Sequential pumping by means of an actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026008054-A1
Application number	US-202519324797-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 10, 2025
Priority date	Mar 10, 2023
Publication date	Jan 8, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A centrifugal-microfluidic cartridge module for operation in a centrifugal-microfluidic device and/or centrifuge, having: a first chamber configured to receive a liquid and/or gas and to provide the same with an underpressure or overpressure in relation to a starting pressure by a pressure generator; a second chamber; a third chamber; and a node connected to the chambers via a fluidic network, which has a first partial channel connecting the node to the first chamber, a second partial channel connecting the node to the second chamber, and a third partial channel connecting the node to the third chamber; a second channel connecting the second and third chambers and opening in a radially outer region and having at least one radially inwardly directed portion; the third partial channel having a portion which, as seen radially, is further inward than the second partial channel.

First claim

1 . A centrifugal-microfluidic cartridge module for operation in a centrifugal-microfluidic device and/or centrifuge so that the cartridge module is rotatable about a rotation center, comprising:
a pressure generator; wherein the pressure generator comprises heating and/or cooling elements configured to generate the overpressure by means of a temperature increase and the underpressure by means of a temperature reduction; a first chamber configured to receive a liquid and/or gas and to provide the liquid and/or the gas with an underpressure and/or overpressure in relation to a starting pressure by means of the pressure generator; a second chamber; a third chamber; and a node which is connected to the first, second and third chambers via a fluidic network, wherein the fluidic network comprises a first partial channel which connects the node to the first chamber, a second partial channel which connects the node to the second chamber, and a third partial channel which connects the node to the third chamber; wherein a second channel connects the second and third chambers to each other and opens in a radially outer region or at the radially outer end of the second chamber and comprises at least one radially inwardly directed portion; wherein the third partial channel comprises a portion which, as seen radially, is further inward than the second partial channel.

2 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the second partial channel with respect to the liquid and/or the gas comprises a higher fluidic resistance than the second channel with respect to the same liquid and/or the same gas.

3 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein a vertex of the second channel is further radially outward than the vertex of the inverse siphon formed by the first partial channel and second partial channel in particular so that a smaller maximum hydrostatic counterforce acts on the liquid and/or the gas when filling the second channel than when filling the first partial channel and/or the second partial channel.

4 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein a container is opened in the first chamber due to an acceleration or a combination of hydrostatic force resulting from an acceleration and temperature increase.

5 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , which comprises a controller or is connected to a controller which is configured to effect a pumping process of the liquid and/or gas from the first chamber to the second chamber by increasing a temperature in the first chamber and/or a reduction in a rotational frequency of the cartridge module; or
which comprises a controller or is connected to a controller which is configured to induce a pumping process of the liquid and/or gas from the first chamber into the second chamber by a temperature increase and/or a reduction in a rotational frequency of the cartridge module, wherein in the pumping process the overpressure in the first chamber is sufficiently high to convey the liquid via the vertex of the inverse siphon formed by the first partial channel and the second partial channel and/or the overpressure is less than the pressure which would be necessary to convey the liquid via the vertex of the inverse siphon formed by the first partial channel and the second partial channel.

6 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , which comprises a controller or is connected to a controller, wherein the controller is configured to effect a temperature reduction of the liquid and/or gas in the first chamber; or
which comprises a controller which is configured to effect a temperature reduction of the liquid and/or gas in the first chamber in order to thus produce an underpressure in relation to a starting pressure in the first chamber, which acts on the liquid and/or gas in the second chamber via the first partial channel, the second partial channel and via the first partial channel, the third partial channel and the second channel or acts on the liquid and/or gas in the second chamber via the first partial channel, the third partial channel and the second channel.

7 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the third chamber comprises a connection to the second channel which is arranged radially further to the inside than the maximum filling level of the third chamber.

8 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the third chamber and/or the second channel is/are arranged radially further to the outside than the second chamber and/or the second partial channel.

9 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the radially outer point of the second chamber is arranged radially further to the outside than a mouth from the second channel into the third chamber.

10 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the second chamber comprises a port to the second partial channel which is located in a radially outer region or at the outermost point of the second chamber.

11 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the node is formed by a further chamber.

12 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein an additional chamber is provided between the node and the second chamber.

13 . The cartridge module according to claim 12 , wherein the second partial channel, due to the higher fluidic resistance or a geometric arrangement of vertices of the second channel and the second partial channel, is configured to retain the liquid and/or gas during the transport of the liquid and/or gas from the first chamber to the second chamber.

14 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure generator is configured to generate or vary the underpressure and/or the overpressure independently of rotation.

15 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the node and/or the vertex of the inverse siphon formed by the first partial channel and the second partial channel, as seen radially, is/are located further inward than the first chamber or the liquid level in the first chamber located farthest inward as seen radially.

16 . The cartridge module according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure generator acts locally on the liquid and/or the gas in the first chamber or an underpressure or overpressure acts on the liquid and/or the gas in the first chamber in relation to the liquid and/or the gas in the second chamber.

17 . A method for operating a centrifugal-microfluidic cartridge module according to claim 1 , comprising:
applying an overpressure for conveying a liquid and/or gas from the first chamber to the second chamber by means of a pressure generator which comprises heating and cooling elements; and applying an underpressure for transporting a liquid and/or gas from the second chamber to the third chamber by means of the pressure generator.

Assignees

• Hahn Schickard Ges Fuer Angewandte Forschung E V

Inventors

• Niebling Laura
• Klatt Jan-Niklas
• Paust Nils
• Hutzenlaub Tobias

Classifications

• B01L2400/0457

  passive flow or gravitation · CPC title

• B01L2400/0442

  thermal energy, e.g. vaporisation, bubble jet · CPC title

• B01L2300/1894

  Cooling means; Cryo cooling · CPC title

• B01L2300/1822

  using Peltier elements · CPC title

• B01L2300/087

  Multiple sequential chambers · CPC title