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US 2026/0210348 A1Published application
Microfluidic pump
AssigneeAline, Inc.
InventorsStefano Begolo, Leanna Levine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microfluidic pump with a movable drive membrane (diaphragm), a pumping chamber, at least two fluidic ports on one side of the diaphragm, and at least one control port on an opposing side of the diaphragm is provided. A flexible drive membrane intersects the pumping chamber such that a pressure chamber is created on the side of the drive membrane which is open to the control port, and a fluid flow chamber is created on the side of the drive membrane which is open to the fluidic ports. The drive membrane acts as a valve sealing and unsealing the fluidic ports and fluid flow through the flow chamber. The microfluidic pump has an asymmetric design which facilitates the sealing and unsealing of the fluidic ports by the pressure differential in the pressure chamber.
Claims22
A microfluidic device comprising:
- an outer wall,
- an inner wall defining a chamber, the chamber having a chamber length, a chamber width, a chamber height, a chamber top side, a chamber bottom side, a chamber front side, a chamber back side, and first and second chamber ends;
- a flexible membrane spanning the chamber length and width, and intersecting the chamber height between the chamber top side and the chamber bottom side, and spanning the chamber width, separating the chamber into a pressure chamber, and a fluid flow chamber within the chamber;
- a control port in fluid connection with the pressure chamber and the outer wall;
- a first fluid flow port having a first diameter, the first fluid flow port positioned in fluid connection with the outer wall and the fluid flow chamber and positioned on a side of the chamber opposite the flexible membrane;
- a second fluid flow port having a second diameter, the second fluid flow port positioned in fluid connection with the outer wall and the fluid flow chamber on a side of the chamber opposite the flexible membrane,
- wherein, the flexible membrane is positionable between a first position where the flexible membrane is proximate to the chamber bottom side and fluid movement between the first and second fluid flow ports is at least partially blocked, and a second position where fluid flows between the first and second fluid flow ports and through the fluid flow chamber;
- and
- wherein, the chamber, control port, and first and second fluid ports, alone or in combination, have a non-symmetrical configuration which facilitates the movement of the flexible membrane between the first position and the second position, and one or more of the following components is non-symmetrical in at least one direction:
- asymmetric chamber dimensions;
- asymmetric positioning of the first and second fluid ports;
- asymmetric dimensions of the first and second fluid ports;
- and asymmetric positioning of the control port.
10 more elements
-15. (canceled)
A microfluidic system comprising:
- a substrate;
- a microfluidic device positioned within the substrate, the microfluidic device comprising:
- a wall defining a chamber formed within the substrate, the chamber having a chamber length, a chamber height, a chamber top side, a chamber bottom side, a chamber front side, a chamber back side, and first and second chamber ends;
- a flexible membrane positioned within the chamber, and spanning the chamber length and width, and intersecting the chamber height between the chamber top side and chamber bottom side, separating the chamber into a pressure chamber and a fluid flow chamber;
- a control port in fluid connection with the pressure chamber;
- a first fluid flow port having a first diameter, where the first fluid flow port is positioned in the wall on the side of the chamber opposite the flexible membrane, and in fluid connection with the fluid flow chamber and;
- and
- a second fluid flow port having a second diameter, where the second fluid port is positioned in the wall on the side of the pumping chamber opposite the flexible membrane, and in fluid connection with the fluid flow chamber and,
- wherein, the flexible membrane has a first position where the flexible membrane is proximate to the chamber bottom side and the first and second fluid ports are at least partially blocked to fluid flow, and a second position where fluid flows between the first and second fluid ports and through the fluid chamber, and
- wherein the chamber, control port, and first and second fluid ports, alone or in combination, have a non-symmetrical configuration which facilitates the position of the flexible membrane between the first position and the second position, and one or more of the following components is non-symmetrical in at least one direction:
- asymmetric chamber dimensions;
- asymmetric positioning of the first and second fluid ports;
- asymmetric dimensions of the first and second fluid ports;
- and asymmetric positioning of the control port.
11 more elements
A microfluidic system comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first microfluidic device positioned within the substrate, the first microfluidic device comprising:
- a wall defining a chamber formed within the substrate, the chamber having a chamber length, a chamber height, a chamber top side, a chamber bottom side, a chamber front side, a chamber back side, and first and second chamber ends;
- a flexible membrane positioned within the chamber, and spanning the chamber length and width, and intersecting the chamber height between the chamber top side and chamber bottom side, separating the chamber into a pressure chamber and a fluid flow chamber;
- a control port in fluid connection with the pressure chamber;
- a first fluid flow port having a first diameter, where the first fluid flow port is positioned in the wall on the side of the chamber opposite the flexible membrane, and in fluid connection with the fluid flow chamber and;
- and
- a second fluid flow port having a second diameter, where the second fluid port is positioned in the wall on the side of the pumping chamber opposite the flexible membrane, and in fluid connection with the fluid flow chamber and,
- wherein, the flexible membrane has a first position where the flexible membrane is proximate to the chamber bottom side and the first and second fluid ports are at least partially blocked to fluid flow, and a second position where fluid flows between the first and second fluid ports and through the fluid chamber, and
- wherein the chamber, control port, and first and second fluid ports, alone or in combination, have a non-symmetrical configuration which facilitates the position of the flexible membrane between the first position and the second position, and one or more of the following components is non-symmetrical in at least one direction:
- asymmetric chamber dimensions;
- asymmetric positioning of the first and second fluid ports;
- asymmetric dimensions of the first and second fluid ports;
- and asymmetric positioning of the control port;
- and
- a second microfluidic device in fluid connection with the first microfluidic device,
- wherein the first microfluidic device controls fluid flow to the second microfluidic device.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.