Device and method for filtering blood

• US 9,182,326 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim Microparts GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim Microparts GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Kurowski, Dirk, Osterloh, Dirk, Yu, Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyun, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/006,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20140134595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• 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 3/502753 characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/4005 by transferring a selected component through a membrane

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for filtering a liquid sample, wherein first capillary-driven filtration occurs and, after initial filling, pressure-operated filtration is performed by applying a vacuum or a positive pressure.

Claims

1. A device (1) for filtration of a liquid sample (2), comprising:

a membrane (3) for filtering the sample (2),

a carrier (4) that forming a fluidic system (5) for receiving the filtered sample (2), the fluidic system (5) including;

(i) a receiving opening (8) arranged at least substantially centrally under the membrane (3) for receiving the filtered sample (2), and (ii) an elevated region (9) of the carrier (4) extending upwardly toward and supporting the membrane (3), and extending at least partially annularly around the receiving opening (8),

a cover (6) overlying the carrier (4), and including an annular opening into which the elevated region (9) of the carrier (4) extends, where the membrane (3) rests loosely on the cover (6),

a receiving device (14) overlying the cover and the membrane (3) and operating to receive and direct the sample (2) to the membrane (3) via capillary action, and

a conveying device (15) which generates one of negative and positive pressure for acceleration of the filtration of the sample (2) through the membrane (3) only after the filtered sample (2) has at least one of reached and partly filled the fluidic system (5) as a result of capillary forces.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving channel (7) which is formed by an opening in the carrier (4), and which is in fluidic communication with the receiving opening (8) and operates to carry the filtered sample (2) away from the membrane (3),

wherein the membrane (3) is at least one of;

(i) directly connected to the carrier (4) at least one of edges and circumferentially, and (ii) accommodated in a recess (19) of the carrier (4).

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (4) comprises a structure (16) facing the membrane (3) for supplying the filtered sample (2) to the receiving opening (8).

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the membrane (3) rests loosely on the carrier (4) and the cover (6) and is not secured in gas-tight manner.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a feed device (11) for the sample (2) in capillary contact with the membrane (3), wherein the feed device (11) is of funnel-shaped configuration.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the feed device (11) is arranged in the receiving device (14), the membrane (3) being connected to the receiving device (14) at least one of edges and circumferentially.