Patent · US Active

Low-dead volume microfluidic circuit and methods

US8230744B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
31References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 6, 2009
Grant dateJul 31, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 7, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T137/0402
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method is described for reducing a dead volume of a microfluidic circuit that includes, in one embodiment, a reservoir, an outlet, and a microfluidic flowpath fluidly connecting the reservoir and the outlet. The method includes providing a microfluidic flow component between the reservoir and the outlet for performing a function and in fluidic communication with the microfluidic flowpath, wherein the microfluidic flow component includes a total volume including a working volume and a dead volume. The working volume is a volume necessary for the microfluidic flow component to perform the function and the dead volume is a volume unnecessary for the microfluidic flow component to perform the function. The method includes configuring at least one of the reservoir, the microfluidic flowpath, and the microfluidic flow component to reduce the dead volume, such that the working volume of the component is substantially the same as the total volume.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.