Device and method for combined microfluidic-micromagnetic separation of material in continuous flow
US9220831B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 6, 2006 |
| Grant date | Dec 29, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 21, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/25375
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A miniaturized, integrated, microfluidic device pulls materials bound to magnetic particles from one laminar flow path to another by applying a local magnetic field gradient. The device removes microbial and mammalian cells from flowing biological fluids without any wash steps. A microfabricated high-gradient magnetic field concentrator (HGMC) is integrated at one side of a microfluidic channel. When magnetic particles are introduced into one flow path, they remain limited to that flow path. When the HGMC is magnetized, the magnetic beads are pulled from the initial flow path into the collection stream, thereby cleansing the fluid. The microdevice allows large numbers of beads and materials to be sorted simultaneously, has no capacity limit, does not lose separation efficiency as particles are removed, and is useful for cell separations from blood and other biological fluids. This on-chip separator allows cell separations to be performed in the field outside of hospitals and laboratories.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.