Patent Application
20250065283
This application claims the benefit of and priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0111649, filed on Aug. 25, 2023, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic chip.
Cosmetics are used for beauty and skin health, and various devices have been proposed to manufacture cosmetics. In particular, a market for customized cosmetics that reflect a user's skin condition and needs is growing, and various devices for manufacturing such customized cosmetics are being proposed.
Further, in order to provide fresh cosmetics to consumers, various attempts are being made to create customized cosmetics on the spot.
As part of these attempts, there was an attempt to manufacture customized cosmetics using a microfluidic chip.
However, in a conventional microfluidic chip, when a fluid is injected into a micro flow path having a complicated design (repetition of twists, intersections, etc.) at different times, or when two or more fluids are used, there was a problem in which flow of the fluid was inhibited by air (air bubbles) on the micro flow path or a problem in which mixing of the fluids was not carried out effectively.
A microfluidic chip according to an embodiment of the present disclosure was proposed to solve the above problem and aims to produce a well-stirred cosmetic content by mixing fluids (e.g., first fluid and mixed raw material M) after removing the air (air bubbles) inside the microfluidic chip.
According to an embodiment, a microfluidic chip including an inlet part 110 in which a first inlet 112 is provided into which a first fluid is injected; and a middle part 120 in which a first flow path 122 is provided in which the first fluid can flow, wherein on the first flow path 122, a raw material storage part 130 is provided for storing a mixed raw material M which can be mixed with the first fluid.
Further, the microfluidic chip may be provided, wherein the raw material storage part 130 may include a side wall 132 surrounding a side of the mixed raw material M and preventing the mixed raw material M from exiting; and a permeable membrane 134 disposed on an upper side of the side wall 132 and surrounding an upper surface of the mixed raw material M, wherein the permeable membrane 134 may selectively permeate the mixed raw material M.
Further, the microfluidic chip may be provided wherein in an upper part of the permeable membrane 134, an upper flow path 1222 may be provided in which the first fluid can flow, wherein the mixed raw material M stored in the raw material storage part 130 may pass through the permeable membrane 134 and is mixed with the first fluid as the first fluid moves to the upper flow path 1222.
Further, the microfluidic chip may be provided wherein the first flow path 122 may include an upper flow path 1222 disposed above the permeable membrane 134, and
Further, the microfluidic chip may be provided wherein the mixed raw material M may provided as a viscous fluid, and when the first fluid passes through the upper flow path 1222 disposed on an upper part of the raw material storage part 130, the mixed raw material M is mixed with the first fluid.
Further, the microfluidic chip may be provided, wherein on the first flow path 122, a mixed fluid may be formed in which the first fluid and the mixed raw material M are mixed, and the microfluidic chip 10 may further include a vortexing part 140 in which a vortex forming flow path 141 configured to promote mixing of the mixed fluid by causing a vortex is provided.
Further, the microfluidic chip may be provided wherein the vortex forming flow path 141 may include a first rotating flow path 1411 which guides the entering mixed fluid to rotate in one direction; a second rotating flow path 1412 which guides the mixed fluid rotating in one direction to rotate in the other direction; and a direction converting flow path 1413 which changes the rotating direction of the mixed fluid between the first rotating flow path 1411 and the second rotating flow path 1412.
Further, the microfluidic chip may be provided wherein the inlet part 110 may further include a second inlet 114 into which a second fluid is injected, and the middle part 120 may further include a second flow path 124 in which the second fluid can flow; and a merging part 129 where the first flow path 122 and the second flow path 124 meet, wherein in the merging part 129 the first fluid, the mixed raw material M, and the second fluid are mixed to create a mixed fluid.
A microfluidic chip according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to mix fluids (first fluid and mixed raw material M) after removing air (air bubbles) inside the microfluidic chip.
Further, it is configured to produce a well-stirred cosmetic content.
Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in describing the present disclosure, the detailed description of known configurations or functions incorporated herein will be omitted if it is deemed that it may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure.
Referring to
The microfluidic chip 10 may further include a vortexing part 140 extending from the middle part 120; and a dispensing part 150 extending from the vortexing part 140.
