Patent ID: 8114289

Claim:
A microfiltration patch comprising: a top porous membrane having top membrane pores extending vertically through the top porous membrane from an upper surface of the top porous membrane to a lower surface of the top porous membrane; a bottom porous membrane having bottom membrane pores extending vertically through the bottom porous membrane from an upper surface of the bottom porous membrane to a lower surface of the bottom porous membrane, wherein several of the bottom membrane pores are distributed in the bottom porous membrane to be horizontally offset from several of the top membrane pores distributed in the top porous membrane; a single gap defined by a planer space between the lower surface of the top porous membrane and the upper surface of the bottom porous membrane, wherein the gap comprises the planar space between a plurality of top membrane pores and a plurality of bottom membrane pores, wherein a gap distance between the lower surface of the top porous membrane and the upper surface of the bottom porous membrane is substantially equal over an area defined by the gap and wherein the gap distance is larger than particles not to be captured by the microfiltration patch and wherein no structures are present in the gap that obstruct a flow of particles from the top membrane pores to the bottom membrane pores; and a perimeter structure surrounding the gap, wherein the perimeter structure couples the top porous membrane to the bottom porous membrane.