Reconfigurable microfluidic device and method of manufacturing the same

{
  "publication_number": "US11052391B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Reconfigurable microfluidic device and method of manufacturing the same",
  "abstract": "A microfluidic device, including a controllable shape-changing micropillar where a shape of the shape-changing micropillar is changed by a fluid.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A controllable shape-changing micropillar, wherein a shape of the shape-changing micropillar is changed by a fluid.",
    "2. A method of manufacturing a controllable shape-changing micropillar, the method comprising: providing a controllable shape-changing micropillar such that a shape of the shape-changing micropillar is changed by a fluid.",
    "3. A microfluidic device, comprising: a controllable shape-changing micropillar, wherein a shape of the shape-changing micropillar is changed by a fluid.",
    "4. The microfluidic device of claim 3, wherein the fluid flows through a microchannel.",
    "5. The microfluidic device of claim 3, wherein the fluid moves through a microchannel in a predetermined direction.",
    "6. The microfluidic device of claim 3, wherein the fluid moves through a microchannel in a predetermined direction to control the shape of the micropillar.",
    "7. The microfluidic device of claim 3, wherein the fluid moves around the shape of the shape-changing micropillar through a microchannel in a predetermined direction to control the shape of the micropillar.",
    "8. The microfluidic device of claim 4, wherein the controllable shape-changing micropillar is integrated inside the microchannel.",
    "9. The microfluidic device of claim 5, wherein the controllable shape-changing micropillar is integrated inside the microchannel.",
    "10. The microfluidic device of claim 6, wherein the controllable shape-changing micropillar is integrated inside the microchannel.",
    "11. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the controllable shape-changing micropillar is integrated inside the microchannel."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to a microfluidic device, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a microfluidic device including a microfluidic channel that is dynamically and reversibly changeable during the microfluidic chip operation.\n\nConventionally, devices that manipulate fluids in the microscale and nanoscale offer benefits to be used as miniaturized laboratories such as low energy consumption, shorter chemical reaction time, small sample and biological reagents consumption, low cost, high compactness, high integration and the possibility of multiple tests per device. Also, microfluidic-based devices may facilitate remote and touch-less manipulation of single cells, micro-organisms or micro-particles. Common materials used as microfludic chip substrate are silicon, glass or thermoplastic polymers such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Standard semiconductor fabrication technology (photolithography, dry and wet etching, chemical vapor deposition, etc.) is commonly employed to manufacture microfluidic hips on silicon or glass, while methods such as injection molding or hot embossing are employed with thermoplastics.\n\nOne common aspect of these fabrication methods is that, once a microfluidic device is built, its characteristics are usually fixed and can no longer be changed. The microchannel layout, dimensions and other channel features such as the presence or absence of obstacles, pillars or surface grooves cannot be modified during chip utilization.",
  "cpc": [
    "B01L 3/502746",
    "B01L 2200/06",
    "B01L 2200/0652",
    "B01L 2200/0668",
    "B01L 2200/12",
    "B01L 2300/0645",
    "B01L 2300/123",
    "B01L 2400/0661",
    "B01L 2400/082",
    "B01L 2400/086",
    "B01L 3/502707",
    "B01L 3/502715",
    "B01L 3/502761",
    "B81B 1/006",
    "B81B 2201/058",
    "B81B 2203/0361",
    "B81C 1/00111",
    "F16B 1/0014",
    "F16B 2200/77"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B01L 3/00",
    "B81B 1/00",
    "B81B 7/04",
    "B81C 1/00",
    "F16B 1/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "International Business Machines Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jaione Tirapu Azpiroz",
    "Peter William Bryant",
    "Rodrigo Neumann Barros Ferreira",
    "Ronaldo Giro",
    "Ricardo Luis Ohta"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-03-19",
  "publication_date": "2021-07-06",
  "grant_date": "2021-07-06",
  "priority_date": "2016-09-27",
  "application_number": "US-201916357745-A",
  "family_id": "61688147",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US20090123334A1",
    "US20100207301A1",
    "US20160003280A1",
    "US20180298271A1",
    "WO2017167798A1"
  ]
}