Patent ID: 7735652

Claim:
A continuous flow fluidic particle separation device, comprising: a sample input; a carrier fluid input; a plurality of separation areas in fluid connection with the sample input, each separation area configured and adapted to separate particles having a size equal to or greater than a critical size from particles having a size less than the critical size in a flow of a heterogeneous fluid sample through each separation area, the flow having a flow direction, wherein the critical size for each separation area is different, and wherein particles having a size less than the critical size for a separation area and particles having at least the critical size for the separation area move in different directions in the separation area, the particles having a size less than the critical size moving with the flow direction of the fluid sample, and the particles having at least the critical size moving at an angle to the flow direction of the fluid sample; at least one non-clogging pathway in fluid connection with the carrier fluid input, configured and adapted to accept separated particles from at least one of the separation areas into a flow of the carrier fluid in the non-clogging pathway; a sample output in fluid connection with the separation areas; and at least one alternate output in fluid connection with the non-clogging pathway, wherein when a heterogeneous fluid sample containing particles to be separated by size is introduced into the device through the sample input, and a carrier fluid is introduced into the device through the carrier fluid input; the fluid sample passes through the separation areas; the carrier fluid passes through the non-clogging pathway in contact with the fluid sample in the separation areas; no mixing other than diffusion occurs between the liquids; and particles having at least the critical size separated in each of the separation areas pass into the carrier fluid.