US 11,944,972 B2
Concentrating particles in a microfluidic device
Ravi Kapur, Sharon, MA (US); Kyle C. Smith, Cambridge, MA (US); and Mehmet Toner, Charlestown, MA (US)
Assigned to The General Hospital Corporation, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by The General Hospital Corporation, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/335,510.
Application 16/211,362 is a division of application No. 14/931,421, filed on Nov. 3, 2015, granted, now 10,150,116, issued on Dec. 11, 2018.
Application 17/335,510 is a continuation of application No. 16/211,362, filed on Dec. 6, 2018, granted, now 11,052,393.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/074,213, filed on Nov. 3, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/074,315, filed on Nov. 3, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2021/0283610 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); A61K 35/28 (2015.01); G01N 1/40 (2006.01); G01N 15/00 (2006.01); G01N 15/02 (2006.01); G01N 15/06 (2006.01); G01N 15/14 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502761 (2013.01) [A61K 35/28 (2013.01); B01L 3/502715 (2013.01); B01L 3/502746 (2013.01); B01L 3/502753 (2013.01); G01N 1/4077 (2013.01); G01N 15/0255 (2013.01); G01N 15/0618 (2013.01); G01N 15/1484 (2013.01); B01L 3/502776 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0631 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0647 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0652 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0668 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0684 (2013.01); B01L 2200/12 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0681 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0877 (2013.01); B01L 2300/185 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0409 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0415 (2013.01); B01L 2400/043 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0436 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0457 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0487 (2013.01); B01L 2400/082 (2013.01); G01N 2001/4088 (2013.01); G01N 2015/0053 (2013.01); G01N 2015/0065 (2013.01); G01N 2015/0288 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1486 (2013.01); G01N 2015/149 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1493 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microfluidic device comprising:
a first microfluidic channel;
a second microfluidic channel extending along the first microfluidic channel; and
a first array of islands separating the first microfluidic channel from the second microfluidic channel, wherein a boundary of the first microfluidic channel is defined by a first undulating outer wall,
wherein each island is separated from an adjacent island in the array by an opening that fluidly couples the first microfluidic channel to the second microfluidic channel,
wherein the first microfluidic channel, the second microfluidic channel, and the islands are configured to increase a fluidic resistance of the first microfluidic channel relative to a fluidic resistance of the second microfluidic channel along a longitudinal direction of the first microfluidic channel, wherein, during use of the microfluidic device, a portion of a fluid sample flowing through the first microfluidic channel passes through one or more of the openings between adjacent islands into the second microfluidic channel,
wherein a width of the first microfluidic channel repeatedly alternates between a narrow region and an enlarged region along the longitudinal direction of the first microfluidic channel, and
wherein, for each island, a contour of a first side of the island substantially matches a contour of the first undulating outer wall of the first channel facing the first side of the island, and a radii of curvature of the first undulating outer wall through a first turn of the first microfluidic channel is smaller than a radii of curvature of the first undulating outer wall through a second adjacent turn of the first microfluidic channel,
wherein each opening has an opening length, and each island has an island length that is greater than the opening length of an opening adjacent to the island, wherein, for an average particle diameter of a first type of particle and for a fluid velocity of the fluid sample, the first microfluidic channel, the second microfluidic channel and the first array of islands are arranged to, during use of the microfluidic device, impart an inertial lift force on the first type of particle to substantially prevent the first type of particles from propagating through one or more of the openings between adjacent islands into the second microfluidic channel.