A high-throughput droplet generator

Abstract

The application discloses a high-throughput droplet generator, comprising a multi-pass receiving tube and a multi-pass conveying tube, the multi-pass receiving tube comprising a first inlet end, a first outlet end and at least two droplet generating ends, the multi-pass conveying tube comprising a second inlet end, a second outlet end and at least two conveying ends, the droplet generating ends being connected with the conveying ends through sample silica gel tubes, sample liquid and a ferrofluorine dragon capillary being arranged in the sample silica gel tubes, the ferrofluorine dragon capillary being sealingly arranged between the silica gel tubes, the number of the droplet generating ends, the conveying ends and the sample silica gel tubes being adjusted according to requirements, high-throughput being realized at low cost, subsequent detection being facilitated, and detection efficiency and detection performance being improved; the second inlet end is connected with an injection component, the injection component being used for providing fluid shear force, micro-droplets of the sample being formed through one injection component, the stability of droplet generation being ensured, the high-throughput droplet generator having high repeatability, a simple structure, low sample consumption and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of droplet generator technology, and in particular to a high-throughput droplet generator. Background Technology

[0002] In portable biological applications, reproducible and rapid experiments require precise droplet generation technology to ensure the reliability of analytical results. This ranges from the precision of fluid pressure control to the precision of manufactured tubular structures. Currently, most commercially available droplet generators for portable biological applications are complex, costly, or difficult to control the ratio between shear and capillary forces. Typically, the frequency and size of the droplets depend on the flow rate ratio at the chip inlet, making the acquisition of stable droplets highly dependent on the precise pressure control of the controller. Traditional continuous flow microfluidic systems, due to the characteristics of low Reynolds number laminar flow, face difficulties in mixing continuous fluids, which also increases sample consumption. Furthermore, increasing the number of parallel tests to improve reaction or analytical throughput often increases the complexity of chip fabrication and operational difficulty. For subsequent PCR amplification and quantitative analysis, which can only detect a single sample solution at a time, traditional methods are inefficient and costly. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a high-throughput droplet generator that can achieve high throughput, improve detection efficiency, and enhance detection performance at low cost.

[0004] A high-throughput droplet generator according to a first aspect of the present invention includes

[0005] A multi-channel receiving tube, the multi-channel receiving tube including a first inlet end, a first outlet end and at least two droplet generating ends, the first inlet end and the first outlet end being disposed opposite to each other, and the droplet generating ends being disposed between the first inlet end and the first outlet end;

[0006] A multi-port delivery tube includes a second inlet end, a second outlet end, and at least two delivery ends. The second inlet end and the second outlet end are arranged opposite to each other. The second outlet end is connected to the first inlet end. An injection component is connected to the second inlet end to provide fluid shear force.

[0007] The droplet generating end and the delivery end are connected by a sample silicone tube. The sample silicone tube contains a sample liquid and a Teflon capillary. The Teflon capillary and the silicone tube are sealed together.

[0008] A high-throughput droplet generator according to a first aspect of the present invention has at least the following advantages: The high-throughput droplet generator of the present invention includes a multi-channel receiving tube and a multi-channel delivery tube. The multi-channel receiving tube includes a first inlet end, a first outlet end, and at least two droplet generating ends. The multi-channel delivery tube includes a second inlet end, a second outlet end, and at least two delivery ends. The droplet generating ends and the delivery ends are connected through a sample silicone tube. The sample silicone tube contains a sample liquid and a Teflon capillary. The Teflon capillary and the silicone tube are sealed together. The number of droplet generating ends, delivery ends, and sample silicone tubes can be adjusted as needed, enabling high throughput at low cost, facilitating subsequent detection, and improving detection efficiency and performance. The second inlet end is connected to an injection component, which provides fluid shear force. Microdroplets of the sample can be formed through a single injection component, ensuring stable droplet generation, high repeatability, simple structure, low sample consumption, and low cost.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, multiple droplet generating ends are provided, and multiple droplet generating ends are connected to multiple sample silicone tubes, and multiple sample silicone tubes are provided with multiple different sample liquids.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, each of the sample silicone tubes contains a variety of sample liquids.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, multiple droplet generating ends are provided, and multiple droplet generating ends are connected to multiple sample silicone tubes, and the multiple sample silicone tubes are provided with Teflon capillaries of different inner diameters.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, multiple Teflon capillaries are provided, and the multiple Teflon capillaries are evenly distributed inside the sample silicone tube.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the injection component is configured as an injection pump.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the Teflon capillary tube and the silicone tube are sealed with adhesive.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the Teflon capillary is disposed in close contact with the wall of the sample silicone tube.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the Teflon capillary tube is coaxially arranged with the sample silicone tube.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the Teflon capillary is eccentrically disposed inside the sample silicone tube.

[0018] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a high-throughput droplet generator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a high-throughput droplet generator according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with multiple Teflon capillaries.

