Gaskets for the distribution of pressures in a microfluidic system
Assignee10x Genomics, Inc.
InventorsTobias Daniel Wheeler, Rajiv Bharadwaj
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microfluidic system includes a microfluidic chip having a plurality of fluid channels, each fluid channel having an opening providing access to an interior of the fluid channel, and a gasket disposable on the microfluidic chip in an aligned configuration, the gasket including a first side configured to face the microfluidic chip in the aligned configuration, a second side opposite the first side, and an aperture extending through the gasket from the first side to the second side, the aperture being sized and positioned to allow a communication of pressure from the second side of the gasket to the openings of at least two fluid channels when the gasket is in the aligned configuration.
Claims27
A kit comprising:
- a microfluidic chip comprising:
- (i) a plurality of fluid channels, each of the plurality of fluid channels having an opening in a surface of the microfluidic chip and providing access to an interior of the fluid channel, and
- (ii) a plurality of wells, each well comprising a base and extending from the base to a rim of the well defining one of the openings, wherein the openings of at least two fluid channels of two adjacent wells are separated by a common wall where the rims of the two adjacent wells are coextensive;
- and
- a gasket comprising a first side configured to face the surface of the microfluidic chip in an aligned configuration, a second side opposite the first side, and an aperture extending through the gasket from the first side to the second side, the aperture being sized and positioned to allow a communication of pressure from the second side of the gasket to the openings of the at least two fluid channels when the gasket is in the aligned configuration, wherein the aperture is sized and positioned to overlay at least a portion of the openings of the at least two fluid channels and a portion of the rims of the two adjacent wells when the gasket is in the aligned configuration;
- and
- wherein the at least two fluid channels are coupled to one another through a notch, the aperture being sized and positioned to overlay a portion of the notch when the gasket is in the aligned configuration.
A kit comprising:
- a microfluidic chip comprising:
- (i) a plurality of fluid channels, each of the plurality of fluid channels having an opening in a surface of the microfluidic chip and providing access to an interior of the fluid channel, and
- (ii) a plurality of wells, each well comprising a base and extending from the base to a rim of the well defining one of the openings, wherein the openings of at least two fluid channels of two adjacent wells are separated by a common wall where the rims of the two adjacent wells are coextensive;
- a gasket comprising a first side configured to face the surface of the microfluidic chip in an aligned configuration, a second side opposite the first side, and an aperture extending through the gasket from the first side to the second side, the aperture being sized and positioned to allow a communication of pressure from the second side of the gasket to the openings of the at least two fluid channels when the gasket is in the aligned configuration, wherein the aperture is sized and positioned to overlay at least a portion of the openings of the at least two fluid channels and a portion of the rims of the two adjacent wells when the gasket is in the aligned configuration;
- and
- a chip holder that is sized and shaped to surround at least a portion of the microfluidic chip;
- wherein the gasket comprises one or more alignment features, which are configured to engage with a portion of the chip holder in the aligned configuration,
- wherein the one or more alignment features includes one or more alignment holes or slots, wherein the chip holder includes one or more protrusions or tabs, and wherein the one or more protrusions or tabs are positioned and configured to be received within the one or more alignment holes or slots in the aligned configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.