In the present embodiment, an upper flow path 1222 through which the first fluid can flow may be disposed above the raw material storage part 130 in which a permeable membrane 134 is provided.
This allows the first fluid and the mixed raw material M to be mixed after the first fluid pushes out the air in the upper flow path 1222. In this case, the first fluid and the mixed raw material M are mixed after the air (or air bubbles) in the micro flow path is removed. Therefore, the mixing of the first fluid and the mixed raw material M can be readily carried out.
In the present embodiment, more than one fluid may be injected into the microfluidic chip 10 from outside.
The microfluidic chip 10 of the present embodiment may be understood as a device which creates a cosmetic content by mixing the mixed raw material M pre-stored inside the microfluidic chip 10 and the first fluid (or first fluid, second fluid) injected from outside of the microfluidic chip 10.
In the present embodiment, two types of fluids (first fluid, second fluid) being introduced into the microfluidic chip 10 will be described as an example. However, the idea of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and if only one type (e.g., first fluid) is injected into the microfluidic chip 10, a second inlet 114 and a second flow path 124 connected thereto may not be provided.
In the present embodiment, the mixed raw material M may be provided in a form of a fluid, a powder that dissolves in the first fluid, or a gel state that dissolves in the first fluid. In the present embodiment, the mixed raw material M is provided as a viscous fluid as an example.
In the present embodiment, various cosmetic contents (e.g., emulsion) may be created according to the mixed raw material M pre-stored in the microfluidic chip 10.
In the present embodiment, one type of the mixed raw material M is stored in microfluidic chip 10 as an example.
The microfluidic chip 10 may be provided interchangeably with a cosmetic manufacturing apparatus 1 which will be described later. For example, the microfluidic chip 10 may be provided for sale separately, and different types of cosmetic contents (e.g., emulsion) may be created by using only the microfluidic chip 10 interchangeably.
Further, the mixed raw material M having various ingredients may be stored in the microfluidic chip 10 so that various types of cosmetic contents (e.g., emulsion) may be created according to a user's preference.
In the present disclosure, the cosmetic content may include an emulsion in which at least one of the first fluid, the second fluid, and the mixed raw material M is mixed and emulsified; a lotion in which at least one of the first fluid, the second fluid, and the mixed raw material M is solubilized; and mixed water in which at least one of the first fluid, the second fluid, and the mixed raw material M is simply mixed.
In the present embodiment, the cosmetic content dispensed from microfluidic chip 10 may be a solubilized lotion. For example, the solubilized lotion, a skin lotion, an essence, a perfume, etc. may be included.
In the present embodiment, the cosmetic content dispensed from the microfluidic chip 10 may be the emulsion. In this case, the cosmetic content may include an O/W (Oil in Water) emulsion which is manufactured by uniformly dispersing a hydrophobic fluid such as oil into small particles in a hydrophilic fluid such as water, or a W/O (Water in Oil) emulsion which is manufactured by uniformly dispersing a hydrophilic fluid into small particles in a hydrophobic fluid.
For example, if the cosmetic content is provided as the emulsion, the first fluid may be provided as a hydrophilic fluid, and the mixed raw material M may be provided as a hydrophobic fluid. Alternatively, the first fluid may be provided as the hydrophobic fluid, and the mixed raw material M may be provided as the hydrophilic fluid.
The microfluidic chip 10 of the present embodiment may be understood as a configuration in which a micro flow path is formed inside a plate P which is provided in a flat plate shape.
Here, the micro flow path may include a first injection flow path 113, and a second inlet 114 formed in the inlet part 110; a first flow path 122 formed in the middle part 120; a vortex forming flow path 141 formed in the vortexing part 140; and a discharge flow path 151 formed in the dispensing part 150.
A cross-section of the micro flow path formed inside the microfluidic chip 10 may be circular or rectangular. A diameter of the micro flow path may be 0.5 mm to 1 mm, preferably 0.6 mm to 0.8 mm.
As such, by forming the micro flow path inside the microfluidic chip 10, the efficiency of mixing or emulsifying fluids may be increased by increasing the flow rate of the fluid flowing along the micro flow path.
Meanwhile, in the present embodiment, the micro flow paths formed in the microfluidic chip 10 may form a monolayer passage. Here, the monolayer passage may be understood as the micro flow path being disposed on a same plane (xy-plane).
Hereinafter, introduction of two types of fluids (first fluid and second fluid) into the microfluidic chip 10 will be explained as an example.
The microfluidic chip 10 may include the inlet part 110, the middle part 120, the vortexing part 140, and the dispensing part 150.
The inlet part 110 may include the first inlet 112 into which the first fluid is injected; and the second inlet 114 into which the second fluid is injected.
Here, the first fluid and the second fluid may be provided as different types of fluids. However, the idea of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the first fluid and second fluid may be provided as a same type of fluid.
The inlet part 110 may include the first injection flow path 113 extending from the first inlet 112; and a second injection flow path 115 extending from the second inlet 114.
The first injection flow path 113 of the inlet part 110 may be connected to the first flow path 122 of the middle part 120, and the second injection flow path 115 of the inlet part 110 may be connected to the second flow path 124 of the middle part 120.
The middle part 120 may include the first flow path 122 in which the first fluid may flow.
On the first flow path 122, the raw material storage part 130 may be provided which stores the mixed raw material M. Here, as the first fluid passes through the first flow path 122, the mixed raw material M and the first fluid may be mixed.
Specifically, the raw material storage part 130 provided on the first flow path 122 of the middle part 120 may include a side wall 132 surrounding a side of the mixed raw material M and preventing the mixed raw material M from exiting; and a permeable membrane 134 which is disposed on an upper side of the side wall 132 and surrounds an upper surface of the mixed raw material M.
Here, the permeable membrane 134 may selectively permeate the mixed raw material M.
An upper flow path 1222 may be disposed at a relatively higher side than the raw material storage part 130,
As the first fluid passes through the upper side of the permeable membrane 134, the mixed raw material M may pass through the permeable membrane 134 and be mixed with the first fluid by the viscosity of the first fluid.
The upper flow path 1222 in which the first fluid may flow may be provided above the permeable membrane 134. Accordingly, the first fluid and the mixed raw material M may be mixed after air in the upper flow path 1222 exits.
The raw material storage part 130 may be disposed on a passage of the first flow path 122 in which the first fluid passes.
The first flow path 122 may be understood as a flow path with a level difference created by the raw material storage part 130.
Specifically, diameter of the first flow path 122 in which the raw material storage portion 130 is not disposed may be provided to be larger than a diameter of the first flow path 122 in which the raw material storage portion 130 is disposed (specifically, a diameter D1 of the upper flow path 1222).
While the first fluid moves through the upper flow path 1222, the first fluid may push out the air (air bubbles) in the upper flow path 1222 and then be mixed with the mixed raw material M stored in the raw material storage part 130. At this time, the mixed raw material M may permeate the permeable membrane 134 and be mixed with the first fluid.
In the present embodiment, if the mixed raw material M is provided as a fluid, viscosity of the mixed raw material M may be provided to be less than viscosity of the first fluid.
In this case, the mixed raw material M provided as a fluid is disposed on a lower side than the first fluid, and the first fluid may flow while rubbing against the upper part of the mixed raw material M. Accordingly, the mixed raw material M may be gradually mixed with the first fluid which has a relatively low viscosity.
Further, when the first fluid passes through the upper flow path 1222 disposed on the upper part of the raw material storage part 130, the mixed raw material M may be mixed with the first fluid.
Further, the first flow path 122 may include the upper flow path 1222 disposed above the permeable membrane 134.
At this time, the diameter D1 of the upper flow path 1222 may be provided to be smaller than average diameter of the first flow path 122.
Further, a side flow path 1224 may be provided on a side of the side wall 132, through which the first fluid may pass. In this case, the first fluid may flow along the upper flow path 1222 and the side flow path 1224.
The side wall 132 may be provided to have a predetermined height extending from a lower plate to an upper part. The plate P may include an upper plate disposed on the upper part of the micro flow path and the lower plate disposed on the lower part of the micro flow path.
The side wall 132 may include a front side wall disposed at a portion where the first fluid is introduced, and a rear side wall disposed at a portion where the first fluid exits.
The front side wall and the rear side may be disposed perpendicular to the plate P (refer to
However, the spirit of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the side wall 132 may include the front side wall disposed at the portion where the first fluid is introduced and the rear side wall disposed at the portion where the first fluid exits, and the front side wall may be provided inclined at a predetermined angle in the direction in which the first fluid flows.
Further, in the middle part 120, the second flow path 124 may be provided through which the second fluid injected from the second inlet 114 may flow.
In the present embodiment, the raw material storage part is illustrated to be not provided on the second flow path 124, but the above-described raw material storage part 130 may also be provided on the second flow path 124. In this case, the raw material storage part provided on the second flow path 124 may be provided with a raw material that may be mixed with the second fluid as a raw material different from the above-described mixed raw material M.
In the middle part 120, a mixed fluid may be created as the first fluid and the mixed raw material M are mixed.
Further, the middle part 120 may include a merging part 129 where the mixed fluid and the second fluid meet.
The second flow path 124 and the first flow path 122 may be connected in the merging part 129.
An average diameter of the second flow path 124 may be provided to be smaller than the average diameter of the first flow path 122.
In this case, the first fluid and the mixed raw material M may be more easily mixed by the flow rate of the second fluid introduced into the merging part 129.
In the present embodiment, when the first fluid is introduced into the microfluidic chip 10, the mixed fluid may be understood as a fluid that is a mixture of the first fluid and the mixed raw material M. Further, when the first fluid and second fluid are introduced into the microfluidic chip 10, the mixed fluid may be understood as a fluid that is a mixture of the first fluid, the second fluid, and the mixed raw material M.
The middle part 120 may include the second flow path 124 through which the second fluid may flow; and the merging part 129 where the first flow path 122 and the second flow path 124 may meet.
In the merging part 129, the first fluid, the mixed raw material M, and the second fluid may be mixed to create a mixed fluid.
The vortexing part 140 may include the vortex forming flow path 141 which may promote mixing of the mixed fluid by creating a vortex. Here, the vortex forming flow path 141 may extend from the merging part 129.
The vortexing part 140 may include a plurality of the vortex forming flow paths 141 that generates a vortex by changing a direction of flow of the fluid (or mixed fluid).
For example, if the cosmetic content is provided as an emulsion, the mixed fluid may be broken into particles by the vortex generated in the vortex forming flow path 141, and an emulsion including emulsified particles may be generated whose size gradually decreases as they travel downstream. For example, emulsified particles flowing through a second area A2 of the vortexing part 140 may be provided to be smaller than emulsified particles flowing through a first area A1.
Here, emulsification may be understood as a technique of dispersing one of two immiscible fluids, such as water and oil, into small particles and disposing them in a stable state within the other liquid.
The vortex forming flow path 141 may be formed continuously in plural from the vortexing part 140 to the first area A1.
Further, the vortex forming flow path 141 may be formed continuously in plural in the second area A2 disposed at downstream of the first area A1.
Here, the downstream may be understood as a position disposed relatively behind with respect to the direction in which the first fluid flows. For example, the vortex forming flow path 141 described later may be understood as a configuration disposed at downstream of the first injection flow path 113.
On the contrary, upstream may be understood as a position disposed relatively forward with respect to the direction in which the first fluid flows. For example, the first injection flow path 113 may be understood as a configuration disposed at the upstream of the vortex forming flow path 141.
The vortex forming flow path 141 formed in the first area A1 and the vortex forming flow path 141 formed in the second area A2 may be connected through a connection flow path 142, and the connection flow path 142 may be formed as a straight line shaped micro flow path.
In the present embodiment, the vortex forming flow path 141 will be described to be configured to rotate an entering fluid in one direction (clockwise in the present embodiment) and then rotate it in the other direction (counterclockwise in the present embodiment) as an example.
Specifically, each vortex forming flow path 141 may include a first rotating flow path 1411 which guides the entering mixed fluid to rotate in one direction; a second rotating flow path 1412 which guides the mixed fluid rotating in one direction to rotate in the other direction; and a direction converting flow path 1413 which changes the rotating direction of the mixed fluid between the first rotating flow path 1411 and the second rotating flow path 1412.
