Microfluidic devices and systems incorporating cover layers

• US 20040228770A1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences Incorporated (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences Incorporated (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gandhi, Khushroo, Tong, Gilbert T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,497,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/102
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/16 Surface properties and coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary 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 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4845 Radiation curing adhesives, e.g. UV light curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4895 Solvent bonding, i.e. the surfaces of the parts to be joined being treated with solvents, swelling or softening agents, without adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/322 Providing cavities in the joined article to collect the burr
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/723 being multi-layered B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72321 : consisting of metals or their alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72325 : Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72326 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/18 : Polymers of hydrocarbons having four or more carbon atoms, e.g. polymers of butylene, e.g. PB, i.e. polybutylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/38 : Polymers of cycloalkenes, e.g. norbornene or cyclopentene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 : PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/16 : PVDF, i.e. polyvinylidene fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/18 : PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene , e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 : Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 : ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 : Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/06 : PSU, i.e. polysulfones; PES, i.e. polyethersulfones or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 : Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/756 : Microarticles, nanoarticles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00148 : Test cards, e.g. Biomerieux or McDonnel multiwell test cards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 : Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 : including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25625 : Dilution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The present invention provides microfluidic devices that comprise a body structure comprising at least a first microscale channel network disposed therein. The body structure has a plurality of ports or wells disposed in the body structure, where each port is in fluid communication with one or more channels in the first channel network. The devices also include a cover layer comprising a plurality of apertures disposed through the cover layer. The cover layer is mated with the body structure whereby each of the apertures is aligned with a separate one of the plurality of ports. First and second rings are preferentially disposed between the cover layer and the body structure and located circumferentially around each of the apertures of the cover layer. An annular groove is also preferentially disposed between the ring structures to help further minimize the leakage of adhesive or other bonding material into the ports or wells of the device when the cover layer is mated to the body structure.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a body structure comprising at least a first microscale channel network disposed therein, the body structure having a plurality of ports disposed in the body structure in fluid communication with the first microscale channel network; and

,

a cover layer comprising a plurality of apertures disposed through the cover layer and at least first and second annular rings arranged circumferentially around each of the apertures and extending downwardly from a lower surface of the cover layer, the cover layer being mated with the body structure whereby each of the apertures is aligned with at least one of the plurality of ports.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising an annular groove which extends circumferentially around each of the plurality of apertures of the cover layer and is disposed between the first and second annular rings.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second annular rings have a width of between about 0.2 and 0.7 mm.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second annular rings have a width of between about 0.4 and 0.5 mm.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 2, wherein each of the annular grooves have a width of between about 0.2 and 0.8 mm.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each of the annular grooves have a depth of between about 0.3 and 0.5 mm.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the cover layer is bonded to the body structure with an adhesive.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the adhesive is a UV curable adhesive.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the cover layer is an injection molded polymeric part.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the cover layer is a cast polymer part.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the body structure comprises first and second planar substrates which comprise silica based substrates.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 11, wherein the silica based substrates are made from glass.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the body structure comprises first and second substrates made from a polymeric material.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 13, wherein the polymeric substrate is selected from polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylchloride (PVC), polycycloolefin, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polysulfone, polystyrene, polymethylpentene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinylidine fluoride and ABS.