US 12,186,748 B2
Self-priming microfluidic structures
Peiyun Wang, Singapore (SG); Pavel Kornilovich, Corvallis, OR (US); Alexander Govyadinov, Corvallis, OR (US); Noorashekin Binte Jamil, Singapore (SG); Sarita Jairam, Singapore (SG); and Jinghua Zhao, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Filed by Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/848,864.
Prior Publication US 2023/0415151 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); G01N 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502715 (2013.01) [G01N 11/00 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0647 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0406 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A self-priming microfluidic structure, comprising:
a microfluidic channel comprising a floor and a ceiling, wherein a channel height is defined as a distance between the floor and the ceiling;
a channel height step in the floor, or ceiling, or both, wherein the channel height downstream of the channel height step is greater than the channel height upstream of the channel height step; and
an interior pillar positioned in the microfluidic channel and extending from the floor to the ceiling, wherein the interior pillar comprises a widening portion at an upstream end of the interior pillar and a tapering portion at a downstream end of the interior pillar, wherein the interior pillar overlaps the channel height step such that the interior pillar is partially upstream of the channel height step and partially downstream of the channel height step.