Control of liquid flow sequence on microfluidic device
AssigneeBiosurfit, S.A.
InventorsJoão Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Reis, Tânia Tenreiro, Sandro Miguel Pinto Bordeira
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described embodiments provide devices, systems and methods for sequencing liquid flow in response to a driving force by entrapping and releasing gas between volumes of liquid in a controlled manner. In one particular form, a centrifugal “lab on a disk” device is provided to drive liquid flow and sequencing by virtue of the centrifugal force and in one particular form a radially inward bend conduit is used in connection with controllably trapping and releasing gas between liquid volumes.
Claims15
A device for handling liquid, the device being rotatable about an axis of rotation to drive liquid flow within the device, the device comprising:
- a first liquid holding structure;
- a second liquid holding structure;
- an upstream liquid handling structure for supplying liquid to the first and second liquid holding structures;
- a downstream liquid handling structure for receiving liquid from the first liquid holding structure;
- and
- a conduit connecting an outlet port of the second liquid holding structure to an inlet port of the first liquid holding structure,
- the conduit comprising a portion extending radially inward of the outlet port to a crest, and radially outward from the crest towards the inlet port, thereby enabling gas to be trapped in the portion between respective liquids from the first and second liquid holding structures, such that liquid is held in the second liquid holding structure until the trapped gas is vented through the first liquid holding structure and liquid then flows from the second liquid holding structure to the downstream liquid handling structure through the first liquid holding structure.
A liquid handling system comprising:
- means for filling a first and a second liquid holding structure with liquid to trap gas in a conduit between the first and second liquid holding structures;
- means for moving liquid from the first liquid holding structure to a downstream liquid handling structure while liquid is held in the second liquid holding structure;
- and
- means for moving liquid from the second liquid holding structure, through the conduit and the first liquid holding structure to the downstream liquid handling structure, subsequent to venting the trapped gas from the conduit through the first liquid holding structure.
A method of sequentially moving liquid from first and second liquid holding structures to a downstream liquid handling structure, the method including:
- filling the first and second liquid holding structures with liquid to trap gas in a conduit between the first and second liquid holding structures;
- moving liquid from the first liquid holding structure to a downstream liquid handling structure while liquid is held in the second liquid holding structure;
- and
- moving liquid from the second liquid holding structure, through a conduit and the first liquid holding structure to the downstream liquid handling structure, subsequent to venting the trapped gas from the conduit through the first liquid holding structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.