Method and apparatus for sorting particles

• US 20050183995A1
• Filed: 04/06/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cytonome/St, Llc (Cytonome Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cytonome Inc.
• Inventors: Deshpande, Manish, Gilbert, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,569,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/552
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0652 Sorting or classification of particles or molecules
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0877 Flow chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• 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 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• 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 3/502761 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: B07C 5/02 Measures preceding sorting, e.g. arranging articles in a stream orientating sorting and transport of caps B67B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/36 Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: F15C 5/00 Manufacture of fluid circuit elements; Manufacture of assemblages of such elements integrated circuits
• 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 99/0019 Valves using a microdroplet or microbubble as the valve member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0028 Valves having multiple inlets or outlets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0046 using magnets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0048 using piezoelectric means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/10 Investigating individual particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/14 Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/149 : specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1027 : Determining speed or velocity of a particle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1028 : Sorting particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1477 : Multiparameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/149 : Sorting the particles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1497 : Particle shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/906 : Pneumatic or liquid stream feeding item
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/932 : Fluid applied to items

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sorting particles moving through a closed channel system of capillary size comprises a bubble valve for selectively generating a pressure pulse to separate a particle having a predetermined characteristic from a stream of particles. The particle sorting system may further include a buffer for absorbing the pressure pulse. The particle sorting system may include a plurality of closely coupled sorting modules which are combined to further increase the sorting rate. The particle sorting system may comprise a multi-stage sorting device for serially sorting streams of particles, in order to decrease the error rate.

Claims

1. A microfabricated particle sorting system, comprising:

a first duct for conveying a stream of suspended particles confined in a carrier liquid, comprising an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet;

a sensor for measuring a velocity of a particle;

an actuator for causing a particle having a predetermined characteristic to flow into the second outlet while particles that do not have said predetermined characteristic flow into the first outlet.

2. A microfabricated particle sorting system, comprising:

a first duct for conveying a stream of suspended particles confined in a carrier liquid, comprising an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet;

a first sensor for sensing a predetermined characteristic in a particle;

a second sensor for measuring a velocity of a particle;

an actuator for causing the particle having said predetermined characteristic to flow into the second outlet while particles that do not have said predetermined characteristic flow into the first outlet.

3. The particle sorting system of claim 2, wherein the second sensor communicates with the actuator to determine when to cause the particle having the predetermined characteristic to flow into the second outlet.

4. The particle sorting system of claim 2, wherein the second sensor also measures the location of a particle.

5. A particle sorting system, comprising

a first duct for conveying a stream of suspended particles confined in a carrier liquid, comprising an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet;

a first sensor for sensing a predetermined characteristic in a particle;

a second sensor for measuring a position and a velocity of a particle; and

an actuator for distributing particles having the predetermined characteristic to the first outlet and particles not having the predetermined characteristic to second outlet.

6. A method of sorting particles, comprising:

conveying a stream of suspended particles confined in a carrier liquid through a first duct having an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, sensing a predetermined characteristic of a particle in the stream;

producing a signal when the predetermined characteristic is sensed;

measuring a velocity of a particle having said predetermined characteristic; and

distributing particles having the predetermined characteristic to the first outlet and particles not having the predetermined characteristic to the second outlet, based on the steps of sensing the predetermined characteristic and measuring the velocity.