Microfluidic sedimentation

• US 20020160518A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Perkinelmer Health Sciences Incorporated (Perkinelmer Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Perkinelmer Health Sciences Incorporated (Perkinelmer Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hayenga, Jon W., Weigl, Bernhard H., Battrell, C. Frederick, Morris, Christopher J., Saltsman, Patrick, Klein, Gerald L.
• Application Number:
  US10/115,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20020160518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/70
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/14 Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/11 Laminar flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/0012 Settling tanks making use of filters, e.g. by floating layers of particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/283 Settling tanks provided with vibrators
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/028 Modular arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0636 Focussing flows, e.g. to laminate flows
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0647 Handling flowable solids, e.g. microscopic beads, cells, particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0883 Serpentine channels
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0436 acoustic forces, e.g. surface acoustic waves [SAW]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0457 passive flow or gravitation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/084 Passive control of flow resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 : characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 : characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502746 : characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles B01L3/502738 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 : characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 : specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502776 : specially adapted for focusing or laminating flows
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/008 : Multi-layer fabrications
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0084 : Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/17 : the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0001 : Microvalves microdevices B81B1/00; manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate B81C1/00; microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; micropumps F04B19/006
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0015 : Diaphragm or membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0025 : Valves using microporous membranes
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0059 : actuated by a pilot fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0255 : with mechanical, e.g. inertial, classification, and investigation of sorted collections with centrifuges G01N15/042
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/05 : in blood
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1456 : without spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle, e.g. processing of pulse signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/4016 : being a selective membrane, e.g. dialysis or osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/4061 : Solvent extraction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/4094 : using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0288 : Sorting the particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1411 : Features of sheath fluids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1413 : Hydrodynamic focussing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/144 : Imaging characterised by its optical setup
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1486 : Counting the particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00247 : Microvalves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 : Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A device for promoting sedimentation within microfluidic channels which uses gravity to separate particles from fluid. Particles such as blood cells or beads are separated from a carrier fluid using gravity combined with various devices such as membranes and sonic energy in different embodiments.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device comprising:

a microfluidic structure having an inlet and a sedimentation region;

a fluid containing particles having a density different from that of said fluid;

and means for moving said fluid through said inlet into said sedimentation region such that a concentration gradient of said particle is established across the vertical dimension of said sedimentation region.

2. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a microfluidic channel having a depth and a width, and an inlet and a first and a second outlet,

with first outlet placed higher than said second outlet with respect to the vertical axis of said microfluidic channel;

and a fluid containing particles that have a different density from the fluid flowing through said channel such that said particles exit said channel preferentially through said first or said second outlet.

3. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a first channel and a second channel;

means for preventing solid material from moving from said first channel to said second channel, said means being located between said first channel and said second channel to form a collection of solid particles located in said first channel;

and means for moving a fluid through said first and said second channel such that said fluid interacts with said particles located in said first channel.

4. The device of claim 3, where said fluid comprises first and second components, one of which having a higher affinity to said solid material than the other.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a means for detecting said first and second components located downstream from said means for preventing solid material from moving from said first channel to said second channel.

6. The device of claim 4, also having a means for collecting said first and second components located downstream from said means for preventing solid material from moving from said first channel to said second channel.