Microfluidic mixing device and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11504681-B2
Application number	US-201715999845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2017
Priority date	Feb 19, 2016
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

A microfluidic mixing device comprising two bellows pumps (105, 115), microfluidic cartridges comprising the same and methods for use of the same are provided. The disclosed device enables efficient mixing of samples at the microfluidic scale. More particularly, the microfluidic mixing device comprises: a first bellows pump (105); a second bellows pump (115); a first microchannel fluidly interconnecting the first bellows pump (105) with a sample inlet and a reagent reservoir, wherein the first microchannel comprises a valve (V10) interposed between the pump and the inlet, and a valve (V1) interposed between the pump and the reservoir; a second microchannel fluidly interconnecting the first bellows pump (105) with the second bellows pump (115), wherein the second micro channel comprises a valve (V11) interposed between the first and second pump; a third microchannel fluidly interconnecting the first bellows pump (105) with the second bellows pump, wherein the third micro channel comprises a valve (V11) interposed between the first and second pump; a first and second pneumatic member pneumatically connected to the first and second bellows pumps; wherein, the volume of the second bellows pump (115) is greater than the volume of the first bellows pump (105).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microfluidic mixing device, comprising:
a first bellows pump with a chamber bisected in coronal plane by a first elastomeric membrane;
a second bellows pump with a chamber bisected in coronal plane by a second elastomeric membrane;
a first microchannel fluidly interconnecting the first bellows pump with a sample inlet and a reagent reservoir, wherein the first microchannel comprises a valve interposed between the first bellows pump and the inlet and a valve interposed between the first bellows pump and the reservoir;
a second microchannel fluidly interconnecting the first bellows pump with the second bellows pump, wherein the second microchannel comprises a valve interposed between the first and second bellows pumps;
a third microchannel fluidly interconnecting the first bellows pump with the second bellows pump, wherein the third microchannel comprises a valve interposed between the first and second bellows pumps;
a first and second pneumatic member pneumatically connected to the first and second bellows pumps;
wherein, the volume of the second bellows pump is greater than the volume of the first bellows pump.

2. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third microchannels intersect to form a web in fluid communication with the first bellows pump.

3. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 2 , wherein each of the microchannels of the web is in fluid communication with a liquid via.

4. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 2 , wherein the web is configured to enable both laminar and turbulent fluid flow.

5. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 , wherein the second and third microchannels comprise perpendicular extensions in fluid communication with the second bellows pump.

6. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 5 , wherein each of the extensions is in fluid communication with more than one via.

7. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 6 , wherein each of the extensions is in fluid communication with three vias.

8. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 6 , wherein the vias are configured to enable dispersed flow of liquid over substantially the entire surface area of the second bellows pump.

9. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 wherein heights of cavities of the first and second bellows pumps are the same.

10. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 wherein heights of cavities of the first and second bellows pumps are different.

11. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 wherein diameters of cavities of the first and second bellows pumps are different.

12. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a second diameter of the second bellows pump to a first diameter of the first bellows pump is between one and two.

13. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a second diameter of the second bellows pump to a first diameter of the first bellows pump is greater than two.

14. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 wherein the first microchannel is fluidly connected to a lower chamber of the first bellows pump, the second microchannel is fluidly connected to the lower chamber of the first bellows pump and to a lower chamber of the second bellows pump, and the third microchannel is fluidly connected to the lower chamber of the first bellows pump and to the lower chamber of the second bellows pump.

15. The microfluidic mixing device of claim 1 wherein the first microchannel is fluidly connected to a lower chamber of the first bellows pump by a first via, the second microchannel is fluidly connected to the lower chamber of the first bellows pump by a second via and to a lower chamber of the second bellows pump by a third via, and the third microchannel is fluidly connected to the lower chamber of the first bellows pump by a fourth via and to the lower chamber of the second bellows pump by a fifth via.

16. A microfluidic cartridge comprising the mixing device of claim 1 .

17. A method of processing serial aliquots of a test sample using the cartridge of claim 16 , the method comprising:
introducing a first aliquot of the test sample into the sample inlet;
drawing the first aliquot into the first bellows pump;
drawing the first aliquot from the first bellows pump to the second bellows pump;
introducing a second aliquot of the test sample into the sample inlet;
drawing the second aliquot into the first bellows pump; and
drawing the second aliquot from the first bellows pump to the second bellows pump.

Assignees

• Perkinelmer Health Sci Inc

Inventors

• Kolb Andrew
• Bragd Matthew Scott
• Battrell C Frederick

Classifications

• B01F33/30 Primary

  Micromixers · CPC title

• B01F31/65 Primary

  the materials to be mixed being directly submitted to a pulsating movement, e.g. by means of an oscillating piston or air column · CPC title