Micro paddle wheel pump for precise pumping, mixing, dispensing, and valving of blood and reagents

• US 20040033147A1
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Paul Lum
• Inventors: Lum, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,011,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/423.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/112 with arms, paddles, vanes or blades
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/452 using independent floating stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0475 specific mechanical means and fluid pressure
• 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: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/04 Adaptations for use in dentistry for driving tools or the like having relatively small outer diameter, e.g. pipe cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/0666 the motor being of the plane gap type
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working

Abstract

An apparatus and method for making a microscopic paddle wheel coupled inductively by an external electromagnet and used for valving and active pumping so that the actual pumping mechanism is completely isolated from the electromagnetic driver. The paddle wheel is inexpensive to manufacture and disposable. A cartridge having a network of conduits and reservoirs contains several of such paddle wheels to transport blood and reagents. A point-of-care device houses the electromagnetic driving mechanism and is reused with successive cartridges since the paddle wheels are contained by the cartridge and do not contaminate the driving mechanism.

Claims

1. A disposable cartridge that operates in conjunction with a point-of-care analytical device, said cartridge comprising:

a network of conduits and reservoirs within said cartridge;

at least one micro pump fluidly coupled to said network for transporting small volumes of biological fluid, said pump comprising;

a rotatable portion having a magnetic core and configured to be rotatable by alternating inductive magnetic fields to urge fluid through said network.

2. The disposable cartridge of claim 1 wherein said rotatable portion comprises a microscopic paddle wheel.

3. The disposable cartridge of claim 1 wherein said rotatable portion has a hydrophobic surface.

4. The disposable cartridge of claim 1 wherein said alternating inductive magnetic fields provide a torsion force to the rotatable portion that does not exceed the level that would lyse or puncture blood cells.

5. The disposable cartridge of claim 1 wherein a plurality of micro pumps are placed within the network of the cartridge.

6. A point-of-care analytical device, said device comprising:

a disposable cartridge;

a network of conduits and reservoirs within said cartridge;

a micro pump fluidly coupled to said network for transporting small volumes of biological fluid, said pump comprising a rotatable portion configured to be rotatable by alternating inductive magnetic fields to urge fluid through said network;

an external electromagnet providing said alternating inductive magnetic fields for causing the rotatable portion to move to transport small volumes, said electromagnet positioned external of said disposable cartridge and fluidically isolated from said micro pump.

7. The point-of-care device of claim 6 wherein the electromagnet is reused with successive disposable cartridges and the rotatable portion is contained in the cartridge and does not contaminate the electromagnet.

8. The point-of-care device of claim 6 wherein said rotatable portion comprises a microscopic paddle wheel coupled inductively to said external electromagnet.

9. The point-of-care device of claim 6 comprises a system where the actual pumping mechanism of the micro pump is completely isolated from said external electromagnet.

10. The point-of-care device of claim 6 comprises a system where the paddle wheel to actuate the motion may be separated by either plastic or silicon and still maintain an inductive coupling with the paddle wheel such that the magnetic core spins by rotating the magnetic field.

11. The point-of-care device of claim 8 wherein the electromagnet comprises a micro-coil which causes the paddle wheel to move according to the alternating field in the micro-coil.

12. The point-of-care device of claim 8 wherein the paddle wheel in micro-pump conduits that contain paddle wheel chambers to house the paddle wheels recessed in the conduits to facilitate cartridge assembly.

13. The point-of-care device of claim 8 where the paddle wheels act as valves in the network to isolate the biological fluid prior and after pumping to control reaction time and isolate analytical reactions.

14. The point-of-care of claim 6 wherein said alternating inductive magnetic fields provide a torsion force to the rotatable portion that does not exceed the level that would lyse or puncture blood cells.