US 11,898,193 B2
Manipulating droplet size
Benjamin J. Miller, Littleton, MA (US); Qun Zhong, Lexington, MA (US); and Darren Roy Link, Lexington, MA (US)
Assigned to Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, CA (US)
Filed by Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 10, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/565,773.
Application 16/565,773 is a continuation of application No. 15/176,710, filed on Jun. 8, 2016, granted, now 10,428,369.
Application 15/176,710 is a continuation of application No. 14/173,974, filed on Feb. 6, 2014, abandoned.
Application 14/173,974 is a continuation of application No. 13/554,655, filed on Jul. 20, 2012, granted, now 8,658,430, issued on Feb. 25, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/509,837, filed on Jul. 20, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2020/0002748 A1, Jan. 2, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C12Q 1/6806 (2018.01); B05B 1/08 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B05B 1/26 (2006.01); B05B 7/00 (2006.01); B01F 23/41 (2022.01); B01F 33/3011 (2022.01); B01F 35/221 (2022.01); B05B 1/02 (2006.01); B01L 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC C12Q 1/6806 (2013.01) [B01F 23/41 (2022.01); B01F 33/3011 (2022.01); B01F 35/2213 (2022.01); B01L 3/502761 (2013.01); B01L 3/502784 (2013.01); B05B 1/02 (2013.01); B05B 1/08 (2013.01); B05B 1/26 (2013.01); B05B 7/0012 (2013.01); B01L 7/525 (2013.01); B01L 2200/025 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0647 (2013.01); B01L 2200/141 (2013.01); B01L 2200/143 (2013.01); B01L 2200/148 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0867 (2013.01); B01L 2300/14 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0487 (2013.01); Y10T 436/2575 (2015.01)] 14 Claims
 
1. A system for forming droplets, the system comprising:
a microfluidic substrate comprising a sample channel and a carrier fluid channel that connects to the sample channel at a junction;
a manifold in fluid communication with the microfluidic substrate, the manifold configured to deliver an aqueous fluid to the sample channel and an immiscible carrier fluid to the carrier channel to thereby form droplets of aqueous fluid surrounded by carrier fluid at the junction;
an imager configured to capture images of the droplets; and
a pump in fluid communication with the microfluidic substrate, the pump configured to regulate, based on the images of the droplets, pressure of the aqueous fluid at the junction to produce droplets of substantially uniform size.