The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 2015
Filed:
Oct. 03, 2011
Tza-huei Wang, Timonium, MD (US);
Weijie Beh, Baltimore, MD (US);
Dara L. Kraitchman, Oxford, MD (US);
Hsa-quan Mao, Baltimore, MD (US);
Tza-Huei Wang, Timonium, MD (US);
Weijie Beh, Baltimore, MD (US);
Dara L. Kraitchman, Oxford, MD (US);
Hsa-Quan Mao, Baltimore, MD (US);
The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (US);
Abstract
A system for producing microbeads includes a microfluidic device defining a supply channel and a shearing channel, a microbead precursor material disposed in the supply channel, a carrier fluid disposed in the shearing channel, and a pressure distribution system fluidly connected to each of the supply channel and the shearing channel to control at least relative pressures of the microbead precursor material and the carrier fluid. The supply channel includes a check valve adapted to be subjected to a bias pressure that is sufficient to close the check valve to flow of microbead precursor material when a supply pressure of the microbead precursor material is below a threshold pressure and is open to flow of the microbead precursor material when the supply pressure of the microbead precursor material is greater than the threshold pressure. An end of the supply channel opens into the shearing channel such that the microbead precursor material is sheared into droplets by the carrier fluid flowing through the shearing channel. A pressure of the carrier fluid is less than the bias pressure. The microbead precursor material and the carrier fluid are substantially immiscible.