Miniaturized flow controller with closed loop regulation

• US 20050106739A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cabuz, Cleopatra, Cabuz, Eugen, Zook, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,061,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/63
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150213 Venting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150221 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150343 Collection vessels for collecting blood samples from the skin surface, e.g. test tubes, cuvettes sampling from within body cavities A61B5/150015, A61B5/150045
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150351 Caps, stoppers or lids for sealing or closing a blood collection vessel or container, e.g. a test-tube or syringe barrel caps for bottles or containers in general B65D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/157 Devices characterised by integrated means for measuring characteristics of blood
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1404 Handling flow, e.g. hydrodynamic focusing
• 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 15/1459 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/016 White blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1486 Counting the particles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0694 by action on throttling means or flow sources of very small size, e.g. microfluidics microvalves F16K99/0001; microstructural devices per se B81B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

An apparatus having scattering and multi-color fluorescence detecting, analyzing and identification capabilities of blood or other fluids of interest. The sample to be tested may be entered in a disposable microfluidic cartridge which in turn is insertable in a hand-holdable or implantable miniaturized and portable cytometer instrument. This cytometer has significant application in biological warfare agent detection, hematology and other clinical and research fields.

Claims

1. A method for providing a controlled flow stream from a non-precision pressure source, comprising:

providing a pressure to a pressure chamber using a non-precision pressure source, the pressure in the pressure chamber providing a velocity to the flow stream;

sensing the velocity of the flow stream; and

adjusting the pressure in the pressure chamber in response to the sensed velocity of the flow stream to control the velocity of the flow stream.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the non-precision pressure source includes a pump.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the pump includes a manually actuated pump.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the pump includes an electrostatically actuated pump.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the pressure in the pressure chamber includes reducing the pressure in the pressure chamber.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the reducing the pressure in the pressure chamber includes opening one or more valves to vent at least some of the pressure from the pressure chamber.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the pressure in the pressure chamber includes increasing the pressure in the pressure chamber.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sensing the velocity of the flow stream and the adjusting the pressure in the pressure chamber are operated in a closed loop manner to provide a controlled velocity to the flow stream.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure chamber is part of a fluidic cartridge.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the fluidic cartridge is used, at least in part, for performing flow cytometery.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sensing the velocity of the flow stream is performed using one or more flow sensors.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein one or more of the flow sensors are on a fluidic cartridge.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the fluidic cartridge is used, at least in part, for performing flow cytometery.

14. A method for providing a controlled flow stream in a flow channel of a fluidic cartridge, comprising;

providing a pressure to the flow scream in the flow channel of the fluidic cartridge, resulting in a fluid velocity of the flow stream;

sensing the fluid velocity of the flow stream; and

in a closed loop manner, adjusting the pressure that is provided to the flow stream in response to the sensed fluid velocity of the flow stream to provide a controlled fluid velocity of the flow stream.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the fluidic cartridge is used, at least in part, for performing flow cytometery.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the sensing the fluid velocity is performed using one or more flow sensors.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the one or more of the flow sensors are on the fluidic cartridge.

18. A fluid driving system for a flow cytometer, comprising:

a flow channel for channeling a fluid;

a pressure providing block for providing pressure to the fluid in the flow channel;

a flow sensor in fluid communication with the flow channel for sensing the velocity of the fluid in the flow channel; and

a controller coupled to the pressure providing block and the flow sensor, the controller causing the pressure providing block to adjust the pressure provided to the fluid in the flow channel in response to a sensed velocity of the fluid in the flow channel from the flow sensor to achieve a controlled or relatively controlled velocity of the fluid in the flow channel.

19. The fluid driving system of claim 18, wherein the flow channel is provided on a fluidic cartridge.

20. The fluid driving system of claim 19, wherein the flow sensor is provided on the fluidic cartridge.

21. The fluid driving system of claim 20, wherein at least part of the pressure providing block is provided on the fluidic cartridge.

22. The fluid driving system of claim 18, wherein the controller causes the pressure providing block to adjust the pressure provided to the fluid in the flow channel in response to the sensed velocity of the fluid in the flow channel from the flow sensor in a closed loop manner.

23. The fluid driving system according to claim 18, wherein the pressure providing block includes at least one electrostatically actuated component.

24. The fluid driving system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one electrostatically actuated component includes an electrostatically actuated valve.

25. The fluid driving system according to claim 23 wherein the at least one electrostatically actuated component includes an electrostatically actuated pump.

26. A fluid driving system, comprising:

a first flow channel for channeling a first fluid;

a second flow channel for channeling a second fluid;

a pressure providing block for providing independent pressure to the first fluid in the first flow channel and to the second fluid in the second flow channel;

a first flow sensor in fluid communication with the first flow channel for sensing the velocity of the first fluid in the first flow channel;

a second flow sensor in fluid communication with the second flow channel for sensing the velocity of the second fluid in the second flow channel; and

a controller coupled to the pressure providing block and the first and second flow sensors, the controller causing the pressure providing block to adjust the pressure provided to the first fluid in the first flow channel in response to a sensed velocity of the first fluid in the first flow channel from the first flow sensor to achieve a controlled or relatively controlled velocity of the first fluid in the first flow channel and causing the pressure providing block to adjust the pressure provided to the second fluid in the second flow channel in response to a sensed velocity of the second fluid in the second flow channel from the second flow sensor to achieve a controlled or relatively controlled velocity of the second fluid in the second flow channel.

27. A fluid driving system according to claim 26, wherein the controller controls the pressure providing block in response to the sensed velocities of the first and second fluids in a closed loop manner.

28. The fluid driving system of claim 26, wherein the first flow channel and the second flow channel are provided on a fluidic cartridge.

29. The fluid driving system of claim 28, wherein the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor are provided on the fluidic cartridge.

30. The fluid driving system of claim 29, wherein at least part of the pressure providing block is provided on the fluidic cartridge.

31. The fluid driving system according to claim 26, wherein the pressure providing block includes at least one electrostatically actuated component.

32. The fluid driving system according to claim 31, wherein the at least one electrostatically actuated component includes an electrostatically actuated valve.

33. The fluid driving system according to claim 31, wherein the at least one electrostatically actuated component includes an electrostatically actuated pump.