If the cosmetic content is provided as an emulsion, then an emulsion may be formed in which a dispersed-phase fluid broken into small particles by passing through the vortex forming flow path 141 is stably present in an external-phase fluid.
The dispensing part 150 may extend from the vortexing part 140.
The dispensing part 150 may include the discharge flow path 151 extending from the vortex forming flow path 141 of the vortexing part 140; and a discharge hole 152 from which generated cosmetic content is dispensed.
The discharge flow path 151 may be formed in a shape bent by a preset angle (e.g., 90 degrees) from the connection flow path 142 and then extended in one direction.
The discharge flow path 151 extends in a direction from the vortex forming flow path 141 to the discharge hole 152 and may include a portion having an increasing width.
Referring to
Here, the microfluidic chip 10 may be provided interchangeably with the body 300.
The fluid storage part 200 may include a first storage part 210 which stores the first fluid; and a second storage part 220 which stores the second fluid. Capacities of the first storage part 210 and the second storage part 220 may be the capacities in which the first fluid and the second fluid are dispensed in a single operation, respectively. However, the idea of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the capacities of the first storage part 210 and the second storage part 220 may be provided as capacities in which the first fluid and the second fluid are dispensed through multiple operations, respectively.
Further, the first storage part 210 and the second storage part 220 may be provided interchangeably with the body 300.
The body 300 may include a first body 310 in which a first insertion hole (not shown) is formed which provides a space for insertion of the microfluidic chip 10; and a second body 320 to which a second insertion hole 230 is formed which provides a space for insertion of the fluid storage part 200.
In the present embodiment, the first body 310 and the second body 320 are described separately, but the first body 310 and the second body 320 may be a single member formed integrally.
On one side of the body 300, an operation button 330 may be provided to execute an operation for generating a cosmetic content.
When the operation button 330 is pressed, the fluid stored in the fluid storage part 200 is moved to the microfluidic chip 10 and then mixed and emulsified with the mixed raw material M pre-stored in the microfluidic chip 10 to generate a cosmetic content (e.g., emulsion), which may be dispensed to the outside of the microfluidic chip 10.
Further, in the first insertion hole of the body 300, a recognition part (not shown) configured to recognize types of the microfluidic chip 10 may be provided.
When the type of the microfluidic chip 10 is recognized by the recognition part (not shown), a driving part (not shown) controlled by a control part (not shown) may apply a pressure corresponding to the type of the microfluidic chip 10 to the micro flow path of the microfluidic chip 10.
Additionally, the above-described microfluidic chip 10 may be provided separably from the body 300.
The microfluidic chip 10 may accommodate the first fluid from the first storage part 210 and the second fluid from the second storage part 220.
Hereinafter, an operation process of the cosmetic manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described.
An operation process of the cosmetic manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment may include inserting a microfluidic chip 10 into a body 300; recognizing types of the microfluidic chip 10 by a recognition part (not shown); creating a mixed fluid by a first fluid pushing air on a micro flow path, and the first fluid and a mixed raw material M are mixed, as a preset pressure according to types of the microfluidic chip 10 is applied on the micro flow path of the microfluidic chip 10 by a driving unit; and creating a cosmetic content as the mixed fluid travels along a vortex forming flow path 141 formed in a vortexing part 140; and discharging the cosmetic content to the outside of the microfluidic chip 10.
The cosmetic content discharged to the outside of the microfluidic chip 10 may be contained in a cosmetic container 500 disposed at a lower part of a discharge hole 152.
Although the microfluidic chip and the cosmetic manufacturing apparatus including the same according to an embodiment of the present disclosure have been described as specific embodiments, they are only examples, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and should be interpreted as having the widest range according to the basic idea disclosed in this specification. A person of ordinary skill in the art may combine and substitute any of the disclosed embodiments to practice embodiments not shown, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure to scope of right. In addition, it is apparent that a person of ordinary skill in the art can be readily changed or modified to facilitate the embodiments disclosed herein, and that such changes or modifications also fall within the scope of the present disclosure to scope of right.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0111649 | Aug 2023 | KR | national |
