Patent ID: 9468894
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: B01F,B01L,C12M,G01N

Claim Text:
1. A method for affinity capture of a ligand, comprising: a) admitting a fluid sample comprising said ligand to a first bellows pump through a sample inlet having a microfluidic channel and a valve member, wherein a pump cavity formed by the first bellows pump is bisected in coronal plane by a first elastomeric diaphragm, said first diaphragm dividing said pump cavity of said first bellows pump into a first half-chamber and a second half-chamber; b) adding dehydrated affinity capture beads to said fluid sample wherein said beads have affinity for said ligand; c) closing said valve member; d) pumping said fluid sample and said affinity capture beads back and forth through a flow restricting aperture between said first bellows pump and a second bellows pump, wherein a pump cavity formed by the second bellows pump is bisected in coronal plane by a second elastomeric diaphragm, said second diaphragm dividing said pump cavity of said second bellows pump into a first half-chamber and a second half-chamber and wherein the flow-restricting aperture fluidly interconnects said first half-chamber of said first bellows pump with said first half-chamber of said second bellows pump, and has a depth, width and length such that fluid flow within the flow-restricting aperture is laminar; e) repeating step (d) until said sample and said beads are effectively mixed and said ligand is effectively captured; f) separating said beads and said sample; and g) discharging said sample fluid and retaining said beads.