Methods and Devices for High Throughput Fluid Delivery

• US 20060258019A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences Incorporated (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences Incorporated (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chow, Andrea W., Parce, J. Wallace, Dubrow, Robert S., Kopf-Sill, Anne R.
• Application Number:
  US11/461,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258019A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/180
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0457 passive flow or gravitation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• 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 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2496 Self-proportioning or correlating systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2499 Mixture condition maintaining or sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2501 Dividing and recombining flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2514 Self-proportioning flow systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2516 Interconnected flow displacement elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Methods and devices for delivering fluids into microfluidic device body structures are described. The methods and devices include the use of fluid manifolds that are integrated or interchangeable with device body structures. Methods of fabricating manifolds are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of distributing at least one fluid to one or more of a plurality of ports disposed in a body structure of a microfluidic device, the method comprising:

loading the at least one fluid into at least a first aperture in a manifold of the microfluidic device, which microfluidic device comprises the manifold and the body structure, wherein the manifold further comprises at least one manifold channel network disposed therein, wherein the first aperture is in fluid communication with one or more manifold channels in the at least one manifold channel network, wherein the first aperture or at least one manifold channel is in fluid communication with the one or more of the plurality of ports, and wherein at least one microchannel network is in fluid communication with the plurality of ports; and

,

flowing the at least one fluid using at least one fluid direction component from the first aperture through the at least one manifold channel network such that the at least one fluid is distributed to the one or more of the plurality of ports disposed in the body structure of the microfluidic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising flowing the at least one fluid in the at least one microchannel network or the manifold channel network using one or more fluid direction component comprising one or more of:

a fluid pressure force modulator, an electrokinetic force modulator, a capillary force modulator, a gravity force modulator, a magnetic force modulator, a dielectrophoretic force modulator, or a fluid wicking element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising flowing the at least one fluid in the manifold channel network using a first gravity force modulator and in the at least one microchannel network using one or more of:

a fluid pressure force modulator, an electrokinetic force modulator, a capillary force modulator, a second gravity force modulator, a magnetic force modulator, a dielectrophoretic force modulator, or a fluid wicking element.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least a second aperture or manifold channel in the manifold, wherein the second aperture or manifold channel is in fluid communication with the first aperture, with the at least one or another manifold channel network, or with the one or more of the plurality of ports, for venting air from the microfluidic device during the loading or the flowing steps.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least a second aperture or manifold channel in the manifold, wherein the second aperture or manifold channel is in fluid communication with the one or more of the plurality of ports, wherein the second aperture or manifold channel comprise at least one bulk viscosity enhancer and at least one electrolyte disposed therein for delivering at least one electrical field to the one or more of the plurality of ports during operation of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising interchanging two or more body structures such that each body structure is sequentially mated to the manifold and flowing the at least one fluid from the manifold to the plurality of ports disposed in each interchanged body structure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one step is automated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one portion of the at least one microchannel network comprises a plurality of parallel microchannels, the method further comprising flowing the at least one fluid from the first aperture into the plurality of parallel microchannels or into one or more ports in fluid communication with the plurality of parallel microchannels.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of parallel microchannels comprise at least about 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, or more parallel microchannels.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising assaying the at least one fluid for one or more detectable properties in each of the plurality of parallel microchannels simultaneously.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting the one or more detectable properties in at least one common detection region of the plurality of parallel microchannels using at least one detector in or proximal to the plurality of parallel microchannels in the at least one common detection region.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting the at least one detectable signal in each of the plurality of parallel microchannels simultaneously in the at least one common detection region.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the loading step further comprises loading the at least one fluid into the first aperture of each of two or more manifolds of the microfluidic device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising mating the body structure sequentially to each of the two or more manifolds and flowing the least one fluid from each of the two or more manifolds to the plurality of ports disposed in the body structure of the microfluidic device.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising interchanging the two or more manifolds such that each manifold is sequentially mated to the body structure and flowing the at least one fluid from each interchanged manifold to the plurality of ports disposed in the body structure of the microfluidic device.

16. The method of claims 15, wherein at least one step is automated.