US 12,491,513 B2
Microfluidic structures with interior pillars
Oumnia El Fajri, Corvallis, OR (US); Richard W. Seaver, Corvallis, OR (US); Erik D. Torniainen, Corvallis, OR (US); Anand Samuel Jebakumar, Corvallis, OR (US); Pavel Kornilovich, Corvallis, OR (US); Alexander Govyadinov, Corvallis, OR (US); and Carson Denison, Corvallis, OR (US)
Assigned to Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Filed by Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/721,724.
Prior Publication US 2023/0330675 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/50273 (2013.01) [B01L 2300/0874 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0887 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0406 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microfluidic structure, comprising:
a first microfluidic channel segment in a first elevation plane;
a second microfluidic channel segment in a second elevation plane;
a transverse microfluidic channel segment connecting the first microfluidic channel segment to the second microfluidic channel segment;
an interior pillar positioned at the transverse microfluidic channel segment, the interior pillar comprising a central portion extending through the transverse microfluidic channel segment, a tapered upstream edge extending from the central portion into the first microfluidic channel in the first elevation plane, and a tapered downstream edge extending from the central portion into the second microfluidic channel in the second elevation plane,
wherein the tapered downstream edge in the second elevation plane is angled in the second elevation plane at an acute angle and is tapering in a direction opposite the tapered upstream edge in the first elevation plane, and
wherein a fluid cross-sectional area increases in a fluid flow direction along the tapered downstream edge; and
a microfluidic cross-channel that is fluidly separate from the first microfluidic channel segment, the second microfluidic channel segment, and the transverse microfluidic channel segment, wherein the microfluidic cross-channel either crosses the first microfluidic channel segment in the second elevation plane, or crosses the second microfluidic channel segment in the first elevation plane.
 
8. A microfluidic overpass, comprising:
a first microfluidic channel segment in a first elevation plane;
a second microfluidic channel segment in a second elevation plane;
a transverse microfluidic channel segment connecting the first microfluidic channel segment to the second microfluidic channel segment;
an interior pillar positioned at the transverse microfluidic channel segment, the interior pillar comprising a central portion extending through the transverse microfluidic channel segment, a tapered upstream edge extending from the central portion into the first microfluidic channel in the first elevation plane, and a tapered downstream edge extending from the central portion into the second microfluidic channel in the second elevation plane, wherein the tapered downstream edge in the second elevation plane is angled in the second elevation plane at an acute angle and is tapering in a direction opposite the tapered upstream edge in the first elevation plane; and
a microfluidic cross-channel that is fluidly separate from the first microfluidic channel segment, the second microfluidic channel segment, and the transverse microfluidic channel segment, wherein the microfluidic cross-channel either crosses the first microfluidic channel segment in the second elevation plane, or crosses the second microfluidic channel segment in the first elevation plane.