Microfluidic system including a virtual wall fluid interface port for interfacing fluids with the microfluidic system

• US 20060263264A1
• Filed: 07/13/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cytonome/St, Llc (Cytonome Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cytonome Inc.
• Inventors: Bohm, Sebastian, Gilbert, John
• Application Number:
  US11/486,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20060263264A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 57/02 by electrophoresis treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge by electrophoresis C02F1/469; electrophoretic production of compounds or non-metals C25B7/00; investigating or analysing materials by using electrophoresis G01N27/26
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• 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 2219/00371 comprising electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00831 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00837 comprising coatings other than catalytically active coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00869 Microreactors placed in parallel, on the same or on different supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00889 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00891 Feeding or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00905 Separation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0421 electrophoretic flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0439 ultrasonic vibrations, vibrating piezo elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0244 using pins
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 : characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502792 : for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/00 : Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms measuring or testing apparatus with condition measuring or sensing means, e.g. colony counters, C12M1/34; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1037 : Using surface tension, e.g. pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/447 : using electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44743 : Introducing samples
• 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: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/117497 : with a continuously flowing sample or carrier stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/118339 : with formation of a segmented stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A fluid interface port in a microfluidic system and a method of forming the fluid interface port is provided. The fluid interface port comprises an opening formed in the side wall of a microchannel sized and dimensioned to form a virtual wall when the microchannel is filled with a first liquid. The fluid interface port is utilized to fill the microchannel with a first liquid, to introduce a second liquid into the first liquid and to eject fluid from the microchannel.

Claims

1. A liquid volume injection system for injecting a droplet into a microchannel of a fluidic system, said system comprising:

a droplet generator system for generating the droplet; and

a virtual wall formed in a fluid interface port by a fluid disposed in the microchannel for receiving the droplet.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a droplet guiding system for directing the droplet toward the virtual wall.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the droplet generator comprises a nozzle assembly.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a breaking off point where the droplet is formed, and the system further comprises a droplet charger comprises a charging circuit and a droplet electrode for charging the droplet at the breaking off point.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the droplet guiding system comprises a droplet charger for charging the droplet and including a droplet electrode.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the droplet charger further comprises a droplet charging circuit connected to the droplet electrode.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the droplet charger further comprises a ground electrode for guiding the charged droplet.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the droplet guiding system comprises one or more electrically controlled deflection plates for establishing an electric field to direct the droplet to the virtual wall.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an array of fluid interfacing ports forming a virtual wall in each said fluid interface port.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the droplet guiding system comprises a channel charging circuit for selectively providing a charge to the microchannel.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the channel charging circuit charges the fluid channel to attract the charged droplet.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the channel charging circuit charges a neighboring fluid channel to repel the charged droplet.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the droplet guiding system comprises a targeting electrode adjacent to the virtual wall for targeting charged droplets towards the virtual wall.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a targeting electrode charging circuit for charging the targeting electrode.