Microfluidic Chamber Fluidic Barriers for Bubble-Free Priming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microfluidic chambers in intraocular devices face challenges in accurately measuring pressure due to the presence of gas bubbles during priming, which can lead to inaccurate pressure readings and ineffective treatment of glaucoma.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating fluidic barriers within the microfluidic chamber that guide the liquid to coincide with the barriers before passing through, ensuring that the liquid fills the chamber volume completely and expels gas bubbles, thereby preventing bubble formation and enhancing measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a microfluidic chamber is used in an intraocular device, then the device can monitor and control intraocular pressure, but gas bubbles may form during priming which causes inaccurate pressure measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber is divided into multiple segments by introducing fluidic barriers (protrusions or recesses) that create distinct flow zones. This segmentation forces the liquid to progress through defined paths, ensuring complete chamber filling and bubble expulsion while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Fluidic barriers are pre-formed within the chamber structure before use. These barriers are designed to automatically guide liquid flow and expel gas bubbles during the priming process, preventing bubble formation before it can interfere with pressure measurements.
2Volume of moving object
If the chamber volume is made small for intraocular implantation, then the device can be implanted in the eye, but it becomes difficult to completely fill and purge gas bubbles during priming
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the small chamber volume with fluidic barriers, the liquid flow is directed through multiple smaller zones rather than one large space. This makes it easier to completely fill the chamber and expel bubbles despite the overall small volume, as each segment can be filled sequentially and completely.
Solution Approach 2:
Fluidic barriers extend in the vertical dimension (protrusions or recesses from the chamber floor), creating three-dimensional flow paths. This adds a dimensional aspect to the priming process, allowing liquid to flow along barrier surfaces and into recesses, ensuring complete filling of the compact chamber volume.
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
This solution ensures more accurate pressure measurements and effective treatment by eliminating gas bubbles during the priming process, leading to better treatment planning and patient outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
one or more fluidic barriers configured such that when a fluid is injected into the chamber, a front of the fluid coincides with each of the one or more fluidic barriers before any of the fluid passes beyond the fluidic barrier
Data Source
AI summary
An intraocular device for implantation in an eye of a patient is provided. The intraocular device includes an inlet tube, an outlet tube, and a microfluidic chamber. The microfluidic chamber includes a chamber inlet coupled to the inlet tube, a chamber outlet coupled to the outlet tube, and one or more fluidic barriers. Each fluidic barrier is configured such that, as a fluid is injected into the microfluidic chamber, a front of the fluid coincides with the fluidic barrier before any of the fluid passes beyond the fluidic barrier. Associated methods are also disclosed herein.