Fluid processing device comprising radial channels

• US 20070128652A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applera Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applera Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Woudenberg, Timothy, Kowallis, Reid
• Application Number:
  US11/648,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20070128652A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/12 Specific details about materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0421 electrophoretic flow
• 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 3/502723 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: B01L 3/502753 characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• 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: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/629 being a microfluidic device
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means
• 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: G01N 35/00069 : whereby the sample substrate is of the bio-disk type, i.e. having the format of an optical disk

Abstract

The present invention provides, in one aspect, an apparatus that comprises a disc-shaped substrate defining (1) a central reservoir region, (2) a plurality of channels in fluid communication with, and emanating substantially radially from, the central reservoir region, the channels being coplanar with each other, and each channel having (i) a proximal end which is linked to the reservoir region, and (ii) a distal end, and preferably (3) for each channel, at least one chamber, and preferably three chambers, linked by a passageway in fluid communication with the distal end of that channel. Preferably, each passageway leads from each chamber in a direction that is initially away from the central reservoir region, whereby centrifugation of the substrate about a central axis that is perpendicular to the channels is effective to disperse liquid from the central reservoir region into the channels and chambers, such that any air bubbles in the chambers, channels, and passageways are forced towards the axis of rotation, when such liquid is present in the central reservoir region.

Claims

1. A method of performing polymerase chain reaction in a microfluidic device having a central axis of rotation, a central reservoir, one or more radially-arranged channels, and one or more detection chambers in fluid communication with a respective one of the one or more radially-arranged channels, the method comprising:

loading a liquid containing a sample into the central reservoir of the microfluidic device;

spinning the microfluidic device about the central axis of rotation, thereby filling the one or more radially-arranged detection chambers with the liquid; and

heating and cooling a portion of the microfluidic device, thereby performing polymerase chain reaction in the detection chambers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device comprises surfaces and the portion comprises one or more of the surfaces.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion comprises the one or more detection chambers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate and the substrate comprises copper.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate and the substrate comprises silicon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate and the substrate comprises aluminum.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate, the substrate comprises two or more laminated layers, and the two or more laminated layers comprise an adhesive-backed tape or membrane layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinning comprises spinning the microfluidic device at a speed and for a time sufficient to remove substantially all bubbles from the one or more radially-arranged channels.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises carrying out a fluorescence-based assay using the microfluidic device.

10. A method of performing polymerase chain reaction in a microfluidic device having a central axis of rotation, a central reservoir, one or more radially-arranged channels, and one or more distal chambers in fluid communication with a respective one of the one or more radially-arranged channels, the method comprising:

loading a liquid containing a sample into the central reservoir of the microfluidic device;

spinning the microfluidic device about the central axis of rotation, thereby filling the one or more radially-arranged distal chambers with the liquid; and

heating and cooling a portion of the microfluidic device, thereby performing polymerase chain reaction in the distal chambers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic device comprises surfaces and the portion comprises one or more of the surfaces.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the portion comprises the one or more distal chambers.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate and the substrate comprises copper.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate and the substrate comprises silicon.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate and the substrate comprises aluminum.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a substrate, the substrate comprises two or more laminated layers, and the two or more laminated layers comprise an adhesive-backed tape or membrane layer.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the spinning comprises spinning the microfluidic device at a speed and for a time sufficient to remove substantially all bubbles from the one or more radially-arranged channels.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises carrying out a fluorescence-based assay using the microfluidic device.