US 12,337,320 B2
Systems and methods for particle focusing in microchannels
Gerson Aguirre, Seattle, WA (US); Zheng Xia, DeForest, WI (US); and Gopakumar Kamalakshakurup, DeForest, WI (US)
Assigned to ABS GLOBAL, INC., Deforest, WI (US)
Filed by ABS Global, Inc., DeForest, WI (US)
Filed on Apr. 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/714,020.
Application 17/714,020 is a continuation of application No. 16/419,756, filed on May 22, 2019, granted, now 11,331,670.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/675,512, filed on May 23, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0226827 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502761 (2013.01) [B01L 2200/0652 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0883 (2013.01); B01L 2400/086 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microfluidic chip for focusing a flow of sperm cells suspended in a fluid, the sperm cells having a diameter (a), the microfluidic chip comprising:
one or more substrates;
a focusing channel formed in the one or more substrates and spanning a length from an inlet to an outlet for receiving the flow of sperm cells suspended in the fluid, the focusing channel comprising a repetitively curved segment having a hydraulic diameter (Dh), wherein:
a ratio of the cell diameter to the hydraulic diameter of the channel (a/Dh) is between about 0.03 and about 0.06;
a ratio of curvature (critical parameter “r”) to the hydraulic diameter (Dh) defined by the formula 2ra2/Dh3 is less than about 0.03; and
the focusing channel comprising a straight portion disposed downstream of the repetitively curved segment.