3-d mixing and particle delivery via movable electromagnets assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12138606-B2
Application number	US-201816765854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2018
Priority date	Nov 21, 2017
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

A fluid processing system that can include a sample container having a sample chamber for containing a fluid and a plurality of magnetic particles and at least one movable magnetic assembly configured to be movably inserted into or out of the sample chamber. The movable magnetic assembly can include a plurality of electromagnets that generate a magnetic field within at least a portion of the sample chamber when the assembly is inserted at least partially into the sample chamber. The fluid processing system can also include a signal generator that applies electrical signals, e.g., AC electrical signals, to the electromagnets of the magnetic assembly and a controller coupled to the signal generator that is configured to control phases of the electrical signals applied to the electromagnets to generate magnetic field gradients within the portion of the sample chamber effective to magnetically influence the plurality of the magnetic particles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid processing system, comprising,
a sample container including at least one sample chamber for containing a fluid and a plurality of magnetic particles,
at least one movable magnetic assembly configured to be movably inserted into or out of said sample chamber, said movable magnetic assembly comprising a plurality of electromagnets arranged to generate a magnetic field within at least a portion of the sample chamber when the assembly is inserted at least partially into said sample chamber,
at least one magnetic structure comprising a plurality of electromagnets disposed around said sample chamber,
at least one signal generator for applying electrical signals to said electromagnets of the magnetic assembly and said plurality of electromagnets of said movable magnetic assembly, where said signal generator is configured to generate AC signals for application to said plurality of electromagnets of said magnetic assembly and said plurality of electromagnets of said at least one magnetic structure, and
a controller coupled to said signal generator for controlling phases of the electrical signals applied to said electromagnets so as to generate magnetic field gradients within said at least a portion of the sample chamber effective to magnetically influence the plurality of the magnetic particles.

2. The fluid processing system of claim 1 , wherein said AC signals have a frequency in a range of 0.1 Hz to 5000 Hz.

3. The fluid processing system of claim 2 , wherein said AC signals are voltage signals with an amplitude in a range of 1 volt to 100 volts.

4. The fluid processing system of claim 1 , wherein said electromagnets of said magnetic assembly are arranged so as to cause mixing of the magnetic particles substantially within a plane.

5. The fluid processing system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of electromagnets of said magnetic assembly comprises a first, a second, a third and a fourth electromagnet and wherein said controller is configured to affect the application of a plurality of electrical signals to said electromagnets in accordance with the following relations:

I
first

=

I
0

⁢

sin
⁡

(

f
⁢
t

)

I
second

=

I
0

⁢

sin
⁡

(

f
⁢

⁢
t

+

π
2

)

I
third

=

I
0

⁢

sin
⁡

(

f
⁢
t

+
π

)

I
fourth

=

I
0

⁢

sin
⁡

(

f
⁢

⁢
t

+

3
⁢
π

2

)

wherein I first , I second , I third , and I fourth represent, respectively, waveforms applied to the first, second, third and fourth electromagnets, I 0 represent signal amplitude and f denotes signal frequency.

6. The fluid processing system of claim 1 , wherein said movable magnetic assembly comprises a shell in which said plurality of electromagnets are incorporated, said shell being shaped and sized for at least partial insertion in said sample chamber.

7. The fluid processing system of claim 1 , wherein said controller is configured to cause application of electrical signals having different phases to said electromagnets of the at least one magnetic structure so as to generate magnetic field gradients within at least a portion of said sample chamber effective to magnetically influence the magnetic particles.

8. The fluid processing system of claim 7 , wherein said electromagnets of said at least one magnetic structure are vertically spaced from the electromagnets of said movable magnetic assembly and said controller affects application of a pattern of electrical signals to said electromagnets of the magnetic structure and the electromagnets of said movable magnetic assembly so as to generate magnetic field gradients along said vertical direction.

9. The fluid processing system of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of electromagnets of the movable magnetic assembly comprises a first, a second, a third and a fourth electromagnet and said electromagnets of said at least one magnetic structure comprises a first, a second, a third and a fourth electromagnet and wherein said controller is configured to affect the application of a plurality of electrical signals to said electromagnets in accordance with the following relations:

I

first
,
MEMA

=

I
0

⁢

sin
⁡

(

f
⁢

⁢
t

)

Assignees

• Dh Technologies Dev Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Arnold Don W
• Covey Thomas R
• Liu Chang

Classifications

• B01F2101/23

  Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials · CPC title

• B01F35/221

  of operational parameters, e.g. level of material in the mixer, temperature or pressure · CPC title

• B01F23/59

  Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams · CPC title

• B03C2201/18

  Magnetic separation whereby the particles are suspended in a liquid · CPC title

• B03C1/30 Primary

  Combinations with other devices, not otherwise provided for · CPC title