Apparatus and methods for microfluidic applications

• US 20050089449A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lab901 Limited (Agilent Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Polwart, Stuart, Ghazal, Peter, Fearnley, Joel, Roy, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,124,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00495 Means for heating or cooling the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00518 in the shape of tapes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0074 Biological products
• 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 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0812 Bands; Tapes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/18 Means for temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0457 passive flow or gravitation
• 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 3/505 : flexible containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/007 : Using fluid under pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/00 : Shaping by thermoforming , i.e. shaping sheets or sheet like preforms after heating, e.g. shaping sheets in matched moulds or by deep-drawing; Apparatus therefor blow moulding of tubular preforms B29C49/00, deforming of tubular or hollow preforms B29C67/0014
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 : Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44704 : Details; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44782 : of a plurality of samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 : Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00009 : provided with a sample supporting tape, e.g. with absorbent zones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1002 : with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 : Fluidic or fluid actuated device making

Abstract

Non-rigid tape apparatus and fabrication methods for microfluidic processing applications such as gel electrophoresis are provided, where microfluidic processing is performed on selected areas. Parts of the tape are formed by high pressure plastic film forming. Membranes and other structures are self sealing during and after penetration by pipettes and electrical probes. Rigid exoskeleton elements protect the non-rigid parts during processing and facilitate transport of the tape.

Claims

1. A microfluidic processing apparatus, the apparatus comprising a layer of deformable tape containing at least one microfluidic processing area having at least one processing element formed by deformation of the layer of deformable tape.

2. The inicrofluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deformable tape further comprises one or more surface coating layers on the processing side thereof.

3. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 2 wherein the surface coating layers are confined to local areas of the deformable tape.

4. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microfluidic processing area comprises at least one channel.

5. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deformable tape is constructed from a polymer.

6. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deformable tape is a thin polymer membrane of thickness between 10 μ

m and 100 μ

m.

7. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one conducting element is provided to connect the exterior of said apparatus to the interior of said apparatus.

8. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 7 wherein the conducting element is a conductive layer.

9. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 7 wherein the conductive layer is penetrable.

10. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deformable tape is penetrable.

11. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 7 wherein the penetrable deformable tape is impermeable.

12. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cover seal membrane to protect the deformable tape.

13. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a carrier layer to protect the deformable tape from mechanical stress.

14. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 12 wherein the deformable tape is positioned between the carrier layer and the cover seal membrane.

15. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 12 wherein the cover seal membrane is a single layer.

16. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deformable tape is deformed using high-pressure thermoforming.

17. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein an indexing pattern is provided to track the position of the apparatus during movement.

18. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indexing pattern is a pattern on the surface of the tape.

19. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 17 wherein the indexing pattern is embedded within the tape.

20. The microfluidic processing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said microfluidic processing area has a plurality of microfluidic processing elements which are opaque, translucent or coloured to provide optical isolation between elements for processing.

21. A method of forming microfluidic processing apparatus comprising the steps of deforming a tape using a high pressure thin plastic film thermoforming technique to create at least one microfluidic processing area having at least one processing element from the deformed tape.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the tape is part of a deforming tool.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein at least one processing material is loaded onto the tape before fabrication.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of fixing an impermeable membrane to at least part of the tape.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising contacting at least one set of electrical contacts across the exterior of the microfluidic processing area.