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US 2015/0306596 A1Published application
Membrane-based fluid-flow control devices
AssigneePresident and Fellows of Harvard College
InventorsGuy THOMPSON, Daniel LEVNER, Christopher David HINOJOSA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein are fluid-flow control devices for transferring a fluid from a place to another and/or controlling a fluid flow. In some embodiments, fluid-flow control devices described herein can be used as pumping devices to transfer a fluid by peristaltic motion and/or as valve devices to control fluid flow for various applications, e.g., in a microfluidic platform.
Claims22
A fluid-flow control device comprising:
- a. a substrate layer comprising a deformable portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, and is configured to form a load concentrator;
- b. one or more fluidic conduits configured to be in contact with the deformable portion of the substrate layer, wherein each fluidic conduit comprises:
- an inlet for introduction of a fluid, an outlet for exit of the fluid, and a central portion between the inlet and the outlet, and
- c. an actuator configured to be engageable with the load concentrator to deform the deformable portion such that the fluid is forced to move through the central portion from the inlet to the outlet as the actuator applies a pressure to the load concentrator.
1 more element
-69. (canceled)
A fluid-flow control device comprising:
- a. a substrate layer comprising a deformable portion having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- b. one or more fluidic conduits configured to be in contact with the deformable portion, wherein each fluidic conduit comprises:
- an inlet for introduction of a fluid, an outlet for exit of the fluid, and a central portion between the inlet and the outlet,
- c. an actuator configured to be engageable with the deformable portion of the substrate layer to deform the deformable portion such that the fluid is forced to move through the central portion from the inlet to the outlet as the actuator applies a pressure to the deformable portion;
- and
- d. at least one or any combination of the following features:
- i. a top surface of the deformable portion is configured to form a load concentrator;
- ii. the actuator comprises at least one rolling element mechanically connected to a shaft fixed to the actuator;
- iii. the actuator comprises an elastic element (e.g., spring or flexure) mechanically coupled to at least one rolling element;
- and
- iv. the deformable portion is configured to be in contact with at least one rolling element.
8 more elements
A method of controlling fluid flow, comprising:
- a) providing i) a disposable cartridge that holds a microfluidic organ on chip device, said cartridge comprising an elastomeric manifold, said manifold comprising a deformable portion;
- ii) a fluidic conduit configured to be in contact with the deformable portion, said fluidic conduit comprising fluid, an inlet for introduction of said fluid, an outlet for exit of said fluid, and a central portion between the inlet and the outlet, said fluidic conduit in fluidic communication with said microfluidic organ-on-a-chip device;
- and iii) an actuator comprising an elastic element mechanically coupled to a rolling element, said rolling element configured to engage said deformable portion of said elastomeric manifold;
- b) engaging said deformable portion of said elastomeric manifold with said rolling element so as to deform the deformable portion, whereby said fluid is forced to move through the central portion of said fluidic conduit and into said microfluidic organ-on-a-chip device, thereby controlling fluid flow;
- and
- c) disengaging the deformable portion from the rolling element.
3 more elements
A method of controlling fluid flow, comprising:
- a) providing a fluid-flow control device comprising i) a body that holds a microfluidic device, said body comprising a detachable elastomeric manifold, said manifold comprising a deformable portion and ii) a fluidic conduit configured to be in contact with the deformable portion, said fluidic conduit comprising fluid, an inlet for introduction of said fluid, an outlet for exit of said fluid, and a central portion between the inlet and the outlet, said fluidic conduit in fluidic communication with said microfluidic device;
- and iii) an actuator comprising an elastic element mechanically coupled to a rolling element, said rolling element configured to engage said deformable portion of said elastomeric manifold;
- b) engaging said deformable portion of said elastomeric manifold with said rolling element so as to deform the deformable portion, whereby said fluid is forced to move through the central portion of said fluidic conduit and into said microfluidic device, thereby controlling fluid flow;
- and
- c) disengaging the deformable portion from the rolling element.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.