US 2013/0260474 A1 · Microfluidic passive mixing chip

Abstract

An improved device and method for passive mixing of fluids is described, and the use of the device in clinical diagnostic procedures. The mixer provides thorough mixing of a sample of blood or other fluid with an assay material, such as a diluent or a component of an assay system, in a closed system with a low and limited pressure drop. Sample size is small, typically 5 to 300 microliters. Mixing is accomplished by a combination of rotational vortex mixing due to a fluid stream coming tangent to a drain, and either or both of a second vortex mixer of opposite handedness, and a Dean mixer. Combinations of these techniques reliably provide complete mixing at low pressure drop. In a preferred usage, the microfluidic system can run a diluent continuously and inject samples at intervals, to facilitate automatic data processing of optical or other signatures of the well-mixed stream.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A microfluidic mixing device for mixing a flow of sample with a flow of diagnostic reagent, characterized in having reliable mixing and flow at low pressure drop, wherein the device comprises:

a first section, wherein flow is mixed by a first vortex mixer;
and
a second section, which may be upstream or downstream or both of said first section, wherein flow in said second section is through one or both of:
a spiral channel, wherein partial mixing is accomplished by Dean mixing;
and a second vortex mixer of opposite handedness than said first vortex mixer.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Microfluidic passive mixing chip

Life of this patent

Microfluidic passive mixing chip

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20