Gas mixer and pressure apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11597899-B2
Application number	US-202016983871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2020
Priority date	Feb 7, 2018
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

The devices, methods and systems are described for providing controlled amounts of gas, gas pressure and vacuum to microfluidic devices the culturing of cells under flow conditions. The devices, methods, and systems contemplated here may also be used to control the environment surrounding the microfluidic devices; offer user control over experiments comprising microfluidic devices, such as the ability to directly or remotely control experiment conditions; and comprise information aggregation and transmission, such that experimental data may be collected, stored, aggregated and transmitted to users.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of delivering a gas mixture to at least one microfluidic device, comprising the steps:
a) providing 1) an apparatus comprising i) a gas mixer configured to mix gas from at least two gas sources into a gas mixture, ii) at least one pneumatic pressure generator configured to generate at least one pneumatic pressure and iii) conduits configured to deliver said gas mixture and said at least one pneumatic pressure to 2) a culture module comprising a moveable pressure manifold, and 3) at least one microfluidic device;
b) mixing gas from at least two gas sources to generate a gas mixture within said apparatus;
c) generating at least one pneumatic pressure within said apparatus; and
d) delivering said gas mixture and said at least one pneumatic pressure from said apparatus to said culture module and said at least one microfluidic device, wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure actuates movement of said moveable pressure manifold in said culture module to establish a pneumatic connection with said at least one microfluidic device, and wherein said gas mixture provides culture conditions in said at least one microfluidic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of said at least two gas sources is ambient air.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said mixing comprises mixing said ambient air with gas from a second gas source.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a gas tank adapted as said second gas source.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said gas mixture comprises a mixture of air and CO2.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure comprises vacuum pressure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gas mixture is delivered to said at least one microfluidic device via said culture module.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure is delivered to said at least one microfluidic device via said culture module.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one microfluidic device comprises living cells.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pressurizing said gas mixture prior to said delivering in step d).

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising e) generating fluid flow within said at least one microfluidic device.

12. A system of delivering a gas mixture to at least one microfluidic device, comprising:
1) an apparatus comprising i) a gas mixer configured to mix gas from at least two gas sources into a gas mixture, ii) at least one pneumatic pressure generator configured to generate at least one pneumatic pressure and iii) conduits configured to deliver said gas mixture and said at least one pneumatic pressure to 2) a culture module comprising a moveable pressure manifold and 3) at least one microfluidic device;
wherein said at least one pneumatic pressures is configured to actuate a movement of said moveable pressure manifold in said culture module, and wherein said gas mixture is configured to provide culture conditions in said at least one microfluidic device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein one of said at least two gas sources is ambient air.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein said gas mixer is configured to mix said ambient air with gas from a second gas source.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a gas tank adapted as said second gas source.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein said gas mixture comprises a mixture of air and CO2.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure comprises vacuum pressure.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein said at least one microfluidic device comprises living cells.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a means to pressurize said gas mixture.

20. The system of claim 12 , further comprising at least one fluid present within said at least one microfluidic device.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure is adapted to generate flow in said at least one fluid.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein said gas mixture is adapted to generate flow in said at least one fluid.

23. The system of claim 20 , further comprising at least one fluid reservoir containing at least a portion of said fluid.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure is adapted to be in communication with said at least one reservoir.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein said gas mixture is adapted to be in communication with said at least one reservoir.

26. A method of delivering a gas mixture to at least one microfluidic device, comprising the steps:
a) providing 1) an apparatus comprising i) a gas mixer configured to mix gas from at least two gas sources into a gas mixture, ii) at least one pneumatic pressure generator configured to generate at least one pneumatic pressure and iii) conduits configured to deliver said gas mixture and said at least one pneumatic pressure to 2) a culture module and 3) at least one microfluidic device comprising cells on a membrane;
b) mixing gas from at least two gas sources to generate a gas mixture within said apparatus;
c) generating at least one pneumatic pressure within said apparatus; and
d) delivering said gas mixture and said at least one pneumatic pressure from said apparatus to said culture module and said at least one microfluidic device, wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure actuates a movement of said membrane in said microfluidic device, and wherein said gas mixture provides culture conditions in said at least one microfluidic device.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said membrane is stretched.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein one of said at least two gas sources is ambient air.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein said mixing comprises mixing said ambient air with gas from a second gas source.

30. The method of claim 26 , wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure comprises vacuum pressure.

31. The method of claim 26 , wherein said gas mixture is delivered to said at least one microfluidic device via said culture module.

32. The method of claim 26 , wherein said at least one pneumatic pressure is delivered to said at least one microfluidic device via said culture module.

33. A system of delivering a gas mixture to at least one microfluidic device, comprising:
1) an apparatus comprising i) a gas mixer configured to mix gas from at least two gas sources into a gas mixture, ii) at least one pneumatic pressure generator configured to generate at least one pneumatic pressure and iii) conduits configured to deliver said gas mixture and said at least one pneumatic pressure to 2) a culture module and 3) at least one microfluidic device comprising cells on a membrane;
wherein said at least one pneumatic pressures is configured to actuate a movement of said membrane in said at least one microfluidic device, and wherein said gas mixture is configured to provide culture conditions in said at least one microfluidic device.

34. The system of claim 33 , wherein one of said at least two gas sources is ambient air.

35. The system of claim 34 , wherein said gas mixer is configured to mix said ambient air with gas from a second gas source.

36. Th

Assignees

• Emulate Inc

Inventors

• Rowe Lewis
• Henshaw Craig
• Gomes Joshua
• Thompson Ii Guy Robert
• Coon David James
• Hinojosa Christopher David

Classifications

• C12M33/12

  by pressure · CPC title

• C12M29/14

  Pressurized fluid · CPC title

• C12M1/36 Primary

  including condition or time responsive control, e.g. automatically controlled fermentors (controlling or regulating in general G05) · CPC title

• C12M29/06

  Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; Diffusers (per se B01F23/231, B01J19/26) · CPC title

• C12M23/16 Primary

  Microfluidic devices; Capillary tubes (integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; microreactors B01J19/0093) · CPC title