# US 2025/0092979 A1 · Fluid transport and distribution manifold

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- Number: US 2025/0092979 A1
- Document ID: US20250092979A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/966,901
- Filed: 2024-12-03
- Published: 2025-03-20
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-08
- Assignees: Sunflower Therapeutics, PBC
- Applicants: Sunflower Therapeutics, PBC
- Inventors: Andrew BANCHIERI; David WEISER; Brian HAUSER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250092979A1

## CPC

- F16L 41/03: comprising junction pieces for four or more pipe members
- B01L 3/50273: {characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids}
- F16K 11/072: with pivoted closure members
- F16K 11/074: with flat sealing faces
- F16K 27/003: {Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements}
- B01L 2300/0819: Microarrays; Biochips
- B01L 2300/123: Flexible; Elastomeric
- F16K 2099/0084: {Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology}
- F16L 41/021: {T- or cross-pieces (F16L41/025, F16L41/026, F16L41/028 take precedence)}
- F16L 2201/10: Indicators for correct coupling
- F16L 2201/44: sterile
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}

## Abstract

A structured assembly of perpendicular, interwoven fluidic conduits permits connections between conduits to be readily (and in some cases visibly) established, thereby providing operational convenience and amenability to automated means of validation or verification.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluid transport and distribution manifold comprising:
a support;
a first plurality of parallel fluid conduits passing through the support; and
a second plurality of parallel fluid conduits passing through the support perpendicular to, and interwoven with, the first fluid conduits, at least some of the second fluid conduits being selectably fluidly connected to one or more of the first plurality of fluid conduits.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The manifold of claim 1, further comprising a multiport valve head, the first plurality of parallel fluid conduits terminating at the valve head.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The manifold of claim 1, wherein fluid connections between the first and second fluid conduits are established by permanent connections therebetween.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The manifold of claim 1, wherein fluid connections between the first and second fluid conduits are established by adjustable transfer valves.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The manifold of claim 4, wherein the transfer valves are manually adjustable.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The manifold of claim 4, wherein the transfer valves are check valves.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The manifold of claim 4, wherein the transfer valves are electronically adjustable and further comprising circuitry for receiving user commands and, in response thereto, electronically adjusting at least one of the transfer valves.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The manifold of claim 7, wherein the circuitry comprises a network interface for receiving the user commands.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The manifold of claim 8, wherein the network interface is wired.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The manifold of claim 8, wherein the network interface is wireless.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The manifold of claim 7, wherein the user commands each specify a transfer valve and an opening level thereof

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The manifold of claim 4, wherein each of the first conduits is connected, via separate transfer valves, to all of the second conduits.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The manifold of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a rigid frame for retaining the first and second conduits in the perpendicular, interwoven configuration.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The manifold of claim 13, wherein the support includes channels of differing depths for receiving the conduits and enforcing the perpendicular, interwoven configuration.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The manifold of claim 1, further comprising, integral with the support, a first plurality of connectable ports, each of the first connectable ports affording fluid access to a free end of one of the first conduits.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The manifold of claim 1, further comprising, integral with the support, second and third pluralities of connectable ports, each of the second connectable ports affording fluid access to a first end of one of the second conduits and each of the third connectable ports affording fluid access to a second end of one of the second conduits.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The manifold of claim 1, wherein the first and second conduits are interlaced as warp and weft.

### Claim 18

A method of fluid transport comprising the steps of:
interweaving first and second pluralities of parallel fluid conduits, the first and second pluralities of fluid conduits being substantially perpendicular to each other; fluidly connecting each of at least some of the second fluid conduits to one or more of the first plurality of fluid conduits; and causing fluid to flow from at least some of the first fluid conduits into second fluid conduits to which they are fluidly connected.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid connections are permanent.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid connections are adjustable and valved.