Gas-Driven Microchannel Chip Mixing Without Anticoagulant Tanks

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional microchannel chips require a supply tank for anticoagulants, increasing costs and complexity, and direct human contact may cause health risks.

Innovation Solution

A microchannel chip design that uses a gas inlet to push liquids through channels without anticoagulants, merging them rapidly for accurate analysis with a simple structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a supply tank for anticoagulant is attached to the microchannel chip, then the specimen can be supplied and reacted rapidly without coagulation, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespecimen supply reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the anticoagulant supply tank and related components from the microchannel chip system. By removing this external anticoagulant supply mechanism, the device complexity is reduced while maintaining reliable specimen supply through alternative means (the microchannel structure itself prevents coagulation through controlled flow paths)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The microchannel chip is designed to prevent specimen coagulation through its own structural characteristics rather than requiring external anticoagulant supply. The channel geometry and flow control features enable the system to self-regulate specimen flow and prevent coagulation without additional components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If a supply tank for anticoagulant is attached to the microchannel chip, then the specimen can be supplied and reacted rapidly without coagulation, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespecimen supply reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the anticoagulant supply tank and related components, thereby eliminating the manufacturing costs associated with producing, assembling, and maintaining these additional parts. The simplified structure reduces material costs and assembly complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Volume of moving object

If the microchannel chip structure is simplified for size reduction, then the device becomes more compact, but the specimen supply speed may be reduced causing drying or coagulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidspecimen supply speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The microchannel chip employs local quality optimization by designing specific channel geometries with appropriate dimensions, curvature radii, and cross-sectional areas in critical regions. This enables rapid specimen supply in compact spaces by optimizing flow characteristics locally where needed most, preventing coagulation without requiring large device volume

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes three-dimensional channel configurations and vertical layering of channels to achieve rapid specimen supply within a compact footprint. By utilizing the vertical dimension and creating multi-layer channel structures, the device maintains high flow efficiency while minimizing overall device volume

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Reliability

If compound or antibody is used as anticoagulant on the microchannel chip, then blood anticoagulation reaction is achieved, but health damage risk increases when human body contacts the chip

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanticoagulation effectivenessVSAvoidhealth damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the potential harm of chemical anticoagulants into a benefit by using the physical structure of the microchannel itself to prevent coagulation. The channel geometry and flow dynamics create conditions that naturally prevent thrombus formation without requiring contact with potentially harmful chemicals, thus protecting user health while maintaining anticoagulation effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables rapid liquid supply and reaction without anticoagulants, reducing costs and health risks while ensuring accurate analysis.

Implementation Method 1

gas is supplied to the first channel and pushes out the first liquid downstream from the first liquid holder

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas pressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS12420281B2Microchannel chip

Publication Date: 2025.09.23 SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO LTD

AI summary

A microchannel chip (1) includes: a first channel (201); a reagent holder (230); a gas inlet (210) communicating with the first channel; a lid (50) closing the gas inlet; and a second channel (202) provided downstream of the first channel. A specimen holder (240) is provided downstream of the reagent holder (230). When the lid (50) closes the gas inlet (210), gas is supplied to the first channel (201) and pushes out the reagent downstream from the reagent holder (230). Thus, the pushed-out reagent merges with a specimen in the second channel (202).