CAPILLARY FLUID FLOW CONTROL

• US 20150238962A1
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carclo Technical Plastics Limited (Carclo PLC)
• Original Assignee: Carclo Technical Plastics Limited (Carclo PLC)
• Inventors: ROBERTSON, Philip, SWAINSON, Richard, WARD, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US14/697,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20150238962A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• 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 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/082 Active control of flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• 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 3/56 Labware specially adapted for transferring fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/561 Tubes; Conduits in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A fluid flow control device controls flow of fluid in a capillary pathway device having a first capillary passage with an inlet and an outlet and a fluid application region for receiving a liquid sample for entry to the capillary passage via the inlet, with the fluid flow control device comprising first sealing means operable for releasably sealing the outlet of the first capillary passage.

Claims

1. A fluid flow control device for controlling flow of fluid in a capillary pathway device, the fluid flow control device comprising first sealing means operable for releasably sealing the outlet of the first capillary passage.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the sealing means are capable of controlling flow of liquid sample in a capillary passage without contact between the sealing means and liquid sample.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein two or more sealing means are constituted by a single sealing component.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the sealing means may be located on a control element, movable to cause operation of the sealing means.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein a sealing component is carried on or forming part of a control element.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein the sealing means are movable between a first position in which the sealing means are positioned to seal an outlet of a capillary passage and a second position in which the sealing means are positioned to not seal an outlet of a capillary passage.

7. A device according to claim 1 comprising second or further first sealing means operable for releasably sealing the respective outlet of a second or further capillary passage.

8. A device according to claim 1 comprising fluid dispensing means.

9. A device according to claim 1 wherein a well or a part thereof is formed by the fluid flow control device.

10. A device according to claim 4 wherein the control element is arranged for rotary or linear motion.

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the control element is moveable in a binary manner between two positions, to seal or not seal an outlet of a capillary passage of a capillary pathway device with which the fluid flow control device may be associated.

12. A device according to claim 10 wherein the control element is moveable such that the sealing means partially close an outlet of a capillary passage of a capillary pathway device with which the fluid flow control device may be associated, to control the rate of flow of liquid in the capillary passage.

13. A device according to claim 12 wherein the control element is operable to slide the sealing means across an outlet.

14. A device according to claim 1 wherein, when associated with a capillary pathway device, the control element surrounds a fluid application region thereof.

15. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device comprises a sample well defined by a wall of the device.

16. A device according to claim 15 wherein the device comprises a sample inlet.

17. A device according to claim 15 comprising a flange which extends outwards from a side wall, wherein the flange comprises sealing means on the underside thereof.

18. A device according to claim 1 comprising an annular groove to cooperate with a side wall of a sample well of a capillary pathway device.