The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

University of Michigan

U.S. Government of the United States as Represented by the Nih Division of Extramural Inventions and Technology Resources (Deitr)

Sean M Langelier

Mark A Burns

Brian N Johnson

Dustin S Chang

Minsoung Rhee

An acoustical fluid control mechanism and a method of controlling fluid flow of a working fluid with the acoustical fluid control mechanism are provided. The mechanism comprises a resonance chamber that defines a cavity. The resonance chamber has a port. The cavity is sealed from the ambient but for the port for enabling oscillatory flow of a working fluid into and out of the cavity upon exposure of the resonance chamber to an acoustic signal containing a tone at a frequency that is substantially similar to a particular resonance frequency of the resonance chamber. The mechanism further includes a rectifier for introducing directional bias to the oscillatory flow of the working fluid through the port. The rectifier has an inlet connected to the port and an outlet for transmitting the directional flow of the working fluid away from the cavity. The outlet is in fluid communication with the port of the resonance chamber at least during transmission of the directional flow of the working fluid therethrough.

Acoustical fluid control mechanism

A modular microfluidic system comprising a base substrate, a plurality of microfluidic assembly blocks, and an adhesive component is provided. Each individual microfluidic assembly block defines a channel and has a sidewall defining an aperture into the channel. When the plurality of microfluidic assembly blocks are arranged on the base substrate, the aperture into the channel of one microfluidic assembly block aligns with the aperture of another microfluidic assembly block with the channels thereof connected along a plane parallel to the base substrate thereby forming a channel network defined by the plurality of microfluidic assembly blocks. The subject invention also provides a method of assembling a microfluidic device. The method comprising the steps of providing the base substrate, providing the plurality of microfluidic assembly blocks, and arranging the plurality of microfluidic assembly blocks on the base substrate.

Modular microfluidic assembly block and system including the same

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Sean M Langelier