Microfluidic assembly with coupled microfluidic devices

• US 20070154355A1
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Gassmann, Marcus, Berndt, Manfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,998,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0421 electrophoretic flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/065 sliding valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• 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: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027

Abstract

US 2004/0119070A1 (D1) discloses an integrated microchip design, wherein glass microchips can be linearly moved against one another, in order to connect or disconnect capillary channels in the microchips. In contrast thereto, the invention provides a plastic material microfluidic device having an interface for coupling and flow controlling a flow path between the plastic and a second microfluidic device, which can be made e.g. of glass. This allows coupling e.g. different material microfluidic devices e.g. in order to make use of advantages of different material type microfluidic devices.

Claims

1. A microfluidic assembly comprising:

at least one microfluidic flow path,

at least one inlet port coupled to the flow path,

a first and a second microfluidic device, wherein at least one of the microfluidic devices is adapted for executing a microfluidic process, and

wherein the first microfluidic device comprises an interface adapted for coupling and flow-controlling at least one coupling flow path between the first and the second microfluidic device,

wherein the interface and at least a part of the first microfluidic device is made of a plastic material.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the interface is adapted for controlling the flow within the at least one coupling flow path by connecting and/or disconnecting the at least one coupling flow path.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a valve, in particular an optional-route sliding valve or a sliding valve, for flow-controlling the flow within the at least coupling flow path.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the valve comprises a slider adapted for sliding relatively to the first microfluidic device, in particular for sliding rectilinear or rotating relatively to the first microfluidic device.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the slider comprises at least one microfluidic control element for flow-controlling the flow within the at least one coupling flow path.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second microfluidic device comprises an optically transmissible material, in particular glass, having a microfluidic structure comprising the flow path.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the plastic material comprises a flexible plastic material, in particular polyimide.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the interface is an integrated part of the first microfluidic device.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first microfluidic device is adapted for executing a first microfluidic process, and wherein the second microfluidic device is adapted for executing a second microfluidic process.

10. Method of preparing and analyzing a sample with a microfluidic assembly, wherein the microfluidic assembly comprises at least two microfluidic devices, one of the microfluidic devices comprises an interface adapted for coupling and flow-controlling at least one coupling flow path between the two microfluidic devices, and the interface and at least a part of the first microfluidic device is made of a plastic material, the method comprising:

loading a sample to an inlet port of the microfluidic assembly,

executing a first biochemical process within the microfluidic assembly, and

transporting at least part of the sample from one to the other of the microfluidic devices via the interface before, while, or after executing the first biochemical process.

11. Method of claim 10, further comprising:

transporting at least part of the sample to an analytical area, in particular an electrophoresis channel and an detection area, of the microfluidic assembly.

12. Method of claim 10, further comprising:

changing the setting of the interface after executing the first biochemical process, in particular opening a valve of the interface.

13. Method of claim 10, further comprising:

transporting at least part of the sample from one microfluidic device to another microfluidic device via the interface before or while executing the first biochemical process within the microfluidic assembly.

14. Method of claim 10, further comprising:

bringing the interface of the microfluidic assembly to a first setting,

loading a sample in a sample inlet port of the microfluidic assembly,

bringing the sample in contact with a binding and/or adsorbing material,

bringing the interface to a second setting,

loading a processing or washing reagent to a processing reagent port of the microfluidic assembly,

bringing the interface in a third position,

loading an elution solvent to an sample elution port of the microfluidic assembly, and

eluting the sample.

15. Method of claim 14, further comprising:

loading the ports by applying a vacuum to a vacuum port of the microfluidic assembly, by applying the according liquid under pressure to the ports, or by applying a voltage.

16. Method of claim 10, further comprising:

closing an interface of the microfluidic assembly after loading the sample to the inlet port of the microfluidic assembly,

executing at least one PCR-cycle within the microfluidic assembly,

opening the interface of the microfluidic assembly before transporting at least part of the sample from one microfluidic device to the other microfluidic device via the interface.

17. Method of claim 16, further comprising:

loading a sample with different sample contents to be processed to the inlet port.

18. Method of claim 10, further comprising:

opening the interface after each cycle of the PCR-reaction for transporting part of the sample and for monitoring the complete PCR-process.

19. Method of claim 10, further comprising:

executing a hybridization process of the sample within the microfluidic assembly after loading the sample to the inlet port of the microfluidic assembly.

20. Method of claim 10, further comprising:

executing a first microfluidic process within at least one of the microfluidic devices, in particular within the first microfluidic device, in particular within the interface of the first microfluidic device,

executing a second microfluidic process within at least one of the microfluidic devices in particular within the second microfluidic device.