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US 8,210,209 B2Granted
Microfluidic system including a bubble valve for regulating fluid flow through a microchannel
AssigneeCytonome/St, LLC
InventorsJohn R. Gilbert, Sebastian Böhm, Manish Deshpande
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microfluidic system includes a bubble valve for regulating fluid flow through a microchannel. The bubble valve includes a fluid meniscus interfacing the microchannel interior and an actuator for deflecting the membrane into the microchannel interior to regulate fluid flow. The actuator generates a gas bubble in a liquid in the microchannel when a sufficient pressure is generated on the membrane.
Claims24
A microfluidic device, comprising:
- a microfluidic substrate;
- a microchannel formed in the microfluidic substrate having an interior bounded by a side wall;
- and
- a valve for regulating a flow of fluid through the microchannel, the valve comprising:
- a gas-filled reservoir comprising a recess formed in the microfluidic substrate,
- a flexible membrane coupled to the microfluidic substrate and forming a single flexible external wall of the microfluidic substrate and a flexible wall of the recess to seal the gas-filled reservoir, and
- an actuator for selectively deflecting the flexible membrane to increase an internal pressure of the gas-filled reservoir to regulate fluid flow through the microchannel.
4 more elements
A microfluidic device, comprising:
- a microfluidic substrate;
- a microchannel formed in the microfluidic substrate having an interior bounded by a side wall;
- and
- a valve for regulating a flow of fluid through the microchannel, the valve comprising:
- a gas-filled reservoir comprising a recess,
- a flexible membrane coupled to the microfluidic substrate and forming a single flexible external wall of the microfluidic substrate and a flexible wall of the recess to seal the gas-filled reservoir, and
- an actuator for selectively deflecting the flexible membrane to increase an internal pressure of the gas-filled reservoir to regulate fluid flow through the microchannel.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.