US 12,350,671 B2
Liquid bridge and system
Mark Davies, Limerick (IE); Tara Dalton, Limerick (IE); and Kieran Curran, Limerick (IE)
Assigned to STOKES BIO LIMITED, Limerick (IE)
Filed by STOKES BIO LIMITED, Limerick (IE)
Filed on May 4, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/312,209.
Application 18/312,209 is a division of application No. 16/922,265, filed on Jul. 7, 2020, granted, now 11,772,096.
Application 16/922,265 is a continuation of application No. 15/131,546, filed on Apr. 18, 2016, granted, now 10,730,051, issued on Aug. 4, 2020.
Application 15/131,546 is a continuation of application No. 13/627,593, filed on Sep. 26, 2012, granted, now 9,322,511, issued on Apr. 26, 2016.
Application 13/627,593 is a continuation of application No. 12/092,261, granted, now 8,298,833, issued on Oct. 30, 2012, previously published as PCT/IE2007/000013, filed on Feb. 7, 2007.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/765,671, filed on Feb. 7, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2023/0356227 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01F 33/302 (2022.01); B01F 35/71 (2022.01); B01F 35/75 (2022.01); C12Q 1/686 (2018.01); F17D 1/08 (2006.01); B01F 101/23 (2022.01); B01L 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502784 (2013.01) [B01F 33/3021 (2022.01); B01F 35/712 (2022.01); B01F 35/7172 (2022.01); B01F 35/7547 (2022.01); B01L 3/502715 (2013.01); B01L 3/502746 (2013.01); C12Q 1/686 (2013.01); F17D 1/08 (2013.01); B01F 2101/23 (2022.01); B01L 3/5025 (2013.01); B01L 7/525 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0673 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0829 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0838 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0478 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0487 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0633 (2013.01); B01L 2400/082 (2013.01); Y10T 137/87676 (2015.04); Y10T 436/117497 (2015.01); Y10T 436/118339 (2015.01); Y10T 436/2575 (2015.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for processing a biological sample, the system comprising:
a droplet generation assembly comprising:
a plurality of wells configured to contain an aqueous sample comprising biological sample and polymerase chain reaction reagent and primers,
a microfluidic substrate comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels respectively fluidically coupled to the plurality of wells,
a plurality of reservoirs configured to contain a carrier fluid immiscible with the aqueous sample,
wherein the plurality of wells and the plurality of reservoirs are arranged to be in respective flow communication in well-reservoir pairs, each well-reservoir pair comprising a well of the plurality of wells and a reservoir of the plurality of reservoirs,
a cradle configured to hold the microfluidic substrate,
a flow control system comprising a manifold configured to be in fluidic communication with the plurality of wells and the plurality of reservoirs and to control a pressure in the plurality of well-reservoir pairs so as to generate a flow of a series of reaction volumes of the aqueous sample separated by the carrier fluid in the plurality of microfluidic channels, and
a gasket configured to seal one or more interfaces between the microfluidic substrate and the manifold; and
a thermocycling system configured to receive and perform temperature cycling of the reaction volumes to conduct a polymerase chain reaction.