Microfluidic Device with a Filter

Abstract

A microfluidic device with a filter includes a substrate; a flowpath including a well formed in the substrate in fluid communication with a channel formed in the substrate; and a filter disposed across the flowpath.

1 . A microfluidic device, comprising:
 a substrate;   a flowpath including a well formed in the substrate in fluid communication with a channel formed in the substrate; and   a filter disposed across the flowpath.   
     
     
         2 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  wherein the filter is formed into the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  further comprising a filter receiver formed across the flowpath between the well and the channel, wherein the filter is retained in the filter receiver. 
     
     
         4 . The microfluidic device of  claim 3  wherein the filter is glued in the filter receiver. 
     
     
         5 . The microfluidic device of  claim 3  wherein the filter is held mechanically in the filter receiver. 
     
     
         6 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  further comprising a basket having a bottom and being fitted into the well, wherein the filter is attached to the bottom. 
     
     
         7 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  wherein the filter is a plurality of posts formed into the substrate across the channel. 
     
     
         8 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  wherein the filter is a plurality of in-line bars formed into the substrate across the channel. 
     
     
         9 . The microfluidic device of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of in-line bars are streamlined. 
     
     
         10 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  wherein the filter is a plurality of cross-channel dams formed into the substrate. 
     
     
         11 . The microfluidic device of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of cross-channel dams are of increasing height. 
     
     
         12 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  wherein the channel has a channel periphery and further comprising a filter receiver formed into the substrate at the channel periphery, the filter being a screen slidably disposed in the filter receiver. 
     
     
         13 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  further comprising a material capture mat, the material capture mat being affixed to the filter. 
     
     
         14 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  wherein the filter has openings in the range of about 0.05 μm to 500 μm. 
     
     
         15 . The microfluidic device of  claim 1  wherein the substrate comprises a well plate and a channel plate, the well being formed in the well plate and the channel being formed in the channel plate. 
     
     
         16 . The microfluidic device of  claim 15  wherein the filter is formed into the well plate. 
     
     
         17 . The microfluidic device of  claim 15  further comprising a filter receiver formed across the flowpath between the well plate and the channel plate, wherein the filter is retained in the filter receiver. 
     
     
         18 . The microfluidic device of  claim 15  wherein the filter is a structure formed into the channel plate across the channel, the structure being selected from the group consisting of a plurality of posts, a plurality of in-line bars, and a plurality of cross-channel dams. 
     
     
         19 . The microfluidic device of  claim 15  wherein the channel has a channel periphery and further comprising a filter receiver formed into the channel plate at the channel periphery, the filter being a screen slidably disposed in the filter receiver. 
     
     
         20 . A method of treatment of process fluid with loose process material, the method comprising:
 providing a microfluidic device comprising a substrate, a flowpath including a well formed in the substrate in fluid communication with a channel formed in the substrate, and a filter disposed across the flowpath, the filter having openings sized to strain the loose process material from the process fluid;   depositing the loose process material in the flowpath upstream of the filter;   mixing the loose process material with the process fluid; and   draining the process fluid from the loose process material through the filter.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the substrate comprises a well plate and a channel plate, the well being formed in the well plate and the channel being formed in the channel plate. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising re-mixing the loose process material with the process fluid and re-draining the process fluid from the loose process material. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the filter is disposed in the well. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the well has a top and a bottom, and the filter is disposed at the bottom, and the mixing further comprises dispensing the process fluid into the well from the top and the draining further comprises draining the process fluid through the bottom. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the well has a top and a bottom, and the filter is disposed at the bottom, and the mixing further comprises dispensing the process fluid into the well from the bottom and the draining further comprises draining the process fluid through the bottom. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the filter is disposed in the channel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the loose process material is selected from the group consisting of process beads, a material capture mat, silica beads, silica coated polymer beads, silica coated magnetic beads, and diatomaceous earth. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the openings are in the range of about 0.05 μm to 500 μm. 
     
     
         29 . A microfluidic device for use with loose process material comprising:
 a substrate;   a flowpath including a well formed in the substrate in fluid communication with a channel formed in the substrate; and   means for filtering the loose process material from the flowpath.   
     
     
         30 . The microfluidic device of  claim 29  wherein the substrate comprises a well plate and a channel plate, the well being formed in the well plate and the channel being formed in the channel plate. 
     
     
         31 . The microfluidic device of  claim 30  further comprising means for receiving the filtering means formed across the flowpath between the well plate and the channel plate. 
     
     
         32 . The microfluidic device of  claim 30  wherein the channel has a channel periphery and further comprising means for receiving the filtering means formed into the channel plate at the channel periphery. 
     
     
         33 . The microfluidic device of  claim 29  wherein the filtering means comprises means for filtering the loose process material having a size of about 0.05 μm to 500 μm.