Controller/detector interfaces for microfluidic systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrically controlled microfluidic system, comprising:
- a microfluidic device comprising a body structure having an interior portion and at least a first exterior surface, a plurality of intersecting microscale channels disposed in the interior portion of the body structure, and a plurality of ports disposed in the body structure, communicating the exterior surface with the interior portion, each of the ports being in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of intersecting channels;
an electrical control system comprising a plurality of electrical leads, each of the leads being operably coupled to a power source, the electrical control system-concomitantly delivering a voltage to each of the plurality of electrical leads;
an electrical interface array, for separately and removably coupling each of the electrical leads with each of the plurality of ports, whereupon each of the leads is in electrical communication with a fluid disposed in each of the ports.
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Abstract
The present invention is generally directed to improved methods, structures and systems for interfacing microfluidic devices with ancillary systems that are used in conjunction with such devices. These systems typically include control and monitoring systems (620) for controlling the performance of the processes carried out within the device, e.g., monitoring and controlling environmental conditions and monitoring results of the processes performed, e.g., detection.
27 Citations
74 Claims
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1. An electrically controlled microfluidic system, comprising:
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a microfluidic device comprising a body structure having an interior portion and at least a first exterior surface, a plurality of intersecting microscale channels disposed in the interior portion of the body structure, and a plurality of ports disposed in the body structure, communicating the exterior surface with the interior portion, each of the ports being in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of intersecting channels;
an electrical control system comprising a plurality of electrical leads, each of the leads being operably coupled to a power source, the electrical control system-concomitantly delivering a voltage to each of the plurality of electrical leads;
an electrical interface array, for separately and removably coupling each of the electrical leads with each of the plurality of ports, whereupon each of the leads is in electrical communication with a fluid disposed in each of the ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A microfluidic system, comprising:
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a clam shell comprising;
a base having at least one edge and at least an upper surface, the upper surface being adapted for receiving a microfluidic device; and
the cover having at least a lower surface and at least one edge, the edge of the cover being connected to the edge of the base by a hinge, and the lower surface having at least a first electrical interface component; and
a microfluidic device mounted on the upper surface of the base, the microfluidic device comprising a body structure having an exterior surface, an interior portion defining a plurality of microscale channels, and a second electrical interface component disposed on the exterior surface and providing a plurality of separate electrical connections between the second electrical interface component and a plurality of separate points in the plurality of intersecting microscale channels, the second electrical interface component being complementary to the first electrical interface component and oriented to contact the first electrical interface component when the cover is closed over the microfluidic device. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A microfluidic system comprising:
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a base unit having a mounting surface adapted for receiving a microfluidic device, and a first electrical interface array component, the first electrical interface array component providing a plurality of electrical contacts, each of the electrical contacts being separately coupled to a different electrical lead from an electrical controller;
a microfluidic device mounted on the mounting surface, the microfluidic device comprising a body structure having an exterior surface, an interior portion defining a plurality of microscale channels, and a second electrical interface component disposed on the exterior surface and providing a plurality of separate electrical connections between the second electrical interface component and a plurality of separate points in the plurality of intersecting microscale channels, the second electrical interface component being complementary to the first electrical interface component and oriented to contact the first electrical interface component when the microfluidic device is mounted on the mounting surface.
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31. A microfluidic system comprising:
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a microfluidic device comprising a body structure having at least first and second separate channel networks disposed therein, each channel network comprising a plurality of intersecting microscale channels, a first interface component on the body structure capable of delivering energy to the first channel network, and a second interface component on the body structure capable of delivering energy to the second channel network; and
a controller, comprising an energy source and a first surface adapted for mounting the body structure thereon in at least first and second fixed orientations, and including at least a third interface component operably coupled to the energy source, the third interface component being capable of transmitting energy from the energy source to the first interface component when the body structure is mounted on the mounting surface in the first orientation, and from the energy source to the second interface component when the body structure is mounted on the mounting surface in the second orientation. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A microfluidic system comprising:
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a microfluidic device comprising a body structure having at least first and second separate channel networks disposed therein, each channel network comprising a plurality of intersecting microscale channels, a first interface component on the body structure capable of transmitting energy from the first channel network, and a second interface component on the body structure capable of transmitting energy from the second channel network; and
a detection system, comprising an energy detector and a first surface adapted for mounting the body structure thereon in at least first and second fixed orientations, and including at least a third interface component operably coupled to the energy detector, the third interface component being capable of transmitting energy from the first interface component to the detector when the body structure is mounted on the mounting surface in the first orientation, and from the second interface component to the detector when the body structure is mounted on the mounting surface in the second orientation. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. An electrically controlled microfluidic system comprising:
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a microfluidic device having an exterior portion and an interior portion defining a plurality of ports disposed at unintersected termini of a plurality of microscale channels, each port being electrically coupled to a different one of a plurality of electrical contacts on the exterior portion of the microfluidic device;
a power source comprising a plurality of electrical leads, the power source being capable of delivering a different voltage to each of the leads;
an electrical interface component, for reversibly electrically coupling each of the leads to at least one of the plurality of electrical contacts. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An electrode for applying a current to a fluid, the electrode comprising:
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a thickness less than 1500 Å
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at least a first metal component selected from the group of tungsten, palladium, ruthenium, iridium, osmium and rhodium; and
wherein the electrode does not substantially degrade at a metal/fluid interface under applied current densities greater than 10 μ
A/cm2. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An interface for use with a microfluidic device, the microfluidic device having a plurality of intersecting microscale channels and a plurality of ports for receiving fluid, the interface comprising:
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a base for receiving the microfluidic device;
a structure movable relative to the base between a first position and a second position;
a plurality of electrical interface elements a fixed to the structure, the electrical interface elements aligned so that each electrical interface element is electrically coupled to an associated port when the microfluidic device is received by the base and the structure is disposed in the first position. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A microfluidic device comprising:
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a body structure having an interior portion defining a plurality of intersecting microscale channels and a port for receiving fluid, wherein the interior portion blocks fluid communication between the channels and the port; and
an electrical interface component electrically coupling the fluid in the port to the channels, or to a port in fluid communication with the channels. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A microfluidic device comprising:
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a body structure including an upper layer and a bottom layer, the body structure having an interior portion defining first and second intersecting microscale channels, the first channel having an unintersected terminus, the upper later having first and second ports therethrough, the first port disposed at the terminus of the first channel, the interior portion blocking fluid communication between the first port and the second port; and
an electrically conductive film disposed between the first and second layers, the film electrically coupling a first fluid in the first port with a second fluid in the second port, the first fluid being different than the second fluid. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70)
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- 71. The use of an interface to connect a microfluidic device to an electrical controller, the interface having a structure that includes a plurality of fixed electrodes disposed thereon, the electrodes being operably coupled to the electrical controller, the plurality of fixed electrodes being positioned on the structure to be inserted into a plurality of ports on the microfluidic device when the structure is moved from a first position to a second position.
Specification