Sperm sorting device

Abstract

A sperm sorting device includes a base unit and a top cover unit. The base unit includes a bottom wall, an outer wall, and a plurality of columnar portions disposed on the bottom wall and extending away from the bottom wall. Each columnar portion has a bottom edge connected to the bottom wall, a top surface facing away from the bottom wall, a peripheral surface connecting the bottom edge and the top surface, and a microstructure formed on the peripheral surface. The microstructure is one of a plurality of annular grooves and a plurality of linear grooves. Each annular groove is formed downward from the peripheral surface and surrounds the columnar portion, and each linear groove is formed downward from the peripheral surface and extends from the top surface toward the bottom edge. The top cover unit includes a substrate corresponding to the bottom wall, an inner wall extending from the periphery of the substrate toward the bottom wall, and a plurality of flow channel holes.

Claims

1. A sperm sorting device, comprising: a base unit including a bottom wall, a peripheral wall extending from the periphery of the bottom wall and defining an accommodating space together with the bottom wall, and a plurality of columnar portions disposed on the bottom wall and extending in a direction away from the bottom wall, wherein each columnar portion has a bottom edge connected to the bottom wall, a top surface facing away from the bottom wall, a peripheral surface connecting the bottom edge and the top surface, and microstructures formed on the peripheral surface, wherein, The microstructure comprises one of multiple annular grooves and multiple linear grooves. Each annular groove is formed downward from the circumference and surrounds the columnar portion. Each linear groove is formed downward from the circumference and extends from the top surface toward the bottom edge. A top cover unit is located in the accommodating space and includes a substrate corresponding to the bottom wall, an inner wall extending from the periphery of the substrate toward the bottom wall, and multiple flow channel holes. The substrate has a first surface adjacent to the bottom wall and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The flow channel holes penetrate the first surface and the second surface. The columnar portions are correspondingly disposed within the flow channel holes. The top surface of each columnar portion is not lower than the second surface of the substrate. Each columnar portion and the corresponding flow channel hole define a sorting space, and the diameter of the sorting space gradually decreases from the first surface toward the second surface.

2. The sperm sorting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein, The microstructure consists of multiple linear grooves evenly distributed on the circumference, and the columnar portions have a polygonal structure.

3. The sperm sorting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The microstructure consists of multiple annular grooves evenly distributed on the circumferential surface, and these annular grooves are parallel to the top surface.

4. The sperm sorting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, Each columnar portion has the same diameter along its height direction, and the diameter of each flow channel hole gradually decreases from the first surface toward the second surface.

5. The sperm sorting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, Each columnar portion gradually widens in diameter from the bottom edge toward the top surface, and the diameter of each flow channel hole is consistent.

6. The sperm sorting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The top cover unit and the base unit together define a solution carrying space located between the substrate and the bottom wall. The top cover unit also has an injection channel that penetrates the substrate and communicates with the solution carrying space.

7. The sperm sorting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The top cover unit also has a liquid collection tank formed downward from the second surface of the substrate.

8. The sperm sorting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The base unit and the top cover unit are made of a biocompatible photocurable resin.

9. The sperm sorting apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The average roughness (Ra) of this microstructure ranges from 0.57 to 5.51 µm.

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