Patent ID: 8597594
Filing Date: 2013-12-03
Classification: F04B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for fragmenting nucleic acids, the apparatus comprising: a sample reservoir comprising a sample fluid having nucleic acids therein; at least one shear wall positioned within the sample reservoir, the shear wall comprising a porous material having pores that are sized to permit the nucleic acids to flow therethrough; a plurality of chambers, adjacent chambers being separated from each other by a corresponding shear wall and being in fluid communication with each other through the porous material of the corresponding shear wall; and electrodes located within the sample reservoir, the electrodes being configured to generate an electric field, the electrodes being charged according to a predetermined sequence, wherein the nucleic acids are moved through the shear wall(s) according to the predetermined sequence to generate nucleic acid fragments of an approximate size; a power source configured to charge the electrodes; and a processor that operably coupled to the power source, the processor configured to control the power source to selectively charge the electrodes according to the predetermined sequence, wherein the predetermined sequence includes changing a charge of one or more of the electrodes to change the electric field, and wherein the electric field is held for a designated time period in the predetermined sequence to move the nucleic acids in a first direction and then changed for another designated time period to move the nucleic acids in a different second direction.