Device for controlling fluid sequence

• US 20070207063A1
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Instrument Technology Research Center, National Applied Research Laboratories
• Original Assignee: Instrument Technology Research Center, National Applied Research Laboratories
• Inventors: Hsieh, Jerwei
• Application Number:
  US11/653,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207063A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0621 Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• 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 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0084 Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology
• 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 99/0017 Capillary or surface tension valves, e.g. using electro-wetting or electro-capillarity effects

Abstract

A device for controlling a fluid sequence is provided. The device includes a base; at least a first fluid channel contained in the base and comprising a first end connected with at least an inlet tank, and a second end connected with at least an outlet tank; a plurality of valve elements contained in the at least a first fluid channel for dividing the at least a first fluid channel into several segments; a plurality of injecting tanks connected with the segments; and a plurality of exhaust tanks connected with the valve elements.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a fluid sequence, comprising:

a base comprising at least a first fluid channel, the at least a first fluid channel is connected with at least an inlet tank and at least an outlet tank respectively;

a plurality of valve elements contained within the at least a first fluid channel for dividing the at least a first fluid channel into a plurality of segments;

a plurality of injecting tanks respectively connected with the plurality of segments; and

a plurality of exhaust tanks respectively connected with the plurality of segments.

2. A device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of injecting tanks is connected with the plurality of segments through a plurality of second fluid channels, and the plurality of exhaust tanks are connected with the plurality of segments through a plurality of third fluid channels.

3. A device of claim 2, wherein the at least a first fluid channel, the plurality of second fluid channels and the plurality of third fluid channels are closed-type.

4. A device of claim 1, wherein the at least an inlet tanks, the at least an outlet tanks, the plurality of injecting tanks, and the plurality of exhaust tanks are open-type.

5. A device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of valve elements are one of passive valves and active valves.

6. A device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of valve elements are ones selected from a group consisting of a geometric valve, a material valve and a combination thereof.

7. A device of claim 1, wherein the at least a first fluid channel comprises at least a working zone for reactions and detections therein.

8. A device of claim 7, wherein the at least a working zone contains a plurality of three-dimensional structures for increasing a surface contact area upon a working fluid flowing therethrough.

9. A device of claim 1, wherein a quantitative volume of a fluid is determined by a length of each of the plurality of segments.

10. A device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of protrusions contained within a plurality of joint between the plurality of second fluid channels and the at least a first fluid channel for completing an automatic filling.

11. A device for controlling a fluid sequence, comprising:

a base comprising at least a first fluid channel, the at least a first fluid channel is connected with at least an inlet tank and at least an outlet tank respectively;

a plurality of valve elements contained within the at least a first fluid channel for dividing the at least a first fluid channel into a plurality of several segments;

a plurality of injecting tanks connected respectively with the plurality of segments through a plurality of second fluid channels;

a plurality of exhaust tanks connected respectively with the plurality of valve elements; and

at least two another valve elements contained within the plurality of second fluid channels.

12. A device of claim 11, wherein the at least two valve elements is set to allow an air to be trapped therebetween.

13. A device of claim 12, wherein two respective air-liquid interfaces are formed when a segment between the at least two valve elements is packed with the air.

14. A method for controlling a fluid sequence, comprising the steps of:

providing at least a controlling device comprising a base, at least a first fluid channel, at least an inlet tank, at least an outlet tank, a plurality of valve elements, a plurality of injecting tanks, a plurality of exhaust tanks, and a working zone;

injecting at least a fluid into the plurality of injecting tanks within the base;

sealing the plurality of injecting and exhaust tanks; and

providing a pressure to one of the at least an inlet tank and the at least an outlet tank to drive the at least a fluid to flow though the plurality of valve elements and the working zone within the at least a first fluid channel.

15. A method of claim 14, wherein the at least a first fluid channel is contained within the base, and comprises a first end connected with at least an inlet tank and a second end connected with at least an outlet tank;

the plurality of valve elements are contained within the at least a first fluid channel so as to divide the at least a first fluid channel into a plurality of segments.

16. A method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of injecting tanks are connected with the plurality of segments through the plurality of second fluid channels, and the plurality of exhaust tanks are connected with the plurality of valve elements through a plurality of third fluid channels.

17. A method of claim 16, wherein the pressure drives the at least a fluid to flow in one of an unidirection and a bidirection within the working zone.

18. A method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of injecting and exhaust tanks are sealed by a soft material, the soft material is one of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) and a rubber.

19. A method of claim 14, wherein the pressure is provided by one selected from the group consisting of a micro membrane actuator, an air pump, a centrifugal pump, and an evaporation.

20. A method of claim 14, wherein a time interval of the at least a fluid staying in the working zone is controlled by a duration and a magnitude of the pressure, and the pressure is one of being positive and negative.