Microfluidic gravity pump with constant flow rate

US7704728B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN · US

Inventors

• Shuichi Takayama · Ann Arbor, US
• Joseph J. Chang · Avon, US
• Dongeun Huh · Villanova, US
• Xiaoyue Zhu · 甘垛镇, CN
• Brenda S. Cho · Ann Arbor, US
• Gary D. Smith · Ann Arbor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 18, 2002
• Grant date: Apr 27, 2010
• Expiry date: Apr 17, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/117497
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A microfluidic system employs a microchannel and a gravity driven pump comprising horizontally oriented fluid supply reservoirs which supplies fluid to the microchannel at a substantially constant rate. The device is useful for numerous microfluidic applications, for example in the culture and/or treatment of biological systems under constant flow-induced stress, cell-size sorting, motile sperm sorting, or embryo culture.