MICROFLUIDIC APPARATUS FOR WIDE AREA MICROARRAYS

• US 20090060786A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Plexera, LLC
• Original Assignee: Plexera, LLC
• Inventors: Kim, Gibum, Schwoerer, R. Todd
• Application Number:
  US11/846,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090060786A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/68.100
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2215/0422 Numerical values of angles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2215/0431 Numerical size values, e.g. diameter of a hole or conduit, area, volume, length, width, or ratios thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/431 Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/431971 Mounted on the wall
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0877 Flow chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/084 Passive control of flow resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502746 characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles B01L3/502738 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/16 Microfluidic devices; Capillary tubes integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; microreactors B01J19/0093

Abstract

A microfluidic device that includes: a) a fluid inlet having a semi-circular groove and b) a flow chamber comprising an inner wall having an inlet end. The fluid inlet is in communication with the flow chamber. The inner wall at the inlet end is curved and has a radius similar to the radius of semi-circular groove.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device comprising:

a) a fluid inlet having a semi-circular groove and b) a flow chamber comprising an inner wall having an inlet end, wherein the fluid inlet is in communication with the flow chamber and wherein the inner wall at the inlet end is curved and has a radius similar to the radius of semi-circular groove.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet and the flow chamber comprise separate layers.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet and the flow chamber comprise a single layer.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the radius of the inner wall is from about 105% to about 107% larger than the radius of the groove.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the width of the groove is from about 350 micron to about 500 micron and the radius of the groove is from about 1.75 cm to about 2 cm.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the depth of the fluid inlet is from about 25 microns to about 40 microns.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the depth of the flow chamber is from about 13 microns to about 20 microns.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a fluid outlet end having a fluid outlet, wherein the inner wall at the outlet end tapers toward the fluid outlet.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 8, wherein the length of the flow chamber is from about 3.5 cm to about 4 cm and the width of the flow chamber is about 1.4 cm to about 1.6 cm.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 9, wherein the volume of the flow chamber is from about 6 μ

L to about 10 μ

L.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic device has a fluid exchange volume between about 80% and about 130% of the flow chamber volume.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 8, wherein the depth of the fluid inlet is about 25 microns to about 40 microns, the semi-circular groove has a width of about 350 micron to about 500 micron and a radius of about 1.8 cm to about 2 cm, the depth of the flow chamber is about 13 microns to about 20 microns, and the flow chamber has a length of about 3 cm to 4.5 cm and a width of about 1.4 cm to about 1.6 cm.

13. An assembly for chemical analysis comprising the microfluidic device of claim 1 and a sample chip having a surface comprising an analysis area, wherein the surface and the flow chamber are in communication.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the analysis area at least 1.5 sq. cm.

15. The assembly of claim 13, wherein analysis area includes a microarray comprising analysis spots.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein at least one analysis spot comprises a biomolecule.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the biomolecule is a polypeptide or a polynucleotide.

18. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the microarray comprises a plurality of polypeptides, polynucleotides, or both.