US 11,919,001 B2
Droplet dispensing systems
Dimitris Josephides, Babraham (GB); Marian Rehak, Babraham (GB); David Holmes, Babraham (GB); and Frank F. Craig, Babraham (GB)
Assigned to SPHERE FLUIDICS LIMITED, Cambridge (GB)
Appl. No. 16/625,021
Filed by SPHERE FLUIDICS LIMITED, Babraham (GB)
PCT Filed Jun. 21, 2018, PCT No. PCT/GB2018/051743
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 20, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/234821, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 27, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1710002 (GB), filed on Jun. 22, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0215546 A1, Jul. 9, 2020
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502784 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502761 (2013.01); B01L 3/502715 (2013.01); B01L 2200/027 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0652 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0673 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0487 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
 
1. A microfluidic droplet dispensing system, the system comprising:
a droplet feed line to carry droplets for dispensing;
a first dispensing line to carry dispensing fluid for dispensing the droplets;
a droplet outlet line coupled to a droplet outlet;
a spacing line to carry further dispensing fluid for spacing the droplets;
a flow restriction line;
a first pressure source to provide pressurized dispensing fluid to said dispensing line to eject droplets from said droplet outlet
a first junction where the flow restriction line, the dispensing line, and the droplet outlet line intersect, the first junction having a first input to receive a flow of droplets from the flow restriction line, having a second input to receive a flow of pressurized dispensing fluid from said dispensing line and having an output to said droplet outlet line, wherein the first junction is downstream of the first pressure source and the dispensing line;
a waste line intersecting said droplet outlet line at a waste line junction between said first junction and said droplet outlet, wherein the waste line junction is downstream of the first junction;
a droplet dispensing valve between said first pressure source and said dispensing line to control the ejection of droplets from said droplet outlet;
a second pressure source to provide pressurized dispensing fluid to the spacing line;
a second junction where the droplet feed line, the spacing line, and the flow restriction line intersect, the second junction having a first input to receive a flow of droplets from said droplet feed line, having, a second input to receive a flow of dispensing fluid from said spacing line, and having an output to the flow restriction line, wherein the second junction is downstream of the droplet feed line and the spacing line, and where the second junction is upstream of the flow restriction line and the first junction; and
wherein the flow restriction line extends between the output of said second junction and the first input of said first junction to restrict a volume flow from said second junction into said first junction.