MICROFABRICATED STRUCTURES FOR FACILITATING FLUID INTRODUCTION INTO MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES
First Claim
1. A fluid analysis system comprising:
- a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and
a plurality of through-hole ports extending through said substrate, each of said plurality of through-hole ports having a first open end at said first surface, a second open end at said second surface, and a non-uniform cross-section extending therebetween, each of said plurality of through-hole ports being sized to retain said test fluid therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Fluid introduction is facilitated through the use of a port which extends entirely through a microfluidic substrate. Capillary forces can be used to retain the fluid within the port, and a series of samples or other fluids may be introduced through a single port by sequentially blowing the fluid out through the substrate and replacing the removed fluid with an alternate fluid, or by displacing the fluid in part with additional fluid. In another aspect, microfluidic substrates have channels which varying in cross-sectional dimension so that capillary action spreads a fluid only within a limited portion of the channel network. In yet another aspect, the introduction ports may include a multiplicity of very small channels leading from the port to a fluid channel, so as to filter out particles or other contaminants which might otherwise block the channel at the junction between the channel and the introduction port.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A fluid analysis system comprising:
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a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and
a plurality of through-hole ports extending through said substrate, each of said plurality of through-hole ports having a first open end at said first surface, a second open end at said second surface, and a non-uniform cross-section extending therebetween, each of said plurality of through-hole ports being sized to retain said test fluid therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A fluid analysis system comprising:
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a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; and
a plurality of through-hole ports extending through said substrate, each of said plurality of through-hole ports having a first open end at said first surface and a second open end at said second surface, each of said plurality of through-hole ports defining a varying cross-sectional dimension, each of said plurality of through-hole ports being sized to retain said test fluid therein at least in part by capillary force. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A fluid analysis system comprising:
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a substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a plurality of through-hole ports extending through said substrate, each of said plurality of through-hole ports having a first open end at said first surface and a second open end at said second surface, each of said plurality of through-hole ports defining a varying cross-sectional dimension, each of said plurality of through-hole ports being sized to retain said test fluid therein at least in part by capillary force; and
a first hydrophobic coating disposed on said first surface, said first hydrophobic coating inhibiting cross-contamination of said test fluid in said plurality of through-hole ports along said first surface. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification