Sony patents chip that sorts tiny particles into liquid droplets
Sony describes a microchip with tiny channels that sorts specific particles from a liquid stream. It uses pressure changes to pull target particles into a separate channel where they are trapped in a different liquid, creating small droplets called emulsions.
In the filing’s own words
Efficiently generating emulsion particles each containing one fine particle includes collecting fine particles, in which in a fine particle sorting mechanism having a channel structure including a main channel through which the fine particles flow, a collection channel into which particles are collected from among the fine particles, a connection channel that connects the main channel and the collection channel, and a liquid supply channel connected to the connection channel so as to supply a liquid; causing a first liquid containing the fine particles to flow through the main channel; determining whether or not the fine particles flowing through the main channel are the particles to be collected; and collecting the particles to be collected into the collection channel, wherein the particles to be collected are collected into a second liquid that is immiscible with the first liquid in the collection channel while being contained in the first liquid.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method of collecting fine particles, comprising: flowing a first liquid containing fine particles through a main channel of a fine particle sorting mechanism, the fine particle sorting mechanism having a channel structure that includes the main channel, a collection channel, a connection channel that connects the main channel and the collection channel, and a liquid supply channel connected to the connection channel; supplying a second liquid that is immiscible with the first liquid through the liquid supply channel into the connection channel, such that the connection channel contains the second liquid; determining whether or not a fine particle flowing through the main channel is a target particle, the target particle being a fine particle to be collected into the collection channel; and collecting the target particle into the collection channel by generating a pressure fluctuation in the collection channel that draws the target particle, together with a portion of the first liquid surrounding the target particle, from the main channel through the connection channel into the collection channel, wherein the target particle is collected into the second liquid in the collection channel while being contained in the first liquid, whereby an emulsion in which the second liquid is a dispersion medium and the first liquid is a dispersed phase is formed in the collection channel.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (Sony Group Corporation)
- Official title
- METHOD OF COLLECTING FINE PARTICLES, MICROCHIP FOR SORTING FINE PARTICLES, DEVICE FOR COLLECTING FINE PARTICLES, METHOD OF PRODUCING EMULSION, AND EMULSION
- Publication number
- US20260317688A1
- Application number
- 19717657
- Filed
- Jun 24, 2026
- Published
- Oct 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 21
Classified under
C12M 47/04 Chemistry & metalsB01L 3/502761 Operations & transportC12M 23/16 Chemistry & metalsC12M 47/02 Chemistry & metalsC12N 1/02 Chemistry & metalsG01N 15/1459 Physics & computingMore from Sony in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.