US 12,239,987 B2
System and method for droplet detection
David P. Stumbo, Pleasanton, CA (US); George Carman, San Mateo, CA (US); Steve Hobbs, Pleasanton, CA (US); Anthony J. Makarewicz, Jr., Livermore, CA (US); Dmitri Simonian, Mountain View, CA (US); David Glade, San Ramon, CA (US); Joshua Oen, Fremont, CA (US); Denis Pristinski, Pleasanton, CA (US); and John Dzenitis, Danville, CA (US)
Assigned to Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, CA (US)
Filed by Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/986,873.
Application 17/986,873 is a division of application No. 16/022,500, filed on Jun. 28, 2018, granted, now 11,499,183, issued on Nov. 15, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/526,259, filed on Jun. 28, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0070234 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01F 23/41 (2022.01); C12Q 1/6844 (2018.01); C12Q 1/6848 (2018.01); C12Q 1/6851 (2018.01); C12Q 1/686 (2018.01); G01N 15/14 (2024.01); G01N 15/1429 (2024.01); G01N 15/1434 (2024.01)
CPC B01L 3/502784 (2013.01) [B01F 23/41 (2022.01); C12Q 1/6846 (2013.01); C12Q 1/6848 (2013.01); C12Q 1/6851 (2013.01); C12Q 1/686 (2013.01); G01N 15/1429 (2013.01); G01N 15/1434 (2013.01); G01N 15/1459 (2013.01); B01L 3/502776 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0673 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0654 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1481 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A detection system for droplets, comprising:
a channel network, including, a flow cell defining a plane and comprising a sample inlet channel for receiving a sample, at least one spacing-fluid inlet channel, and a spacing channel with dimensions that include diameter, width and depth; channel junction to which the sample inlet channel and the at least one spacing-fluid inlet channel are fluidically connected, and a detection channel fluidically connected to the channel junction via the spacing channel;
a spacing-fluid source connected to the channel network;
a detector configured to receive and detect light from the detection channel;
one or more positive/negative pressure sources operatively connected to the channel network, and configured to drive droplet-containing fluid from an emulsion source to the channel junction via the sample inlet channel, spacing fluid from the spacing-fluid source to the channel junction via the at least one spacing-fluid inlet channel, and droplet-containing fluid combined with spacing fluid from the channel junction and through the spacing channel and the detection channel;
wherein the sample inlet channel tapers toward the channel junction to force droplets into single file before the droplets reach the channel junction, and wherein at least one of the dimensions of the spacing channel tapers toward the detection channel, at to define an angle of taper that decreases in a direction from the channel junction toward the detection channel to progressively increase a distance between droplets as the droplets travel from the channel junction to the detection channel, wherein a maximum width of the spacing channel at the channel junction is at least equal to a combined width of the sample inlet channel and the at least one spacing-fluid inlet channel at the channel junction, and a minimum width is at least equal to a width of the detection channel where the detection channel joins the spacing channel; and
wherein, the minimum width of the spacing channel corresponds to an average diameter of the droplets, by being within 50%, 25%, 20%, or 10% of the average diameter of the droplets.