Systems and methods for particle focusing in microchannels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9808803-B2
Application number	US-201615162196-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2016
Priority date	Apr 16, 2007
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

Various systems, methods, and devices are provided for focusing particles suspended within a moving fluid into one or more localized stream lines. The system can include a substrate and at least one channel provided on the substrate having an inlet and an outlet. The system can further include a fluid moving along the channel in a laminar flow having suspended particles and a pumping element driving the laminar flow of the fluid. The fluid, the channel, and the pumping element can be configured to cause inertial forces to act on the particles and to focus the particles into one or more stream lines.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for focusing and ordering particles suspended within a moving fluid into one or more localized stream lines, comprising:
a substrate;
at least one expanding spiral-shaped channel having a rectangular cross-section provided on the substrate, wherein the at least one expanding spiral-shaped channel comprises an inlet at or near an inner end of the expanding spiral-shaped channel and at least two outlets at or near an outer end of the expanding spiral-shaped channel, and wherein a radius of curvature of the spiral-shaped channel increases from the inner end to the outer end; and
a pumping element configured to move the fluid and particles along the at least one expanding spiral-shaped channel in one direction and in a laminar flow;
wherein the fluid, the channel, and the pumping element are configured to cause inertial forces to act on the particles to focus the particles into one or more stream lines and to order the particles with a uniform spacing in the direction of the flow.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the expanding spiral-shaped channel comprises three or more outlets.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the expanding spiral-shaped channel comprises two or more inlets.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pumping element is controlled to achieve a flow rate of the fluid of about 0.1 to 5.5 ml/minute.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the expanding spiral-shaped channel has a depth of from about 50 to 183 microns.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the radius of curvature of the spiral-shaped channel increases from about 1.4 to 9.5 mm.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Gen Hospital

Inventors

• Toner Mehmet
• Dicarlo Dino
• Edd Jon F
• Irimia Daniel

Classifications

• B01L3/502776 Primary

  specially adapted for focusing or laminating flows · CPC title

• B01L2400/0622

  distribution valves, valves having multiple inlets and/or outlets, e.g. metering valves, multi-way valves · CPC title

• B01D21/265

  by using a vortex inducer or vortex guide, e.g. coil (B01D21/0054 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N15/10

  Investigating individual particles · CPC title

• F16L41/02

  Branch units, e.g. made in one piece, welded, riveted · CPC title