Open-field serial to parallel converter

• US 20030124736A1
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences Incorporated (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Caliper Technologies Corp (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bousse, Luc J., Manz, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 7,208,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/180
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0059 Sequential processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00599 Solution-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00657 One-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0403 specific forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0622 distribution valves, valves having multiple inlets and/or outlets, e.g. metering valves, multi-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/08 using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/118339 with formation of a segmented stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 : including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Microfluidic devices and systems for affecting the serial to parallel conversion of materials introduced into the device or system. Material or materials to be converted from a serial orientation, e.g., a single channel, into a parallel orientation, e.g., multiple channels, are introduced into an open chamber or field in which containing flows of materials maintain the cohesiveness of the sample material plugs serially introduced into the open chamber. The sample material or materials are then redirected in the chamber toward and into a plurality of parallel channels that also communicate with the chamber.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a body structure;

a first chamber disposed within the body structure, the chamber having at least two sets of opposing sides;

a first sample introduction channel in fluid communication with the chamber on a first side;

a first plurality of parallel channels in fluid communication with the chamber on a second side that is not opposite to the first side;

a second plurality of channels in fluid communication with the chamber on a third side, the third side being opposite the second side.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the chamber is rectangular.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the chamber and channels have substantially the same depth.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the chamber is between about 1 μ

m and about 200 μ

m deep, and has a length or width from about 200 μ

m to about 1 cm.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of channels comprises at least 5 channels in fluid communication with the chamber along the second side.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of channels comprises at least 5 channels in fluid communication with the chamber on the third side.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of channels comprises at least 10 channels in fluid communication with the chamber along the second side.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of channels comprises at least 10 channels in fluid communication with the chamber on the third side.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of channels comprises at least 20 channels in fluid communication with the chamber along the second side.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of channels comprises at least 20 channels in fluid communication with the chamber on the third side.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second plurality of channels are in fluid communication with the second and third sides of the chamber, whereby each of the second plurality of channels is directly opposite a corresponding channel in the third plurality of channels.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of channels is fluidly connected at one end to a common port and at an opposite end to the chamber.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 12, wherein at least one of the fluidic resistance and the electrical resistance of each of the first plurality of channels between the common port and the camber is substantially equal to the fluidic resistance or electrical resistance of each other of the first plurality of channels between the common port and the chamber.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of channels is fluidly connected at one end to a common port and at an opposite end to the chamber.

15. The microfluidic device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the fluidic resistance and the electrical resistance of each of the second plurality of channels between the common port and the camber is substantially equal to the fluidic resistance or electrical resistance of each other of the second plurality of channels between the common port and the chamber.

16. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a material direction system operably coupled to the microfluidic device, for flowing a sample material from the sample introduction channel, into the chamber, and for directing a flow of a carrier material through the first plurality of channels into the chamber and from the chamber into the third plurality of channels.

17. The microfluidic device of claim 16, wherein the material direction system comprises an electrokinetic material direction system.

18. The microfluidic device of claim 17, wherein the electrokinetic material direction system comprises:

an electrical power source; and

a plurality of electrodes operably coupled to the sample introduction channel the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels, the plurality of electrodes being separately coupled to the electrical power supply.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 16, wherein the material direction system comprises a pressure-based material direction system.

20. The microfluidic device of claim 19, wherein the pressure-based system comprises at least one pressure or vacuum source operably coupled to at least one of the sample introduction channel, the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels.

21. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a separation matrix disposed in at least the second plurality of channels.

22. A method of directing material, comprising:

providing a body having disposed therein an open field chamber having at least first and second sides opposite one another, a first plurality of channels fluidly connected to the first side of the chamber at periodic intervals, and a second plurality of channels fluidly connected to the second side of the chamber at periodic intervals;

introducing a discrete quantity of a sample material into the chamber between the two sides;

directing flow of the material from the chamber into a subset of the second plurality of channels by directing flow of a carrier material from each of the first plurality of channels into the chamber.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of directing flow of material from the first plurality of channels into the chamber further comprises directing flow of the material from the chamber into the second plurality of channels.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of directing the flow of material comprises applying a potential difference between the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels through the chamber.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein at least the second plurality of channels has disposed therein a separation medium, and further comprising separating the discrete quantities of sample material into one or more constituent elements in the second plurality of channels.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of directing the flow of material comprises applying a pressure difference between the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels through the chamber.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the providing step further comprises providing a sample introduction channel in fluid communication with the chamber at a point between the first and second sides, and the introducing step comprises flowing the discrete quantity of material from the sample introduction channel into the chamber between the first and second sides.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the introducing step comprises introducing a plurality of discrete quantities of sample material into the chamber.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the introducing step comprises introducing a plurality of different discrete quantities of sample material into the chamber.