Microfluidic systems for multiple bioreactors and applications of same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12214348-B2
Application number	US-202118015749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2021
Priority date	Aug 20, 2018
Publication date	Feb 4, 2025
Grant date	Feb 4, 2025

Abstract

A fluidic device includes a fluidic chip having a fluidic network comprising a plurality of fluidic channels in fluidic communication with a plurality of input ports, at least one output port, and at least one sensing port; and an actuator configured to engage with the fluidic network to control each fluidic channel to switch between an open state in which fluidic flow through said fluidic channel is permitted and a closed state in which no fluidic flow through said fluidic channel is permitted, so as to selectively collect fluid from multiple inputs via the plurality of input ports, and direct either all of the multiple inputs to the at least one output port, or all but a single selected input to the at least one output port and the single selected input to the at least one sensing port to which an analytical instrument is operably connected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic device, comprising:
a fluidic chip having a body and a fluidic network formed in the body, the fluidic network comprising a plurality of fluidic channels in fluidic communication with a plurality of input ports, at least one output port, and at least one sensing port; and
an actuator configured to engage with the fluidic network to control each fluidic channel to switch between an open state in which fluidic flow through said fluidic channel is permitted and a closed state in which no fluidic flow through said fluidic channel is permitted, so as to selectively collect fluid from multiple inputs via the plurality of input ports, and direct either all of the multiple inputs to the at least one output port, or all but a single selected input to the at least one output port and the single selected input to the at least one sensing port to which an analytical instrument is operably connected,
wherein the plurality of input ports is operably coupled with a plurality of fluidic modules, wherein in operation, the plurality of fluidic modules is individually perfused, and outputs of all of the plurality of fluidic modules are directed to the at least one output port, or an output of any one of the plurality of fluidic modules is directed to the at least one sensing port, while outputs of all other fluidic modules of the plurality of fluidic modules are directed to the at least one output port,
wherein the plurality of fluidic channels comprises a first common channel, a second common channel, and a plurality of intermediate channels, each intermediate channel being in fluidic communication with at least one of the plurality of input ports and connected to the first common channel and/or the second common channel, and
wherein the actuator comprises
a plurality of actuating elements disposed on the body of the fluidic chip with each actuating element at a location that is over an intermediate channel and is located between a respective port and one of the first common channel and the second common channel to which said intermediate channel is connected, wherein the plurality of actuating elements comprises caged actuating elements; and
an actuator head having a cylinder shape configured to be rotatable over the plurality of actuating elements, and including one or more grooves, one or more reliefs, and/or one or more pockets operably engaging with the plurality of actuating elements for selectively compressing or relaxing each of the plurality of actuating elements, such that compression of said actuating element on the body causes fluidic flow between said respective port and said one of the first common channel and the second common channel through said intermediate channel to be occluded so that said intermediate channel is in the closed state, or relaxation of said actuating element on the body causes fluidic flow between said respective port and said one of the first common channel and the second common channel through said intermediate channel to flow so that said intermediate channel is in the open state; and
wherein the fluidic chip has a circular shape adapted for engaging with the cylinder shaped actuator head.

2. The fluidic device of claim 1 , wherein when said output of any one of the plurality of fluidic modules is directed to the analytical instrument, the outputs from all other fluidic modules of the plurality of fluidic modules flow without interruption.

3. The fluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fluidic modules comprises bioreactors, wells, organs-on-chips, chemostats, or a combination of them.

4. The fluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic chip further has a fluidic chip registration means formed on the body for aligning the fluidic chip with a support structure.

5. The fluidic device of claim 4 , wherein the fluidic chip registration means is configured such that multiple fluidic chip orientations are allowed while maintaining automatic and precise mechanical alignment to the support structure.

6. The fluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic chip is formed of an elastic material such that compression of the actuator on the body causes at least one of the channels to be occluded.

7. The fluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the locations of the plurality of actuating elements on the body of the fluidic chip comprise first locations and second locations, wherein the first locations comprise each actuating element location over a respective intermediate channel between a respective port and the first common channel, and the second locations comprise each actuating element location over a respective intermediate channel between a respective port and the second common channel.

8. The fluidic device of claim 7 , wherein the actuator head comprises:
an outer actuator head having an outer groove corresponding to one of the first locations of the plurality of actuating elements on the body, wherein the outer groove, when aligned with the corresponding one of the first locations, relieves the corresponding actuating element so that the corresponding port is connected to the first common channel; and
an inner actuator head sleeved in the outer actuator head, having an inner groove corresponding to one of the second locations of the plurality of actuating elements on the body, wherein the inner groove, when aligned with the corresponding one of the second locations, relieves the corresponding actuating element so that the corresponding port is connected to the second common channel,
wherein one of the outer actuator head and the inner actuator head is a driving actuator head driven by a motor, and the other of the outer actuator head and the inner actuator head is a driven actuator head driven by said driving actuator head.

9. The fluidic device of claim 8 , wherein each of the outer actuator head and the inner actuator head has a circular-segment pocket with a near-360° sweep, wherein the actuator head further comprises a single limiting element, whose motion is constrained by the pockets, allowing the driving actuator head and the driven actuator head to rotate or remain stationary independently until the limiting element contacts opposing ends of both pockets, at which point both actuator heads rotate as one, wherein when the direction of the motor is then reversed, the motion of each of the actuator heads becomes independent again.

10. The fluidic device of claim 7 , wherein the actuator head comprises a first relief pocket having two ends and a gap defined therebetween, and a second relief aligned with the gap along an intermediate channel, wherein the first relief pocket and the gap are corresponding to the first locations of the plurality of actuating elements on the body of the fluidic chip, and the second relief is corresponding to one of the second locations of the plurality of actuating elements on the body of the fluidic chip, such that in operation, one of the actuating elements on the first locations is pressed by the gap and the others of the actuating elements on the first locations are relaxed by the first pocket, and one of the actuating elements on the second locations is relaxed by the second relief and the others of the actuating elements on the second locations are pressed by the surface of the actuator head, thereby directing the single selected input from the input port connected to said intermediate channel with which the gap and the second relief are aligned to the at least one sensing port through the second common channel, while directing the inputs from all of the other input ports to the at least one output port through the first common channel.

11. The fluidic device of claim 10 , wherein a rotation of the actuator

Assignees

• Univ Vanderbilt

Inventors

• Schaffer David K
• Reiserer Ronald S
• Geuy Michael D
• Wikswo John P

Classifications

• F04B43/14

  having plate-like flexible members · CPC title

• B01L2400/0481

  squeezing of channels or chambers · CPC title

• B01L2300/123

  Flexible; Elastomeric · CPC title

• F04B43/06

  Pumps having fluid drive · CPC title

• F16K2099/0084

  Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology · CPC title