Method and apparatus for gradient generation
AssigneePresident and Fellows of Harvard College
InventorsNoo Li Jeon, Stephan K. W. Dertinger, Daniel T. Chiu, Insung S. Choi, George M. Whitesides
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for treating a fluid. A method for treating a fluid may include combining two or more separate streams into a common stream and then splitting the common stream into a new set of separate streams wherein the separate streams may possess different properties. The separate streams may be combined to produce a gradient, such as a concentration gradient or shear gradient. The apparatus of the invention may provide a network of fluidic channels that may be used to manipulate a fluid to produce, for example, a gradient or a series of solutions containing a substance at varying concentrations.
Claims70
An apparatus comprising:
- a first generation comprising at least two first generation channels;
- a common channel providing communication between each of the at least two first generation channels;
- a second generation comprising at least three second generation channels, each second generation channel having a first end and a second end, the first end of each being in communication with the common channel;
- and
- a third generation, the third generation comprising at least one channel more than the second generation, each third generation channel having a first end and a second end, the first end of each being in communication with the second end of each of the second generation channels.
A method of forming a gradient comprising:
- passing a first fluid through a first channel;
- passing a second fluid through a second channel;
- joining the first fluid and the second fluid in a common channel:
- passing fluid from the common channel into at least three additional channels;
- and
- recombining the fluid from the three additional channels into a single channel under conditions of substantially laminar flow to produce a composite fluid.
A method of diluting a fluid comprising:
- feeding a high concentration fluid to a first inlet;
- feeding a low concentration fluid to a second inlet;
- passing the fluid from the first inlet and the fluid from the second inlet into a first generation common channel;
- splitting the fluid in the common channel into at least three second generation channels;
- recombining the fluids from the at least three second generation channels into a second generation common channel;
- splitting the fluid in the second generation common channel into a plurality of third generation channels;
- and
- collecting fluid from at least one of the plurality of third generation channels.
A method of producing a fluid exhibiting two different concentration gradient profiles, the method comprising:
- combining at least a first starting fluid with a second starting fluid to form a combined stream, the first starting fluid comprising a first substance that is substantially absent from the second fluid;
- dividing the combined stream into a series of second stage streams:
- and
- joining at least two of the second stage streams to form a composite stream wherein the composite stream exhibits a different concentration gradient profile for the first substance and a second substance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.