FLUIDIC DEVICE

• US 20080047608A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Weng, Kuo-Yao
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/14
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• 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 2400/046 Chemical or electrochemical formation of bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• 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: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1632 Destructible element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/212 System comprising plural fluidic devices or stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2224 Structure of body of device

Abstract

A fluidic device includes a first reservoir to receive a first fluid, a second reservoir to receive a second fluid, and a main channel coupled to the first and second reservoirs through one or more branch channels. A first one-use pump generates a pressure difference to move one or both of the first and second fluids when a container in the first one-use pump is broken. A second one-use pump generates a pressure difference to move one or both of the first and second fluids when a container in the second one-use pump is broken.

Claims

1. A fluidic device comprising

a first reservoir to receive a first fluid;

a second reservoir to receive a second fluid;

a main channel coupled to the first and second reservoirs through one or more branch channels;

a first one-use pump that generates a pressure difference to move one or both of the first and second fluids when a container in the first one-use pump is broken; and

a second one-use pump that generates a pressure difference to move one or both of the first and second fluids when a container in the second one-use pump is broken.

2. The fluidic device of claim 1, 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.

3. The fluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a self-close valve that includes a material initially having a smaller volume to enable the first fluid to pass the valve, the material increasing volume after absorbing a portion of the first fluid to prevent further passage of the fluid through the valve.

4. The fluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a valve having a connector made of brittle material, wherein when the connector is intact, the valve prevents the first fluid from entering the main channel, and when the connector is broken, a passage is generated to allow the first fluid to enter the main channel.

5. The fluidic device of claim 4 wherein when the connector is intact, air is trapped in the main channel, and when the connector is broken, the passage allows the air to flow out of the main channel through the passage, allowing the first fluid to flow to the main channel.

6. The fluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a third reservoir containing a third fluid, the third reservoir being coupled to the main channel.

7. The fluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a sensing area in the main channel or coupled to the main channel, the sensing area including a sensing agent that can determine whether a particular material exists in the first fluid.

8. The fluidic device of claim 7 wherein the sensing area comprises one or more capture molecules comprising at least one of peptide, protein, antibody, nucleic acid, and ligand molecules.

9. A fluidic device comprising

a first reservoir to receive a fluid;

a main channel having a testing region for performing an assay;

a combination of at least two of (a) one or more broken open valves, (b) one or more self close valves, and (c) one or more one-use pumps to move at least a portion of the first fluid to the testing region.

10. The fluidic device of claim 9 wherein the combination comprises a broken open valve and a self close valve.

11. The fluidic device of claim 9, further comprising a sub-channel coupled to the first reservoir and the main channel, wherein the combination comprises a self close valve that switches from an open state to a closed state after a predetermined amount of the fluid enters the sub-channel.

12. The fluidic device of claim 11 wherein the combination comprises a broken open valve that when intact prevents air in the main channel from passing and when broken provides a passage to allow at least a portion of the air to flow out of the main channel and allow at least a portion of the fluid to enter the main channel.

13. The fluidic device of claim 9 wherein the combination comprises a broken open valve that is initially in a closed state and prevents air in the main channel from passing, the broken open valve changing to an open state upon breakage of a brittle material in the valve, allowing at least a portion of the air to flow out of the main channel and allowing at least a portion of the fluid to enter the main channel.

14. The fluidic device of claim 13 wherein the fluid is drawn into the main channel by a capillary force.

15. The fluidic device of claim 9, further comprising a second reservoir to receive a buffer solution for washing the testing region after the fluid passes the testing region.

16. A method comprising

breaking a first container made of a brittle material to generate a pressure difference in a channel to cause a first fluid to move from a first reservoir to a first segment of the channel, the first container (a) defining a space within the first container having a gas pressure that is different from the gas pressure outside of the first container, or (b) including 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;

and

breaking a second container made of a brittle material to generate a pressure difference in the channel to cause at least a portion of the first fluid to move through a second segment of the channel.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising breaking a first valve made of a brittle material to generate a first passage that connects a second reservoir to the channel, the second reservoir containing a second fluid.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the pressure difference generated by breaking the second container causes the second fluid to move from the second reservoir to the second segment of the channel.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising breaking a second container made of a brittle material to generate a pressure difference to cause the second fluid to move from the second reservoir to the second segment of the channel.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising breaking a second valve made of a brittle material to generate a second passage that connects a third reservoir to the channel, the third reservoir containing a third fluid.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising breaking a third container made of a brittle material to generate a pressure difference to cause the third fluid to move from the third reservoir to the second segment of the channel.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one of the first and second segments of the channel comprises a sensing agent to determine whether a particular material exists in the first fluid.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the first container defines a space within the first container having a gas pressure that is lower than the gas pressure outside of the first container.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the second container defines a space within the second container having a gas pressure that is lower than the gas pressure outside of the second container.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the second container defines a space within the second container having a gas pressure that (a) is higher than the gas pressure outside of the second container, or (b) 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.

26. A method comprising

operating a first one-use pump and a second one-use pump at the same time to draw a first portion of a sample fluid to a first channel and a second portion of the sample fluid to a second channel, including breaking a first container in the first one-use pump to generate a pressure difference to cause the first portion of the sample fluid to move from a reservoir to the first, channel, and breaking a second container in the second one-use pump to generate a pressure difference to cause the second portion of the sample fluid to move from the reservoir to the second channel;

and

operating a third one-use pump and a fourth one-use pump at the same time to draw a first buffer solution to the first channel and a second buffer solution to the second channel.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising operating a fifth one-use pump and a sixth one-use pump at the same time to draw a third buffer solution to the first channel and a fourth buffer solution to the second channel.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising operating a fifth one-use pump at the same time as the first one-use pump to draw a third portion of the sample fluid to a third channel, and operating a sixth one-use pump at the same time as the third one-use pump to draw a third buffer solution to the third channel.

29. A method of operating a fluidic device comprising

passing a fluid, from a reservoir to a first channel, the fluid being prevented from entering a second channel coupled to the first channel due to air trapped in the second channel;

and

breaking a valve to form a passage to allow at least a portion of the air trapped in the second channel to flow out of the second channel and allowing at least a portion of the fluid to flow into the second channel.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising using a capillary force to draw the fluid from, the first channel to the second channel.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising measuring a predetermined amount of the fluid by expanding a volume of a fluid absorbing material to block further passage of additional fluid into the channel.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising moving the predetermined amount of the fluid to the second channel after breaking the valve.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising performing an assay in the second channel.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein the fluid comprises blood, and the second channel comprises a sensing agent to determine whether a particular material exists in the blood.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising drawing a washing buffer through the second channel after the fluid passes the second channel to wash away residuals of the fluid.