Fluid circuit components based upon passive fluid dynamics
First Claim
1. A method for consolidating fluids from multiple microfluidic channels into a common consolidation well, chamber or channel, comprising the steps of:
- c. injecting fluids into multiple microchannels of a microfluidic circuit;
then d. applying pressure to fluid in each of said multiple microchannels sufficient to force said fluid through said microchannels until it stops at a passive fluid flow barrier formed at the junction of each of said microchannels with the common consolidation well, chamber or channel whereby fluid reaches but does not pass each passive fluid flow barrier; and
then e. applying further pressure to fluid in each of said multiple microchannels sufficient to overcome said passive fluid flow barriers and permit said fluid to enter said common consolidation well, chamber or channel from each of said multiple microchannels;
wherein said passive fluid flow barrier formed at the junction of each said microchannel with the common consolidation well, chamber or channel is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said microchannel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for controlling fluid flow through microchannels by use of passive valves or stopping means comprised of abrupt microchannel widenings in the microchannels are presented. Such passive fluid flow barriers create pressure barriers impeding flow of solution past the passive fluid flow barriers until enough force is built up to overcome the force of the pressure barrier. Use of such stopping means acting as passive barriers or valves allows the flow of fluids through microchannels to be regulated so as to allow fluids to be mixed or diluted after being introduced via a single channel, or to be split into multiple channels without the need for individual pipetting. Flow through the multiple channels can be regulated to allow a series of sister wells or chambers to all fill prior to the fluid flowing beyond any one of the sister wells or chambers. The filling of sister wells or chambers in this manner allows all wells or chambers to undergo reactions in unison. The use of air ducts in microchannels to prevent trapping of air in the microchannels is also presented.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method for consolidating fluids from multiple microfluidic channels into a common consolidation well, chamber or channel, comprising the steps of:
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c. injecting fluids into multiple microchannels of a microfluidic circuit;
thend. applying pressure to fluid in each of said multiple microchannels sufficient to force said fluid through said microchannels until it stops at a passive fluid flow barrier formed at the junction of each of said microchannels with the common consolidation well, chamber or channel whereby fluid reaches but does not pass each passive fluid flow barrier; and
thene. applying further pressure to fluid in each of said multiple microchannels sufficient to overcome said passive fluid flow barriers and permit said fluid to enter said common consolidation well, chamber or channel from each of said multiple microchannels;
wherein said passive fluid flow barrier formed at the junction of each said microchannel with the common consolidation well, chamber or channel is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said microchannel. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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- 3. A non-wetted fluid circuit comprising a plurality of connected microchannels, wherein an abrupt microchannel widening is present within one or more of said microchannels, said widening having an inlet radius and an outlet radius, wherein said outlet radius is sufficiently larger than said inlet radius to create a passive fluid flow barrier sufficient to cause fluid which is advancing through said fluid circuit to flow preferentially in an adjoining microchannel connected upstream of said widening rather than to flow past said widening.
- 6. A non-wetted fluid circuit comprising a plurality of connected microchannels, wherein a passive fluid flow barrier exists within at least one of said microchannels, wherein said passive fluid flow barrier comprises an inlet having a radius r1 and an outlet having a radius r2, wherein r1 is sufficiently smaller than r2 to create a passive pressure barrier causing fluid that is advancing through said fluid circuit to flow into an adjoining microchannel connected upstream of said passive fluid flow barrier rather than to flow past the passive fluid flow barrier, and wherein said passive pressure barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said at least one microchannel.
- 23. A non-wetted fluid circuit comprising a plurality of connected microchannels, wherein a first passive fluid flow barrier exists within at least one of said microchannels, and wherein said first passive fluid flow barrier comprises an inlet having a radius r1 and an outlet having a radius r2, wherein r1 is sufficiently smaller than r2 to create a passive pressure barrier causing fluid that is advancing through said fluid circuit to flow in an adjoining microchannel connected upstream of said first passive fluid flow barrier rather than to flow past said first passive fluid flow barrier, wherein at least one of said microchannels branches at a first point into an adjoining microchannel which rejoins said one of said microchannels at a second point and wherein said adjoining microchannel comprises a second passive fluid flow barrier immediately upstream of said second point, wherein said first passive pressure barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said at least one microchannel, and wherein said second passive fluid flow barriers is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said adjoining microchannel.
- 30. A non-wetted fluid circuit comprising a first microchannel and a second microchannel wherein said second microchannel branches from said first microchannel at a first intersection and rejoins said first microchannel at a second intersection, wherein said second microchannel has a first passive fluid flow barrier comprising a first abrupt microchannel widening at said first intersection and a second passive fluid flow barrier comprising a second abrupt microchannel widening at said second intersection, wherein said second passive fluid flow barrier creates a greater pressure barrier than said first passive fluid flow barrier, wherein said first passive fluid flow barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said second microchannel, wherein said second passive fluid flow barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said second microchannel, and wherein said fluid circuit further comprises a vent between said first passive fluid flow barrier and said second passive fluid flow barrier.
