Massively parallel, multiple-organ perfusion control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11746317-B2
Application number	US-202217984151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2022
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A fluidic cartridge comprises a fluidic disk having a plurality of alignment openings; a fluidic chip comprising a body, one or more channels formed in the body in fluidic communications with input ports and output ports for transferring one or more fluids between the input ports and the output ports, and a plurality of protrusions formed on the body and received in the alignment openings of the fluidic disk for aligning the fluidic chip to the fluidic disk; an actuator operably engaging with the one or more channels for selectively and individually transferring the one or more fluids through the one or more channels from at least one of the input ports to at least one of the output ports at desired flow rates; and a tube member defining a cylindrical housing for accommodating the fluidic disk, the fluidic chip and the actuator therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic cartridge, comprising:
a fluidic disk having a plurality of alignment openings;
a fluidic chip comprising a body having a first surface and an opposite, second surface, one or more channels formed in the body in fluidic communications with input ports and output ports for transferring one or more fluids between the input ports and the output ports, and a plurality of protrusions formed on the first surface, wherein the plurality of protrusions are received in the plurality of alignment openings of the fluidic disk for aligning the fluidic chip to the fluidic disk;
an actuator operably engaging with the one or more channels at the second surface of the body for selectively and individually transferring the one or more fluids through the one or more channels from at least one of the input ports to at least one of the output ports at desired flow rates;
a tube member defining a cylindrical housing for accommodating the fluidic disk, the fluidic chip and the actuator therein;
a means for mounting a motor for operably driving the actuator to be activated or deactivated; and a means for detachably connecting the motor to the actuator, wherein the mounting means comprises a motor plate or motor support structure on which the motor is mounted; and
an array plate or other support structure attached to the motor plate or motor support structure for locating the fluidic cartridge relative to the motor.

2. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic chip comprises a one-eight-one pump chip comprising eight spiral channels that are directly, mechanically acted upon by the pump assembly's actuating elements.

3. The fluidic cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the downstream terminus of each spiral channel is a bifurcation, in which that channel converges with another, similar channel, resulting a 2X channel.

4. The fluidic cartridge of claim 3 , wherein the 2X channel carrying fluid from two spiral channels during pump operation has a cross-sectional area that equals the sum of the cross-sectional areas of each of its contributing channels, and thereby carrying twice the fluid volume.

5. The fluidic cartridge of claim 4 , wherein the 2X channel, in turn, converges with another, similar 2X channel to form a 4X channel, whose volumetric flow rate is four times that of a 1X channel, wherein after one more bifurcation, an 8X channel delivers all the fluid being pumped through the chip to a plumbing port, which is used to connect the pump chip to an external conduit including flexible tubing.

6. The fluidic cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the fluidic network upstream of the spiral channels is configured the same way as the downstream network, wherein an 8X channel begins at a plumbing port, splits into two 4X channels, and so on until the path reaches the spiral channels.

7. The fluidic cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the fluidic chip utilizes eight parallel pumping channels, each end of which is connected to a binary splitter network.

8. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic cartridge is in a cylindrical form having an axial symmetry.

9. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic cartridge is detachable or separable from the motor.

10. The fluidic cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic cartridge is portable, sterilizable replaceable, and/or disposable.

11. A fluidic system, comprising:
a plurality of fluidic cartridges disposed on a platform, each fluidic cartridge being according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cartridges comprises pump cartridges, valve cartridges, or a combination of them.

12. A fluidic cartridge, comprising:
a fluidic disk having a plurality of alignment openings;
a fluidic chip comprising a body having a first surface and an opposite, second surface, one or more channels formed in the body in fluidic communications with input ports and output ports for transferring one or more fluids between the input ports and the output ports, and a plurality of protrusions formed on the first surface, wherein the plurality of protrusions are received in the plurality of alignment openings of the fluidic disk for aligning the fluidic chip to the fluidic disk;
an actuator operably engaging with the one or more channels at the second surface of the body for selectively and individually transferring the one or more fluids through the one or more channels from at least one of the input ports to at least one of the output ports at desired flow rates; and
a tube member defining a cylindrical housing for accommodating the fluidic disk, the fluidic chip and the actuator therein,
wherein the tube member comprises:
a double-threaded tube having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion;
a threaded lock ring threading onto an exterior surface of the first portion of the double-threaded tube;
a fluidic compression threaded tube threading onto the exterior surface of the first portion of the double-threaded tube and abutting against the threaded lock ring.

13. The fluidic cartridge of claim 12 , further comprising:
a means for mounting a motor for operably driving the actuator to be activated or deactivated; and
a means for detachably connecting the motor to the actuator.

14. The fluidic cartridge of claim 13 , wherein the mounting means comprises a motor plate or motor support structure on which the motor is mounted.

15. The fluidic cartridge of claim 14 , further comprising an array plate or other support structure attached to the motor plate or motor support structure for locating the fluidic cartridge relative to the motor.

16. The fluidic cartridge of claim 15 , wherein the fluidic cartridge is thermally isolated from the motor.

17. The fluidic cartridge of claim 15 , utilizing alignment pins and sockets to separate and reconnect the motor on the motor plate or motor support structure from the fluidic module on the array plate or other support structure.

18. The fluidic cartridge of claim 15 , wherein the fluidic cartridge, once compressed, is inserted into the array plate or other fluidic module support structure and held in place with one or more tube retaining screws or other fastening means.

19. The fluidic cartridge of claim 12 , further comprising:
at least a first threaded retaining ring and a second threaded retaining ring threaded into the fluidic compression threaded tube, such that the fluidic disk is placed between the first threaded retaining ring and the second threaded retaining ring that in turn, is placed between the fluidic disk and the fluidic chip.

20. The fluidic cartridge of claim 19 , wherein the actuator comprises:
an actuator bearing assembly placed on the second surface of the fluidic chip; and
an actuator body operably engaging with the actuator bearing assembly.

21. The fluidic cartridge of claim 20 , being a valve cartridge, wherein the actuator bearing assembly comprises:
a plurality of actuation balls; and
an actuation ball cage accommodating the plurality of actuation balls.

22. The fluidic cartridge of claim 20 , being a pump cartridge, wherein the actuator bearing assembly comprises:
a plurality of actuation balls;
a sprocket accommodating the plurality of actuation balls;
a pocket accommodating the plurality of actuation balls; and
a traction ring placed on the plurality of actuation balls.

23. The fluidic cartridge of claim 20 , wherein by the use of the double-threaded tube, the compression of a pump or

Assignees

• Univ Vanderbilt

Inventors

• Reiserer Ronald S
• Gerken Gregory B
• Schaffer David K
• Wikswo John P

Classifications

• C12M29/10 Primary

  Perfusion · CPC title

• C12M23/08

  Flask, bottle or test tube · CPC title

• C12M23/10

  Petri dish (crystallising dishes B01L3/06) · CPC title

• C12M23/12

  Well or multiwell plates (C12M25/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C12M23/16

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