Method and apparatus for controlling microfluidic flow
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a) a pump;
b) a gas pressure sensor;
c) a microfluidic chip defining a microfluidic conduit; and
d) a gas conduit providing fluid communication between the pump, the gas sensor and the microfluidic conduit; and
e) a controller coupled to the pump and the gas pressure sensor, whereby the controller controls the pump, thereby controlling the gas pressure at the microfluidic conduit.
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a pump; a gas pressure sensor; a microfluidic chip defining a microfluidic conduit; and a gas conduit providing fluid communication between the pump, the gas sensor and the microfluidic conduit; and a controller coupled to the pump and the gas pressure sensor, whereby the controller controls the pump, thereby controlling the gas pressure at the microfluidic conduit. An apparatus includes a microfluidic chip defining a microfluidic conduit extending from a microfluidic source electrode to a microfluidic ground electrode; a first resistor coupled to the microfluidic source electrode; a first and a second voltage divider, the first divider coupling a first power ground to a side of the first resistor opposite the microfluidic chip, the second divider coupling a second power ground to the lead between the first resistor and the microfluidic source electrode, and a first voltage sensor; and a second voltage sensor. Also included are methods of operating the apparatus.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a) a pump;
b) a gas pressure sensor;
c) a microfluidic chip defining a microfluidic conduit; and
d) a gas conduit providing fluid communication between the pump, the gas sensor and the microfluidic conduit; and
e) a controller coupled to the pump and the gas pressure sensor, whereby the controller controls the pump, thereby controlling the gas pressure at the microfluidic conduit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
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a) a plurality of pressure channels, each pressure channel including a pump;
a gas pressure sensor; and
a gas conduit providing fluid communication between the pump, the gas sensor and a microfluidic conduit defined by a microfluidic chip; and
b) a controller coupled to each pump and each sensor, whereby the controller independently controls gas pressure at an intersection of the gas conduit and the microfluidic channel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of controlling microfluidic flow, comprising the steps of:
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a) applying gas pressure to at least one fluid at a microfluidic conduit defined by a microfluidic chip;
b) sensing the gas pressure; and
c) controlling the gas pressure in response to the gas pressure sensed to control microfluidic flow of the fluid in the microfluidic conduit. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus, comprising:
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a microfluidic chip defining a microfluidic conduit extending from a microfluidic source electrode to a microfluidic ground electrode;
a first resistor coupled by an electrical lead to the microfluidic source electrode;
a first and a second voltage divider each including a pair of resistors in series, the first divider coupling a first power ground to a side of the first resistor opposite the microfluidic chip, and the second divider coupling a second power ground to the lead between the first resistor and the microfluidic source electrode, and a first voltage sensor coupled between the voltage dividers at a point in each voltage divider between the resistors in series; and
a second voltage sensor coupled across at least one said resistor in series in the first voltage divider. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of determining microfluidic current in a microfluidic chip, comprising the steps of:
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a) applying an electrical current to a fluid in a microfluidic conduit extending from a microfluidic source electrode to a microfluidic ground electrode in a microfluidic chip, thereby causing microfluidic fluid flow, b) determining a value of the electrical current in the fluid between the electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An apparatus, comprising:
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means to flow fluid in a microfluidic chip; and
means to control fluid flow by an analog signal corresponding to a force that causes fluid flow in the microfluidic chip.
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Specification