Payload Delivery Cartridge with Parallel Microfluidic Branches
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing constriction cartridges for intracellular payload delivery suffer from non-optimal geometric configurations, insufficient throughput, susceptibility to clogging or failure, and inefficient manufacturing, with inadequate capacity for constriction-containing elements.
Innovation Solution
A cartridge design featuring parallel branch channels oriented perpendicular to input and output channels, with removable covers and o-rings for secure element placement, allowing for improved throughput and resistance to clogging, and efficient manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple constriction-containing elements are housed in the cartridge, then the payload delivery capacity and throughput are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is divided into a modular structure with a cartridge body, removable cover, and multiple discrete constriction-containing elements (chips or filters). Each element can be independently housed, removed, and replaced. The branch channels are segmented to individually connect to each constriction-containing element, allowing parallel processing of cell suspension through multiple elements simultaneously, thereby increasing throughput while maintaining manageable complexity through standardization.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge design incorporates universal features including a standardized removable cover that secures multiple types of constriction-containing elements, a unified input channel that distributes flow to all branch channels, and a common output channel that collects from all branch channels. This universal structure allows the same cartridge framework to accommodate varying numbers and types of constriction-containing elements, enabling scalable throughput without redesigning the entire system.
2Productivity
If parallel branch channels are used to increase throughput, then the fluid flow capacity is improved, but the susceptibility to clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented into multiple independent parallel branch channels, each connecting to a separate constriction-containing element. This segmentation ensures that if one channel or element becomes clogged, the other channels remain functional and can continue to process cell suspension. The modular structure allows individual channels to be isolated or replaced without affecting the entire system, maintaining reliability while achieving high throughput through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables dynamic control of flow distribution across parallel branch channels by adjusting flow rate parameters and pressure gradients. By optimizing the flow parameters entering each branch channel, the system can prevent conditions that lead to clogging while maintaining high overall throughput. The ability to modify operational parameters allows adaptation to different cell suspension characteristics and clogging tendencies.
3Ease of operation
If constriction-containing elements are made easily replaceable, then the ease of operation and maintenance are improved, but the manufacturing precision and sealing reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge employs a segmented design with a removable cover that separates the constriction-containing elements from the main cartridge body. This segmentation allows elements to be independently accessed, removed, and replaced without disassembling the entire cartridge. The cover acts as a modular interface that simplifies maintenance operations while maintaining manufacturing precision through standardized connection geometries and sealing surfaces designed for repeated assembly and disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge incorporates pre-designed alignment features, positioning structures, and sealing mechanisms that are built into the cartridge body and cover during manufacturing. These preliminary actions ensure that when constriction-containing elements are installed, they automatically achieve proper alignment and sealing without requiring complex manual adjustment procedures. The pre-configured structural features maintain manufacturing precision while enabling easy element replacement by the user.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
A cartridge for delivering a payload to cells of a cell suspension is provided, wherein the cartridge comprises an input channel that delivers the cell suspension to a first plurality of branch channels, and wherein the first plurality of branch channels each deliver the cell suspension into a respective one or a plurality of microfluidic chips or filters. Cell suspension exiting a microfluidic chip or filter flows into a respective one of a second plurality of branch channels, and is then delivered to an output channel by which it exits the cartridge. The cartridge may comprise a plurality of removable covers that hold the chips or filters in place against a body of the cartridge in which the input channel, output channel, and branch channels are formed.