Microfluidic systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A microfluidic device, comprising:
- a body structure; and
a plurality of integrated microscale channels disposed in the body structure, the plurality of integrated microscale channels comprising;
at least a first transverse channel, the first transverse channel being in electrical communication with at least a first electrode;
at least first and second side channels disposed on a first side of the transverse channel, each of the first and second side channels having first and second ends, the first ends intersecting the transverse channel, and the second ends being in electrical communication with at least a second electrode; and
wherein an electrical current path between the at least first electrode and the second electrode through the first side channel provides substantially equal resistance to a resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode through the second side channel.
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Abstract
The present invention generally provides microfluidic devices and systems that utilize electrokinetic material transport systems to selectively control and direct the transport of materials through and among complex arrangements of integrated, interconnected microscale channels disposed within integrated body structures.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A microfluidic device, comprising:
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a body structure; and
a plurality of integrated microscale channels disposed in the body structure, the plurality of integrated microscale channels comprising;
at least a first transverse channel, the first transverse channel being in electrical communication with at least a first electrode;
at least first and second side channels disposed on a first side of the transverse channel, each of the first and second side channels having first and second ends, the first ends intersecting the transverse channel, and the second ends being in electrical communication with at least a second electrode; and
wherein an electrical current path between the at least first electrode and the second electrode through the first side channel provides substantially equal resistance to a resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode through the second side channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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18. A microfluidic device for controllably transporting material among a plurality of intersecting microscale channels, the device comprising:
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a body structure;
a channel network disposed in the body structure, the channel network comprising a plurality of intersecting microscale channels, the plurality of intersecting microscale channels comprising n channel intersections, and x unintersected channel termini, wherein n is greater than or equal to x, provided that x is at least 2 and n is at least 3;
an electrical power supply electrically coupled to each of the unintersected channel termini, the power supply supplying a separate electrical potential simultaneously to at least three of the unintersected termini of the plurality of microscale channels, the electrical potential supplied at the unintersected channel termini controlling material transport at the n intersections.
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32. A microfluidic device, comprising:
a substrate having an interconnected microscale channel network disposed therein, the channel network comprising;
a first transverse channel;
at least first and second side channels each having first and second ends, the first and second side channels intersecting the first transverse channel at the first ends of the first and second side channels;
at least a third side channel having a first and a second end, the third channel intersecting the first transverse channel at the first end of the third side channel;
a first voltage source in electrical communication with the second ends of the first and second side channels;
a second voltage source in electrical communication with the second end of the third side channel;
wherein an electrical current path between the first voltage source and the second voltage source via the third channel has substantially the same electrical resistance via the first side channel as via the second side channel.
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33. A microfluidic system, comprising:
a microfluidic device which comprises;
a body structure;
a plurality of integrated channels disposed in the body structure, the plurality of integrated channels comprising;
at least a first transverse channel;
at least first and second side channels disposed on a first side of the transverse channel, each of the first and second side channels having first and second ends, the first ends intersecting the transverse channel, and the second ends being in fluid communication with at least a first source of first material;
at least third and fourth side channels disposed on a second side of the transverse channel each of the third and fourth channels having first and second ends, the first ends being in fluid communication with the transverse channel, and the second ends being in fluid communication with a waste reservoir; and
a material transport system for transporting a second material into the transverse channel, and for transporting portions of the second material into the third and fourth channels by directing a flow of first material from the first source, through the first and second channels into the transverse channel. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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34. A method of directing one or more materials serially introduced into a microscale channel, into a plurality of parallel channels fluidly connected to the microscale channel, the method comprising:
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providing a microfluidic device having at least a first microscale transverse channel, at least first and second microscale side channels intersecting a first side of the transverse channel, at least third and fourth microscale side channels intersecting a second side of the transverse channel;
introducing one or more materials serially into the first transverse channel;
directing at least a portion of the one or more materials into the at least third and fourth channels by directing material into the transverse channel from the first and second channels.
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35. A method of converting one or more materials serially introduced into a microfluidic device into a plurality of separate parallel channels, comprising:
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providing a microfluidic device that comprises;
a substrate having an interconnected microscale channel network disposed therein, the channel network comprising;
a first transverse channel;
at least first and second side channels each having first and second ends, the first and second side channels intersecting the first transverse channel at the first ends of the first and second side channels;
at least a third side channel having a first and a second end, the third channel intersecting the first transverse channel at the first end of the third side channel;
first voltage source in electrical communication with the second ends of the first and second side channels;
a second voltage source in electrical communication with the second end of the third side channel;
wherein an electrical current path between the first voltage source and the second voltage source via the third channel has substantially the same electrical resistance via the first side channel as via the second side channel;
introducing the one or more materials into the first transverse channel in a serial orientation; and
applying a current between the first voltage source and the second voltage source to electrokinetically transport at least a portion of the first material into each of the first and second channels.
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37. A method of controllably transporting a material among a plurality of interconnected microscale channels, comprising:
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providing a microfluidic device having;
a body structure having a channel network disposed therein, the channel network including a plurality of intersecting microscale channels, the plurality of microscale channels comprising n channels and x unintersected channel termini, wherein x is less than or equal to n, and provided that x is at least 2 and n is at least 3; and
applying a separate selected electrical potential to at least three of the x reservoirs simultaneously, whereby material is controllably moved at the n intersections.
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Specification