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of a high-throughput droplet generator in which different sample silicone tubes are equipped with different sample liquids.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a high-throughput droplet generator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the same sample silicone tube is provided with different sample liquids;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a high-throughput droplet generator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which different sample silicone tubes are provided with various different sample liquids;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a high-throughput droplet generator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which different sample silicone tubes are provided with Teflon capillary tubes of different diameters.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a high-throughput droplet generator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the same sample silicone tube is provided with multiple Teflon capillary tubes of the same diameter. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0028] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, inside, outside, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0029] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "more than" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0030] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, assembling, and cooperating should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0031] The following reference Figures 1 to 7 This invention describes a high-throughput droplet generator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] A high-throughput droplet generator according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figures 1 to 7As shown, the device includes a multi-port receiving tube 100 and a multi-port delivery tube 200. The multi-port receiving tube 100 includes a first inlet end 110, a first outlet end 120, and at least two droplet 400 generating ends 130. The multi-port delivery tube 200 includes a second inlet end 210, a second outlet end 220, and at least two delivery ends 230. The droplet 400 generating ends 130 and the delivery ends 230 are connected through a sample silicone tube 300. The sample silicone tube 300 contains a sample liquid 310 and a Teflon capillary 320. The Teflon capillary 320 is sealed to the silicone tube. After the sample liquid 310 passes through the Teflon capillary 320, it is subjected to the shear force of the fluid at the outlet, which can form droplets 400. The device has a simple structure and low cost. At least two droplet 400 generating ends 130 and 230 are configured. The droplet 400 generating ends 130 and 230 are connected through sample silicone tubes 300. The number of droplet 400 generating ends 130, 230, and sample silicone tubes 300 can be adjusted as needed to achieve high throughput at low cost, facilitate subsequent detection, and improve detection efficiency and performance. Using sample silicone tubes 300 as the conduit material for droplet 400 formation not only reduces fluid residue waste and avoids cross-contamination with the external environment but also increases throughput. The second inlet end 210 is connected to an injection component. The first inlet end 110 and the first outlet end 120 are arranged opposite to each other. The second inlet end 210 and the second outlet end 220 are arranged opposite to each other. The second outlet end 220 is connected to the first inlet end 110. The droplet 400 generating end 130 is arranged between the first inlet end 110 and the first outlet end 120. The injection component is used to provide fluid shear force. The droplet 400 generating end 130 is arranged between the first inlet end 110 and the first outlet end 120. Shear force can be provided to multiple droplet 400 generating ends 130 through one injection component. The structure is simple and can achieve high throughput at low cost.

[0033] According to some embodiments of the present invention, multiple droplet generating ends 130 are provided, and multiple droplet generating ends 130 are connected to multiple sample silica tubes 300. Multiple sample silica tubes 300 are provided with multiple different sample solutions 310. With multiple droplet generating ends 130 and corresponding connections to multiple sample silica tubes 300, and multiple different sample solutions 310 disposed within different sample silica tubes 300, different samples can be distinguished based on fluorescence color, achieving the function of detecting multiple samples simultaneously.

[0034] According to some embodiments of the present invention, each sample silica gel tube 300 contains multiple sample solutions 310. Multiple sample solutions 310 are disposed within a single sample silica gel tube 300, with different sample solutions 310 separated by an oil phase. Different sample solutions 310 can sequentially form droplets 400. Different sample solutions 310 use different fluorescent dyes, allowing for differentiation of different samples based on fluorescence color, thus achieving the function of detecting multiple samples simultaneously. It is understood that in some embodiments, each sample silica gel tube 300 may contain two or more types of sample solutions 310. Multiple sample silica gel tubes 300 are provided, and the sample solutions 310 are different from each other, enabling the simultaneous detection of multiple samples and improving sample detection efficiency.

[0035] According to some embodiments of the present invention, multiple droplet generating ends 130 are provided, and multiple droplet generating ends 130 are connected to multiple sample silicone tubes 300. Each sample silicone tube 300 is provided with a Teflon capillary 320 of different inner diameter. Since multiple sample silicone tubes 300 contain Teflon capillary 320s with different inner diameters of their Teflon capillary 320s, droplets 400 of different sizes can be generated. Different sample liquids 310 can be distinguished based on the different volumes of the droplets 400, achieving the function of detecting multiple samples simultaneously.

[0036] According to some embodiments of the present invention, multiple Teflon capillary tubes 320 are provided, and the multiple Teflon capillary tubes 320 are evenly distributed within the sample silicone tube 300. The multiple Teflon capillary tubes 320, arranged within the sample silicone tube 300, connect the multi-channel receiving tube 100 and the sample silicone tube 300, conveying the sample liquid 310 into the multi-channel receiving tube 100. Specifically, the multiple Teflon capillary tubes 320 evenly distributed within the sample silicone tube 300 can fully utilize the space between the sample silicone tube 300 and the multi-channel receiving tube 100, improving the efficiency of droplet 400 generation. It is understood that, in some embodiments, the multiple Teflon capillary tubes 320 arranged within different sample silicone tubes 300 can be configured with different inner diameters according to the different sample liquids 310. This improves the droplet 400 generation efficiency and throughput, while also distinguishing different sample liquids 310 based on the different volumes of the droplets 400, achieving the function of detecting multiple samples simultaneously.

