APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HEATING MICROFLUIDIC VOLUMES AND MOVING FLUIDS

• US 20060191887A1
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Molecular Devices
• Original Assignee: Molecular Devices
• Inventors: Baer, Thomas M., Reamey, Robert H., Smith, Thomas L.
• Application Number:
  US11/277,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20060191887A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/219
• 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 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00873 Heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0095 Control aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00959 Flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00961 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0442 thermal energy, e.g. vaporisation, bubble jet
• 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 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/02 Heaters using heating elements having a positive temperature coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/10 Heating elements characterised by the composition or nature of the materials or by the arrangement of the conductor

Abstract

A device and method for the temperature control, concentration, volume measurement and transport of microfluidic volumes are provided. The device includes one or more heating elements having a resistive material that varies with temperature. The heating elements are formed into a laminar body that may be formed into a variety of geometries and/or easily married to a second body including micro-well plates, micro-centrifuge tubes and microfluidic circuits.

Claims

1. A method for concentrating and measuring microfluidic volumes comprising the steps of:

providing a laminar body comprising;

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface;

at least one heating element disposed on the first surface;

the heating element comprising;

a conductive layer patterned into at least two electrodes in spaced relation to each other;

a resistive layer comprising a resistive material having a resistance temperature coefficient such that resistance changes with temperature;

the resistive layer being disposed between the electrodes to permit current to flow through the resistive material between the electrodes; and

at least one fluid-receiving location corresponding to the location of the at least one heating element wherein the heating element is in thermal communication with the fluid-receiving location;

placing a volume of fluid at the fluid-receiving location;

providing an electronics component having at least signal detection circuitry and control circuitry connected to the at least one heating element;

applying a voltage across the at least one heating element;

obtaining at least one electrical information from at least one of the heating elements;

the electrical information being a function of the variable resistance of the resistive material;

monitoring the electrical information of the at least one heating element;

controlling the at least one heating element based on the electrical information calibrated to correspond to a known fluid volume or temperature; and

determining the fluid volume or temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of monitoring the electrical information includes monitoring the electrical information of one or more of the heating elements.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the volume of fluid includes calculating the fluid volume as a function of the resistance of the at least one heating element.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

positioning the at least one heating element along a surface of the fluid-receiving location at locations corresponding to known graduations of one or more fluid volumes;

determining the level of the fluid based on at least one electrical information of the at least one heating element.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the step of evaporating the fluid volume.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of monitoring an electrical information includes monitoring the voltage or current across the at least one heating element.