Microfluidic systems and control methods

• US 20070166199A1
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheonix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kionix Incorporated (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Peng, Young, Lincoln
• Granted Patent: US 7,976,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/026 Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/028 Modular arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/04 Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0621 Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• 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 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0622 distribution valves, valves having multiple inlets and/or outlets, e.g. metering valves, multi-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0633 with moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0666 Solenoid valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/084 : Passive control of flow resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 : for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 : characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• 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 3/502738 : characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 : Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/043 : Micropumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/14 : having plate-like flexible members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0084 : Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0094 : Micropumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0001 : Microvalves microdevices B81B1/00; manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate B81C1/00; microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; micropumps F04B19/006
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0015 : Diaphragm or membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0059 : actuated by a pilot fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/28 : Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Qmounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 ; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 : With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/117497 : with a continuously flowing sample or carrier stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The systems and methods disclosed herein include a microfluidic system, comprising a pneumatic manifold having a plurality of apertures, and a chip manifold having channels disposed therein for routing pneumatic signals from respective ones of the apertures to a plurality of valves in a microfluidic chip, wherein the channels route the pneumatic signals in accordance with a configuration of the plurality of valves in the microfluidic chip.

Claims

1. A microfluidic system, comprising:

a pneumatic manifold having a plurality of apertures, and

a chip manifold having channels disposed therein for routing pneumatic signals from respective ones of the apertures to a plurality of pressure-actuatable membranes in a microfluidic chip,

wherein the channels route the pneumatic signals in accordance with a configuration of the plurality of pressure-actuatable membranes in the microfluidic chip.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic signals are routed to at least one signal line in the microfluidic chip for actuating at least one sensor connected to the signal line.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the chip manifold includes at least one set of channels for routing a pneumatic signal from a single aperture of the pneumatic manifold to a plurality of the pressure-actuatable membranes in the microfluidic chip.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one set of channels comprises:

a single channel for routing the pneumatic signal from the aperture to a plurality of channels branching from the single channel, wherein

the plurality of channels branching from the single channel route the pneumatic signal to respective ones of the plurality of pressure-actuatable membranes.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one set of channels includes a set consisting of a single channel.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of microfluidic chips having different respective configurations of pressure-actuatable membranes, and

respective chip manifolds corresponding to the plurality of microfluidic chips, wherein

the respective chip manifolds have channels disposed therein for routing pneumatic signals from at least some of the apertures of the pneumatic manifold to at least some of the pressure-actuatable membranes on corresponding ones of the microfluidic chips, and

the channels of the respective chip manifolds route the pneumatic signals in accordance with the respective configurations of the pressure-actuatable membranes on the microfluidic chips.

7. The microfluidic system of claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling the pneumatic signals being transmitted through the plurality of apertures.

8. The microfluidic system of claim 7, wherein

the plurality of apertures have respective pneumatic transducers that fluidly couple to the plurality of apertures for transmitting the pneumatic signals through the plurality of apertures, and

the controller is adapted to transmit electronic signals that individually actuate the respective pneumatic transducers in a sequence according to logic instructions from the controller.

9. The microfluidic system of claim 8, wherein the pneumatic transducers comprise solenoids.

10. The microfluidic system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the pneumatic transducers includes:

an output port for transmitting a pneumatic pressure, and

a switch for selecting the pneumatic pressure as one of a positive pressure and a negative pressure based on at least one of the electronic signals.

11. The microfluidic system of claim 10, wherein the pneumatic pressure is generated by a diaphragm pump coupled to the output port, wherein

the diaphragm pump is DC-powered and has a size that facilitates portability of the microfluidic system.

12. The microfluidic system of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic manifold includes a plurality of laminated layers.

13. The microfluidic system of claim 1, wherein the pneumatic manifold further comprises attachment ports for coupling pneumatic transducers to the pneumatic manifold.

14. The microfluidic system of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of apertures have respective pneumatic transducers that fluidly couple to the plurality of apertures,

the pneumatic manifold includes at least one positive pressure source and at least one negative pressure source, and

the at least one positive pressure source and the at least one negative pressure source fluidly couple to the pneumatic transducers.

15. The microfluidic system of claim 14, wherein

the at least one positive pressure source provides signals corresponding to a first state of binary logic communicated to the pneumatic transducers from a controller, and

the at least one negative pressure source provides signals corresponding to a second state of binary logic communicated from a controller to the pneumatic transducers.

16. The microfluidic system of claim 1, wherein

the microfluidic chip includes at least one microfluidic pump, and

the microfluidic pump includes three or more of the plurality of pressure-actuatable membranes.

17. The microfluidic system of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic chip includes a plurality of fluidic assay channels for transporting and reacting fluidic reagents.

18. The microfluidic system of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic chip includes reagent reservoirs for storing fluidic reagents, and outlet reservoirs for storing reaction products of the fluidic reagents.

19. The microfluidic system of claim 1, further comprising an optical detection system for analyzing fluidic samples in the microfluidic chip.

20. The microfluidic system of claim 19, wherein the optical detection system includes

a light source for transmitting light through the fluidic samples, and

a transducer for receiving at least a portion of the transmitted light and producing an electronic signal related to the strength of the received portion of the transmitted light.

21. The microfluidic system of claim 20, wherein the optical detection system further includes a slit disposed between the light source and the transducer for attenuating ambient light.

22. The microfluidic system of claim 20, wherein the optical detection system further includes a band-pass filter disposed between the light source and the transducer.

23. The microfluidic system of claim 20, wherein the optical detection system further includes an automated calibration system for calibrating a plurality of the transducers.

24. The microfluidic system of claim 1, wherein each of the pneumatic manifold, the chip manifold, and the microfluidic chip comprises a non-elastomer plastic material.

25. The microfluidic system of claim 24, wherein the non-elastomer plastic material comprises at least one of polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, polycarbonate, and acrylic.

26. A method of operating a microfluidic system, comprising:

transmitting, by a pneumatic manifold, pneumatic signals to a chip manifold,

routing, by the chip manifold, the pneumatic signals to a plurality of pressure-actuatable membranes in a microfluidic chip, and

actuating, by the pneumatic signals, the pressure-actuatable membranes in the microfluidic chip to transport fluid through the microfluidic chip.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising routing a pneumatic signal from one aperture of the pneumatic manifold to a plurality of pressure-actuatable membranes in the microfluidic chip.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising activating, by a programmable controller, the sequence of pneumatic signals

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising programming the controller with program logic instructions.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein transmitting the pneumatic signals comprises switching, by a pneumatic transducer, between a positive pressure output and a negative pressure output in accordance with the program logic instructions.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein activating the sequence of pneumatic signals comprises transmitting electronic signals to pneumatic transducers coupled to the pneumatic manifold, thereby actuating the pneumatic transducers.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising transporting and reacting fluidic reagents in the microfluidic chip.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising characterizing fluidic samples in the microfluidic chip with an optical detection system.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein characterizing the fluidic samples comprises transmitting light through the fluidic samples and detecting the amount of light allowed to pass through the fluidic samples.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein characterizing the fluidic samples further comprises filtering ambient light.

36. A microfluidic system, comprising:

a plurality of pneumatic transducers, and

a chip manifold having channels disposed therein for routing pneumatic signals from respective ones of the pneumatic transducers to a plurality of pressure-actuatable membranes in a microfluidic chip, wherein

at least one set of the channels fluidly couples a single aperture of the pneumatic manifold to a plurality of the pressure-actuatable membranes in the microfluidic chip, and

the channels route the pneumatic signals in accordance with a configuration of the plurality of pressure-actuatable membranes in the chip.