microfluidic structures for biomedical applications

• US 9,181,082 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brigham and Women's Hospital Incorporated, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Brigham and Women's Hospital Incorporated, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Borenstein, Jeffrey T., Weinberg, Eli J., Hsiao, James C., Khalil, Ahmad S., Tupper, Malinda M., Garcia-Cardena, Guillermo, Mack, Peter, Tao, Sarah L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Angwin, David
• Application Number:
  US13/608,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20130004386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 298/30, 298/46, 298/47, 298/901, 347/20, 347/40, 347/44, 347/45, 347/65, 424/422, 424/423, 424/426, 428/188, 428/36.9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/12 Specific details about materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/3857 by making impressions of one or more parts of models, e.g. shaped articles and including possible subsequent assembly of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/02 by mechanical means, e.g. pressing B29C59/007 takes precedence; embossing expanded porous articles B29C44/5627
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/753 Medical equipment; Accessories therefor bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0338 Channels
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/0376 rounded profile
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00119 Arrangement of basic structures like cavities or channels, e.g. suitable for microfluidic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 99/0085 using moulds and master templates, e.g. for hot-embossing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1039 Surface deformation only of sandwich or lamina [e.g., embossed panels]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49156 with selective destruction of conductive paths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/139 Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article

Abstract

Microfluidic structures featuring substantially circular channels may be fabricated by embossing polymer sheets.

Claims

1. A microfluidic structure for biomedical applications, comprising:

a polymer scaffold, suitable for biomedical applications, defining a shape of a first microfluidic channel therein, at least a portion of the first microfluidic channel being characterized by a substantially circular cross section and a gradually changing diameter over a length thereof, wherein for any first diameter of the first microfluidic channel and any second diameter of the first microfluidic channel intersecting the first diameter, where the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, the ratio of the first diameter to the second diameter is between 1.0 and 1.3;

wherein the first microfluidic channel bifurcates into at least a second microfluidic channel and a third microfluidic channel, and a diameter of the first microfluidic channel smoothly and gradually transitions to a diameter of the second microfluidic channel and a diameter of the first microfluidic channel smoothly and gradually transitions to a diameter of the third microfluidic channel.

2. The microfluidic structure of claim 1 further comprising cells seeded within the first channel.

3. The microfluidic structure of claim 1 wherein, the portion of the first channel being characterized by a substantially circular cross section has a diameter between about 5 micrometers and about 300 micrometers.

4. The microfluidic structure of claim 1 wherein, the portion of the first channel being characterized by a substantially circular cross section has a diameter between about 300 micrometers and 2 mm.

5. The microfluidic structure of claim 1, wherein the polymer scaffold comprises a first sheet defining a first portion of the first channel therein and a second sheet defining a second portion of the first channel therein.

6. The microfluidic structure of claim 5, wherein the first portion of the first channel and the second portion of the first channel are each characterized by a substantially semicircular cross section.

7. The microfluidic structure of claim 5, wherein the second sheet is a mirror image of the first sheet.