FLUID HOLDING AND DISPENSING MICRO-FEATURE

摘要

Apparatus, system and method for dispensing a particle-laden fluid from a fluid holding and dispensing micro-feature. In some implementations, the apparatus includes: a chamber having one or more surfaces that define a volume to receive fluid containing particulate matter, and an outlet port to dispense at least a portion of the fluid from the chamber. The outlet port may have a normal vector that, when the apparatus is positioned to dispense the fluid, is substantially perpendicular to gravity. The apparatus may be used to measure a number of individual particles from the fluid that flow through the outlet port over a period of them, measure a total volume of the fluid dispensed through the outlet port over the period of time, and calculate a concentration of the particulate matter within the chamber. In some implementations, the particle-laden fluid may be whole blood.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
injecting a fluid containing particulate matter into a fluidic circuit comprising at least (i) a chamber having one or more surfaces that define a volume to receive the fluid containing particulate matter, wherein the fluid within the chamber includes, at least, a top region, a middle region, and a bottom region that, after at least a threshold time period has elapsed since the fluid is received into the chamber, contain different concentrations of the particulate matter, and (ii) an outlet port located at a position in the chamber that corresponds to the middle region; dispensing a portion of the fluid containing particulate matter from the middle region of the chamber via the outlet port such that the fluid containing particulate matter flows from the chamber and into the outlet port in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to gravity; and stopping, while the top and bottom regions of the chamber still include another portion of the fluid containing particulate matter, the dispensing of the fluid containing particulate matter based on one or more criteria being met.