Patent ID: 7247274

Claim:
A microfluidic device which is structurally configured to reduce precipitate blockage in a microchannel of the device, comprising: a) a first microchannel comprising a first region upstream of one or more second region, which second region is upstream of one or more third region, which second region comprises a greater cross-sectional area than the first region or the third region; b) at least a second microchannel, which second microchannel fluidly intersects with the second region of the first microchannel; c) a source of a first fluidic material, which source is fluidly coupled to the first microchannel; d) a source of a second fluidic material, which source is fluidly coupled to the second microchannel, wherein the first and second fluidic materials form a precipitate when mixed; e) a fluid direction system which, during operation of the device, controllably moves the first fluidic material through the first microchannel and the second fluidic material through the second microchannel into the second region of the first microchannel thereby forming a mixture and a precipitate in the second region of the first microchannel which precipitate is present at a concentration which does not inhibit flow of the mixture into the third region of the microchannel.