Back to results
US 2013/0273591 A1Published application
On-demand microfluidic droplet or bubble generation
AssigneeThe Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
InventorsDaniel Attinger, Jie Xu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Microfluidic systems and methods can dispense single or multiple fluid particles (such as a gas or other fluid bubble) or an encapsulated particle (e.g., a bead or biological cell) into a microchannel.
Claims21
(canceled)
A method comprising:
- providing a first reagent chamber having a first reagent chamber inlet and a first reagent chamber outlet, the first reagent chamber comprising a compliant wall and containing a first fluid, the first reagent chamber inlet separated from the first reagent chamber outlet by a portion of the first reagent chamber that includes the compliant wall;
- providing a microchannel having a microchannel inlet and a microchannel outlet, the microchannel in fluid communication with the first reagent chamber via the first reagent chamber outlet, the microchannel containing an immiscible fluid;
- providing an actuation control signal with an actuator coupled to the first compliant wall;
- in response to the actuation control signal, actuating the compliant wall of the first reagent chamber to modify a volume of the first reagent chamber;
- and
- in response to the actuating, controllably dispensing at least one fluid particle from the first reagent chamber into the immiscible fluid in the microchannel.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing a first reagent chamber containing a gas;
- providing a second reagent chamber comprising a compliant wall and containing a second fluid;
- providing a microchannel in fluid communication with the first and second reagent chambers, the microchannel containing an immiscible fluid;
- providing an actuation control signal;
- in response to the actuation control signal, actuating the compliant wall of the second reagent chamber to modify a volume the second reagent chamber;
- drawing a portion of the gas from the first reagent chamber into the second reagent chamber;
- and
- expelling a gas bubble from the second reagent chamber into the immiscible fluid in the microchannel.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing a microfluidic chip including a microchannel, a first reagent chamber, and a compliant membrane, the microchannel having a microchannel inlet, a microchannel outlet, and an immiscible fluid, and the first reagent chamber having a first fluid, a first reagent chamber inlet, and a first reagent chamber outlet, wherein the first reagent chamber outlet provides fluid communication between the first reagent chamber and the microchannel;
- fixing a compliant membrane to a top surface of the microfluidic chip forming a first compliant wall of the first reagent chamber;
- coupling a first actuator to the first compliant wall;
- providing an actuation control signal with the first actuator;
- in response to the actuation control signal, actuating the compliant wall of the first reagent chamber to modify a volume of the first reagent chamber;
- and
- in response to the actuating, controllably dispensing at least one fluid particle from the first reagent chamber into the immiscible fluid in the microchannel.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.