by magnetic ratcheting has a vector of spaced apart magnetic bars on a substrate. The system can be used to separate and concentrate magnetic objects based on iron oxide content. For cells, different phenotypes may be separated based on surface expression of proteins or molecules that are bound to magnetic beads. A magnetic field generator generates a cycling magnetic field that acts to separate magnetic particles or cells from non-magnetic particles or cells in a solution.
Claims19
A system for magnetic separation of magnetic bodies comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of ferromagnetic elements spaced apart in pitch zones on the substrate, with the spacing between adjacent ferromagnetic elements increasing in a direction along a vector of ferromagnetic elements, and the increase in spacing between adjacent ferromagnetic elements is within a range of 10 μm to 100 μm;
- a support surface over the ferromagnetic elements;
- a magnetic field generator disposed adjacent to the support surface, the magnetic field generator configured to generate a continuously rotating sinusoidal magnetic field;
- a channel over the support surface;
- and
- a plurality of extraction gates aligned over the pitch zones, the extraction gates movable to open or close off the channel to separate magnetic or non-magnetic bodies in a plurality of ranges.
A system for magnetic separation of magnetic particles or cells comprising:
- a rigid substrate;
- a plurality of ferromagnetic elements spaced apart in a row in pitch zones on the substrate;
- a support surface disposed over the ferromagnetic elements;
- a channel over the support surface;
- an extraction gate aligned over each of the pitch zones, the extraction gates movable to open or close off the channel;
- a magnetic field generator providing a rotating magnetic field at the support surface, the magnetic field generator comprising a rotating wheel having a plurality of permanent magnets arranged in a full radial Halbach array;
- and
- the substrate having a non-zero angle orientation relative to gravity.
A system for magnetic separation of magnetic particles or cells comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of magnetic bars spaced apart on the substrate in a single row, the magnetic bars forming a plurality of pitch zones;
- a support surface disposed over the magnetic bars;
- a channel over the support surface;
- an extraction gate aligned over each pitch zone, each extraction gate movable to open or close off a portion of the channel;
- and
- a magnetic field generator for applying a rotating magnetic field to the support surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.