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33. A method of controlling fluid flow through a non-wetted fluid circuit comprising at least two connected microchannels, each said microchannel containing a passive fluid flow barrier that creates a fluid pressure barrier, said method comprising:
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advancing fluid in a first microchannel until it is stopped by the fluid engaging a first passive fluid flow barrier;
advancing fluid in a connected neighboring second microchannel until it reaches a second passive fluid flow barrier; and
overcoming the pressure barrier of one of said first and second passive fluid flow barriers by the fluid engaging the other of said first and second passive fluid flow barriers and with the application of sufficient pressure to the fluid;
wherein said first passive fluid flow barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said first microchannel, wherein said second passive fluid flow barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said second microchannel, wherein one of said first and second passive fluid flow barriers creates a weaker pressure barrier than the other said passive fluid flow barrier, wherein said weaker barrier is overcome first, and wherein at least one of said passive fluid flow barriers is an abrupt microchannel widening. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of mixing a first fluid and a second fluid within a non-wetted fluid circuit, said method comprising the steps of
inserting said first fluid into a main microchannel of said fluid circuit, wherein said first fluid is forced to flow into a first microchannel of said circuit of a known volume by a first abrupt microchannel widening within said main microchannel, and wherein said first microchannel comprises a second abrupt microchannel widening that creates a pressure barrier stronger than said first abrupt microchannel widening, wherein said first fluid is of all amount substantially equal to the volume of said first microchannel, and inserting said second fluid into said main microchannel of said fluid circuit, wherein said second fluid is forced past said first abrupt microchannel widening into a second microchannel, and said first microchannel and said second microchannel converge at said second abrupt microchannel widening at which point said first fluid and said second fluid will mix upon continued insertion of said second fluid or application of a force causing said first and second fluids to move; wherein said first abrupt microchannel widening is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said main microchannel, and wherein said second abrupt microchannel widening is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said first microchannel. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A method of distributing fluid from one channel to multiple wells, chambers or channels of a non-wetted fluid circuit wherein said method comprises the steps of:
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passing the fluid from said one channel to branching channels leading to a first set of wells, chambers or channels, wherein said first set of wells, chambers or channels comprises a first passive fluid flow barrier within each well, chamber or channel that creates a fluid pressure barrier causing fluid to fill said branching channels upstream of said first passive fluid flow barrier prior to moving to a second set of wells, chambers or channels, wherein said second set of wells, chambers or channels comprise a second passive fluid flow barrier within each well, chamber or channel that creates a fluid pressure barrier that is stronger than the fluid pressure barrier created by said first passive fluid flow barriers, wherein the first passive fluid flow barriers comprise said channel opening into said first set of wells, chambers, or channels; and
causing fluid to push past the first passive fluid flow barriers within the first set of wells, chambers or channels and to stop at the second passive fluid flow barriers within the second set of wells, chambers or channels;
wherein each said first passive fluid flow barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in the corresponding upstream branching channel, and wherein each said second passive fluid flow barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in the corresponding upstream well, chamber or channel.
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47. A microfluidic circuit comprising:
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a. a plurality of microchannels; and
b. a common consolidation clamber;
wherein each of said plurality of microchannels joins to said consolidation chamber at a junction;
wherein said consolidation chamber has a cross sectional area substantially greater than the cross sectional area of each said microchannel; and
wherein a passive fluid flow barrier is formed at the junction of each said microchannel with said consolidation chamber;
wherein said passive fluid flow barrier formed at the junction of each said microchannel with the consolidation chamber is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said microchannel.- View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A method of controlling fluid flow through a non-wetted fluid circuit comprising at least two connected microchannels, each said microchannel containing a passive fluid flow barrier that creates a fluid pressure barrier, said method comprising:
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stopping advancing fluid in a first microchannel with a first passive fluid flow barrier, thereby directing fluid into a connected neighboring second microchannel, wherein said first passive fluid flow barrier comprises an inlet having a radius r1 and an outlet having a radius r2, wherein than r2 is sufficiently larger than r1 to create a passive pressure barrier causing fluid that is advancing through said fluid circuit to stop at said first passive fluid flow barrier; and
overcoming the pressure barrier of the first passive fluid flow barrier by the advancing fluid engaging a second passive fluid flow barrier in the second microchannel, wherein said second passive fluid flow barrier creates a stronger pressure barrier than the first passive fluid flow barrier;
wherein said first passive fluid flow barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said first microchannel, and wherein said second passive fluid flow barrier is sufficient to at least temporarily block the flow of fluid in said second microchannel. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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Specification