[0037] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the injection component is configured as an injection pump. The second inlet end 210 is connected to the injection component, the first inlet end 110 is disposed opposite to the first outlet end 120, the second inlet end 210 and the second outlet end 220 are disposed opposite to each other, and the second outlet end 220 is connected to the first inlet end 110. The droplet 400 generating end 130 is disposed between the first inlet end 110 and the first outlet end 120. The injection component is configured as an injection pump, which provides fluid shear force to the droplet generator. The droplet 400 generating end 130 is disposed between the first inlet end 110 and the first outlet end 120. A single power source can provide shear force to multiple droplet 400 generating ends 130 through the injection pump. The structure is simple and can achieve high throughput at low cost.

[0038] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the Teflon capillary 320 and the sample silicone tube 300 are sealed with adhesive. A gap is provided between the Teflon capillary 320 and the sample silicone tube 300, and the adhesive is disposed within the gap between the Teflon capillary 320 and the sample silicone tube 300, which can seal the Teflon capillary 320 and the sample silicone tube 300, so that the aqueous phase can only flow out through the Teflon capillary 320, and finally form droplets 400 under the action of shear force.

[0039] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the Teflon capillary 320 is disposed in close contact with the wall of the sample silicone tube 300. Specifically, the Teflon capillary 320 is disposed inside the sample silicone tube 300, and a seal is formed between the Teflon capillary 320 and the sample silicone tube 300, allowing the aqueous phase to flow out only through the Teflon capillary 320. The aqueous phase flows into the multi-port receiving tube 100 through the Teflon capillary 320, which is in close contact with the wall of the sample silicone tube 300. At the outlet of the Teflon capillary 320, it is subjected to the shear force of the oil phase fluid to form droplets 400, which finally flow out from the first outlet end 120 of the multi-port receiving tube 100.

[0040] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the Teflon capillary 320 is coaxially arranged with the sample silicone tube 300. The Teflon capillary 320 is disposed inside the sample silicone tube 300; specifically, the Teflon capillary 320 and the sample silicone tube 300 are coaxially arranged, and a seal is formed between the Teflon capillary 320 and the sample silicone tube 300, allowing the aqueous phase to flow out only through the Teflon capillary 320. The aqueous phase flows into the multi-port receiving tube 100 through the coaxially arranged Teflon capillary 320, and forms droplets 400 at the outlet of the Teflon capillary 320 under the shear force of the oil phase fluid, finally flowing out from the first outlet end 120 of the multi-port receiving tube 100.

[0041] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the Teflon capillary 320 is eccentrically disposed within the sample silicone tube 300. Specifically, the Teflon capillary 320 is offset from the center of the sample silicone tube 300, and a sealed arrangement is formed between the Teflon capillary 320 and the sample silicone tube 300, allowing the aqueous phase to flow out only through the Teflon capillary 320. The aqueous phase flows into the multi-port receiving tube 100 through the eccentrically disposed Teflon capillary 320, and forms droplets 400 at the outlet of the Teflon capillary 320 under the shear force of the oil phase fluid, finally flowing out from the first outlet end 120 of the multi-port receiving tube 100.

[0042] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-throughput droplet generator, characterized in that it comprises: A multi-channel receiving tube, the multi-channel receiving tube including a first inlet end, a first outlet end and at least two droplet generating ends, the first inlet end and the first outlet end being disposed opposite to each other, and the droplet generating ends being disposed between the first inlet end and the first outlet end; A multi-port delivery tube includes a second inlet end, a second outlet end, and at least two delivery ends. The second inlet end and the second outlet end are arranged opposite to each other. The second outlet end is connected to the first inlet end. An injection component is connected to the second inlet end to provide fluid shear force. The droplet generating end is connected to the delivery end via a sample silicone tube. The sample silicone tube contains a sample liquid and a Teflon capillary. The Teflon capillary and the silicone tube are sealed together. Multiple droplet generating ends are provided, and multiple droplet generating ends are connected to multiple sample silicone tubes. The multiple sample silicone tubes contain multiple different sample liquids.

2. A high-throughput droplet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the sample silicone tubes contains a variety of sample solutions.

3. A high-throughput droplet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The droplet generating end is provided with multiple droplet generating ends, and multiple sample silicone tubes are connected to multiple sample silicone tubes, and the multiple sample silicone tubes are provided with Teflon capillaries of different inner diameters.

4. A high-throughput droplet generator according to any one of claims 1 or 3, characterized in that, The sample contains multiple Teflon capillaries, which are evenly distributed within the sample silicone tube.

5. A high-throughput droplet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The injection component is configured as an injection pump.

6. A high-throughput droplet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Teflon capillary tube and the silicone tube are sealed with adhesive.

7. A high-throughput droplet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Teflon capillary is positioned close to the wall of the sample silicone tube.

8. A high-throughput droplet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Teflon capillary tube is coaxially arranged with the sample silicone tube.

9. A high-throughput droplet generator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Teflon capillary is eccentrically positioned inside the sample silicone tube.

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