Capillary microvalve

• US 20020150512A1
• Filed: 04/08/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tecan Trading AG (Tecan Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Tecan Trading AG (Tecan Group AG)
• Inventors: Mian, Alec, Kellogg, Gregory, Kieffer-Higgins, Stephen G.
• Application Number:
  US10/118,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20020150512A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/103
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/23 Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/31 in conduits or tubes through which the main component flows
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/00 Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71725 using centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71805 using valves, gates, orifices or openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00891 Feeding or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0097 Optical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0806 Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/165 Specific details about hydrophobic, oleophobic surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/14 by plasma treatment plasma tubes per se H01J
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/142 of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: F15C 1/005 : for measurement techniques, e.g. measuring from a distance; for detection devices, e.g. for presence detection; for sorting measured properties (testing); for gyrometers; for analysis; for chromatography fluid information or impulse transducers F15B5/00; postal sorting according to size B07C1/10; dial gauges, spherometers G01B3/22, G01B5/22; gyroscopic apparatus G01C19/00; viscosimeters G01N11/00; speed measurement, flowmeters G01P
• CPC Class Codes: F15C 5/00 : Manufacture of fluid circuit elements; Manufacture of assemblages of such elements integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0074 : using photolithography, e.g. etching
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0078 : using moulding or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0084 : Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0001 : Microvalves microdevices B81B1/00; manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate B81C1/00; microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; micropumps F04B19/006
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0017 : Capillary or surface tension valves, e.g. using electro-wetting or electro-capillarity effects
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0057 : the fluid being the circulating fluid itself, e.g. check valves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/326 : pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00782 : reprogrammmable code
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/07 : Centrifugal type cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44704 : Details; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 : Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/20 : using a sampling valve
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 : Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00069 : whereby the sample substrate is of the bio-disk type, i.e. having the format of an optical disk
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 : Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 : Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/111666 : Utilizing a centrifuge or compartmented rotor

Abstract

The invention provides microvalves for controlling fluid flow from microreservoirs into transfer channels using capillary valving mechanisms. This invention provides microvalving means for use in apparatus useful for performing microanalytic and microsynthetic analyses and procedures, such as microminiaturization of genetic, biochemical and chemical processes related to analysis, synthesis and purification of biological, chemical, environmental and other compounds.

Claims

1. A capillary valve in a fluidic microchannel wherein the microchannel comprises a first portion of an interior wall having a first contact angle with a fluid contained therein and a second portion of the interior wall having a second contact angle with a fluid contained therein, wherein the contact angle in the first portion of the interior wall permits fluid to flow through a section of the microchannel bounded by the first portion of the interior wall when the fluid is propelled through the microchannel at a first pressure but the contact angle in the second portion of the interior wall does not permit fluid to flow through a section of the microchannel bounded by the second portion of the interior wall unless the fluid is propelled through the microchannel at a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure, thereby forming a capillary valve in the microchannel.

2. A capillary valve according to claim 1, wherein fluid is propelled through the microchannel by centripetal force.

3. A capillary valve according to claim 2, wherein the first pressure that does not permit fluid to flow past the capillary valve is increased to the second pressure propelling the fluid through the microchannel that permits fluid to flow past the capillary valve by increasing the speed of rotation of a platform comprising the microchannel.

4. A capillary valve according to claim 1 wherein the second contact angle is greater than 90 degrees.

5. A capillary valve according to claim 1, wherein the first contact angle in the first portion of the interior wall of the microchannel is less than 90 degrees.

6. A capillary valve according to claim 1, wherein the first contact angle in the first portion of the interior wall of the microchannel and the second contact angle are greater than 90 degrees and the second contact angle is greater than the first contact angle.

7. A capillary valve according to claim 1, wherein the first contact angle in the first portion of the interior wall of the microchannel and the second contact angle in the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel differ by treating the interior wall of the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel with a substance that increases the contact angle of said second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel.

8. A capillary valve according to claim 1, wherein the first contact angle in the first portion of the interior wall of the microchannel and the second contact angle in the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel differ due to a difference in the substrate comprising the first and second portions of the interior wall of the microchannel with a substance that increases the contact angle of said second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel.

9. A capillary valve according to claim 1, wherein the first contact angle in the first portion of the interior wall of the microchannel and the second contact angle in the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel differ by a difference in cross-sectional diameter of the first portion of the microchannel and the cross-sectional diameter of the second portion of the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel.

10. A capillary valve according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the interior wall of the microchannel is wettable and the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel is non-wettable.

11. A capillary valve according to claim 1 wherein the fluidic microchannel connects a first and a second fluid reservoir on a microsystems platform.

12. A capillary valve according to claim 11 wherein the first portion of the interior wall of the microchannel is closer to the axis of rotation of the microsystems platform than is the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel.

13. A capillary valve according to claim 1 wherein the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel comprises an annular ring.

14. A capillary valve according to claim 1 wherein the second portion of the interior wall of the microchannel comprises a patch.