Fluid holding and dispensing micro-feature

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A apparatus for dispensing fluid, the apparatus comprising:
 a chamber having one or more surfaces that define a volume to receive 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, with (i) the top region containing less than or equal to a first threshold concentration of the particulate matter, (ii) the middle region containing between the first threshold concentration of the particulate matter and a second threshold concentration of the particulate matter, and (iii) the bottom region containing greater than or equal to the second threshold concentration of the particulate matter, wherein the first threshold concentration is less than the second threshold concentration; and   an outlet port to dispense at least a portion of the fluid from the chamber in concentrations that are between the first threshold concentration and the second concentration, the outlet port (i) located at a position in the chamber that corresponds to the middle region and (ii) having a normal vector that, when the apparatus is positioned to dispense the fluid, is substantially perpendicular to gravity.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein fluid containing particulate matter comprises whole blood and the particulate matter comprises blood cells. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein, after at least the threshold time period has elapsed since the whole blood is received into the chamber, the:
 the top region contains a plasma supernatant of the whole blood;   the middle region contains pristine blood with blood cell concentrations that are within a threshold range of a blood cell concentration of the whole blood when it is initially received into the chamber; and   the bottom layer contains a packed cell layer that results from sedimentation over the threshold time period.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more inlet ports for the chamber that are configured to receive another fluid that, once received into the chamber, will force the fluid in the middle region of the chamber to be dispensed through the outlet port in the direction that is substantially perpendicular to gravity.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 at least one of the one or more inlet ports is connected to the top region of the chamber, and   the other fluid received through the at least one of the one or more inlet ports is less dense than the fluid containing particulate matter.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 at least one of the one or more inlet ports is connected to bottom region of the chamber, and   the other fluid received through the at least one of the one or more inlet ports is more dense than the fluid containing particulate matter.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the one or more inlet ports include, at least, (i) a first inlet port that is connected to the top region of the chamber and (ii) a second inlet port that is connected to the bottom region of the chamber,   the other fluid includes a first fluid received through the first inlet port that is less dense than the fluid containing particulate matter,   the other fluid additionally includes a second fluid received through the second inlet port that is more dense than the fluid containing particulate matter.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the middle region decreases in size and the top and bottom regions increase in size over time as sedimentation of the particulate matter in the fluid occurs.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the outlet port is positioned along at least one vertical sidewall of the chamber on a plane that corresponds to an average point of convergence between the top region and the bottom region across a range of fluid samples containing the particulate matter. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the apparatus comprises an microfluidic cartridge that includes one or more microfluidic circuits through which the fluid dispensed from the chamber via the outlet port is analyzed, and   the microfluidic cartridge is configured to be inserted into an analyzer device that is configured and programmed to (i) control the fluid being dispensed from the chamber and (ii) analyze the fluid dispensed from the chamber.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the microfluidic cartridge is disposable. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the apparatus comprises an analyzer device that is configured and programmed to (i) control the fluid being dispensed from the chamber and (ii) analyze the fluid dispensed from the chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second outlet port to dispense at least a portion of the fluid from the chamber in concentrations that are between the first threshold concentration and the second concentration, the second outlet port (i) located at a second position in the chamber that corresponds to the middle region and (ii) having a normal vector that, when the apparatus is positioned to dispense the fluid, is substantially perpendicular to gravity.   
     
     
         14 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A system for dispensing fluid, the system comprising:
 a fluidic circuit configured to receive a fluid containing particulate matter;   a chamber having one or more surfaces that define a volume to receive the fluid containing particulate matter from the fluidic circuit, 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, with (i) the top region containing less than or equal to a first threshold concentration of the particulate matter, (ii) the middle region containing between the first threshold concentration of the particulate matter and a second threshold concentration of the particulate matter, and (iii) the bottom region containing greater than or equal to the second threshold concentration of the particulate matter, wherein the first threshold concentration is less than the second threshold concentration; and   a outlet port, positioned along at least one vertical wall of the chamber, configured to receive a portion of the fluid from the chamber in concentrations that are between the first threshold concentration and the second concentration, the outlet port (i) located at a position in the chamber that corresponds to the middle region and (ii) having a normal vector that, when the apparatus is positioned to dispense the fluid, is substantially perpendicular to gravity.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 an analyzer device that is configured and programmed to (i) control the fluid being dispensed from the chamber and (ii) analyze the fluid dispensed from the chamber.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the analyzer device comprises the fluidic circuit, the chamber, and the outlet port. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a cartridge that is configured to be inserted into the analyzer device, wherein the cartridge comprises the fluidic circuit, the chamber, and the outlet port.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a second outlet port, positioned along at least one vertical wall of the chamber, configured to receive a portion of the fluid from the chamber in concentrations that are between the first threshold concentration and the second concentration, the second outlet port (i) located at a position in the chamber that corresponds to the middle region and (ii) having a normal vector that, when the apparatus is positioned to dispense the fluid, is substantially perpendicular to gravity.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber further includes a top end and a bottom end, the top end being part of the top region and the bottom end being part of the bottom region, the bottom end being configured to, at least temporarily, terminate without a fluid connection via an inlet or outlet port. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 an inlet port that is configured to receive the fluid containing particulate matter through a fluid connection at the top end of the chamber.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the outlet port is positioned along and extends from a vertical sidewall of the chamber,   the inlet port is positioned above the outlet port, and   the outlet port is positioned above the bottom end.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the chamber further includes a top end and a bottom end, the top end being part of the top region and the bottom end being part of the bottom region, the bottom end being configured to, at least temporarily, terminate without a fluid connection via an inlet or outlet port. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 an inlet port that is configured to receive the fluid containing particulate matter through a fluid connection at the top end of the chamber.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the outlet port is positioned along and extends from a vertical sidewall of the chamber,   the inlet port is positioned above the outlet port, and   the outlet port is positioned above the bottom end.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the outlet port is positioned along and extends from the at least one vertical wall on a plane that corresponds to an average point of convergence between the top region and the bottom region across a range of fluid samples containing the particulate matter.