FLUIDIC DEVICE

• US 20080021364A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Weng, Kuo-Yao
• Application Number:
  US11/612,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021364A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/491 by separating the blood components G01N15/05 takes precedence

Abstract

A fluidic device that includes a channel and a container that generates a pressure difference in the channel when the container is broken. The container includes a brittle material. The first container (a) defines a space within the first container having a gas pressure that is different from the gas pressure outside of the first container, or (b) includes a first material that is separated from a second material prior to the breaking of the first container. The first and second materials are selected to generate gas upon interaction of the first and second materials.

Claims

1. A method comprising

controlling a flow of a fluid in a channel, including breaking a first container to generate a pressure difference in the channel to cause the fluid to move in the channel, the first container being made of a brittle material, wherein the first container (a) defines a space within the first container having a gas pressure that is different from the gas pressure outside of the first container, or (b) includes a first material that is separated from a second material prior to the breaking of “

the first container, the first and second materials selected to generate gas upon interaction of the first and second materials.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the space in the first container has a pressure higher than the pressure outside of the first container, and controlling the flow of the fluid comprises pushing the fluid in the channel away from the broken first container.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the space in the first container has a pressure lower than the pressure outside of the first container, and controlling the flow of the fluid comprises attracting the fluid in the channel towards the broken first container,

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the fluid comprises blood, and controlling the flow of the blood comprises passing the blood through a filter to block blood cells and to allow blood plasma to pass the filter and enter the channel.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising performing a colorimetric assay as the fluid flows in the channel.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising a second container that (a) defines a space within the second container having a gas pressure that is higher than the gas pressure outside of the second container, or (b) includes a third material that is separated from a fourth material prior to the breaking of the second container, the third and fourth materials selected to generate gas upon interaction of the third and fourth materials.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein controlling the flow of the fluid comprises pushing the fluid in the channel away from the second container.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein controlling the flow of the fluid comprises preventing movement of additional fluid through the channel in a certain direction by using a fluid absorbing material that expands in volume upon absorption of a portion of the fluid.

9. A fluidic device comprising:

a channel; and

a first container that generates a pressure difference in the channel when the first container is broken, the first container being made of a brittle material, wherein the first container (a) defines a space within the first container having a gas pressure that is different from the gas pressure outside of the first container, or (b) includes a first material that is separated from a second material prior to the breaking of the first container, the first and second materials selected to generate gas upon interaction of the first and second materials.

10. The fluidic device of claim 9, further comprising a second container that (a) defines a space within the second container having a gas pressure that is different from the gas pressure outside of the second container, or (b) includes a third material that is separated from a fourth material prior to the breaking of the second container, the third and fourth materials selected to generate gas upon interaction of the third and fourth materials.

11. The fluidic device of claim 10 wherein the space in the first container has a pressure higher than the pressure outside of the first container, and the space in the second container has a pressure lower than the pressure outside of the second container.

12. The fluidic device of claim 10 wherein the space in the first container has a pressure lower than the pressure outside of the first closed container, and the second container includes a first material that is separated from a second material prior to the breaking of the second container, the first and second materials selected to generate gas upon interaction of the first and second materials.

13. The fluidic device of claim 12, further comprising a filter membrane to block blood cells and to allow blood plasma to pass.

14. The fluidic device of claim 9 wherein the brittle material comprises at least one of quartz, glass, ceramic, plastic, and a composite of two or more of quartz, glass, ceramic, and plastic.

15. The fluidic device of claim 9 wherein the channel is defined by a wall made of a flexible material.

16. The fluidic device of claim 9 wherein the first container includes a material that generates gas when heated.

17. The fluidic device of claim 9 wherein the first container includes a material that sublimes from a solid state to a gas state when heated.

18. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of pipettes to enable sampling of predetermined amounts of fluids, each pipette including

a channel, and

a container that generates a pressure difference in the channel when, the container is broken, the container being made of a brittle material, the container defining a space within the container having a gas pressure that is less than the gas pressure outside of the container, wherein breaking the container generates a predetermined amount of pressure difference in the channel to cause a predetermined amount of fluid to be drawn into the channel.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein each pipette includes a second container that generates a pressure difference in the channel when the second container is broken, the second container (a) defining a space within the second container having a gas pressure mat is higher than the gas pressure in the channel, or (b) including a first material that is separated from a second material prior to the breaking of the second container, the first and second materials selected to generate gas upon interaction of the first and second materials.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the brittle material comprises at least one of quartz, glass, ceramic, plastic, and a composite of two or more of quartz, glass, ceramic, and plastic.