System for generating droplets with push-back to remove oil
DCFirst Claim
1. A system to form and concentrate an emulsion, comprising:
- a device including a sample well configured to receive sample-containing fluid, a continuous-phase well configured to receive continuous-phase fluid, and a droplet well, the device also including a channel network having a first channel, a second channel, and third channel that meet one another in a droplet-generation region; and
an instrument configured to operatively receive the device and to create(a) a first pressure differential to drive sample-containing fluid from the sample well to the droplet-generation region via the first channel, continuous-phase fluid from the continuous-phase well to the droplet-generation region via the second channel, and sample-containing droplets from the droplet-generation region to the droplet well via the third channel, such that the droplet well collects an emulsion including sample-containing droplets disposed in continuous-phase fluid, and(b) a second pressure differential to decrease a volume fraction of continuous-phase fluid in the emulsion, after the emulsion has been collected in the droplet well, by selectively driving continuous-phase fluid, relative to sample-containing droplets, from the droplet well via the third channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
System, including methods, apparatus, and kits, for forming and concentrating emulsions. An exemplary system may comprise a device including a sample well configured to receive sample-containing fluid, a continuous-phase well configured to receive continuous-phase fluid, a droplet well, and a channel network interconnecting the wells. The system also may comprise an instrument configured to operatively receive the device and to create (i) a first pressure differential to produce an emulsion collected in the droplet well and (ii) a second pressure differential to decrease a volume fraction of continuous-phase fluid in the emulsion, after the emulsion has been collected in the droplet well, by selectively driving continuous-phase fluid, relative to sample-containing droplets, from the droplet well.
308 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system to form and concentrate an emulsion, comprising:
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a device including a sample well configured to receive sample-containing fluid, a continuous-phase well configured to receive continuous-phase fluid, and a droplet well, the device also including a channel network having a first channel, a second channel, and third channel that meet one another in a droplet-generation region; and an instrument configured to operatively receive the device and to create (a) a first pressure differential to drive sample-containing fluid from the sample well to the droplet-generation region via the first channel, continuous-phase fluid from the continuous-phase well to the droplet-generation region via the second channel, and sample-containing droplets from the droplet-generation region to the droplet well via the third channel, such that the droplet well collects an emulsion including sample-containing droplets disposed in continuous-phase fluid, and (b) a second pressure differential to decrease a volume fraction of continuous-phase fluid in the emulsion, after the emulsion has been collected in the droplet well, by selectively driving continuous-phase fluid, relative to sample-containing droplets, from the droplet well via the third channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system to form and concentrate emulsions, comprising:
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a device including a row of sample wells each configured to receive sample-containing fluid, a row of continuous-phase wells each configured to receive continuous-phase fluid, a row of droplet wells, and a plurality of separate channel networks, each sample well being fluidically connected to one of the continuous-phase wells and one of the droplet wells via one of the channel networks, each channel network having a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel that meet one another in a droplet-generation region; a gasket configured to operatively engage at least one of the rows of wells; and an instrument including a manifold, the instrument being configured to operatively engage the gasket with the manifold such that the manifold is sealed to each well of the at least one rows of wells, and to create via the manifold (a) a first pressure differential to drive sample-containing fluid from each sample well and continuous-phase fluid from each continuous-phase well, such that sample-containing droplets are formed in the droplet-generation region of each channel network and travel via the third channel of the channel network to one of the droplet wells for collection as an emulsion including sample-containing droplets disposed in continuous-phase fluid, and (b) a second pressure differential to decrease a volume fraction of continuous-phase fluid in each emulsion, after the emulsion has been collected in the one droplet well, by selectively driving continuous-phase fluid, relative to sample-containing droplets, from the one droplet well via the third channel. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of forming and concentrating an emulsion, the method comprising:
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driving sample-containing fluid in a first channel and continuous-phase fluid in a second channel to a droplet-generation region in which the first and second channels meet one another, such that sample-containing droplets are formed; driving sample-containing droplets and continuous-phase fluid from the droplet-generation region to a well via a third channel, such that an emulsion including sample-containing droplets disposed in continuous-phase fluid is collected in the well; and decreasing a volume fraction of continuous-phase fluid in the emulsion by selectively driving continuous-phase fluid, relative to the droplets, from the well via the third channel. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification