Miniaturized planar columns for use in a liquid phase separation apparatus
First Claim
1. A miniaturized column device comprising:
- a substrate having a first substantially planar surface, wherein said substrate is comprised of a material other than silicon or silicon dioxide;
a separation channel comprising a microchannel laser-ablated in the first planar surface;
reservoir means comprising a cavity laser-ablated in the first planar surface;
fluid conducting means comprising a duct laser-ablated in the first planar surface enabling fluid communication between the separation channel and the reservoir means;
a bypass microchannel laser-ablated in the first planar surface that is distinct from and unconnected to the separation channel and the reservoir means;
a first cover plate arranged over the first planar surface that respectively defines a separation compartment in combination with the separation channel, a reservoir compartment in combination with the reservoir means, a fluid conducting compartment in combination with the fluid conducting means, and a volumetric sample compartment in combination with the bypass microchannel; and
an inlet port and at an outlet port communicating with the separation compartment, said ports enabling passage of fluid from an external source through the separation compartment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method of forming a microchannel and/or microcavity structure by bonding together two elements (1, 2) having opposed plane surfaces of the same or different material, one or both surfaces having open channels and/or cavities, bonding is effected by applying to one or both element surfaces (1, 2) a thin layer (3) of a solution of a material capable of fusing with and having a lower melting point than that of the material or materials of the two element surfaces (1, 2) in a solvent which substantially does not dissolve the element surface material or materials. The solvent is then removed, and the two elements (1, 2) are brought together and heated to a temperature where the dissolved material is caused to melt but not the element surface material or materials.
166 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A miniaturized column device comprising:
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a substrate having a first substantially planar surface, wherein said substrate is comprised of a material other than silicon or silicon dioxide; a separation channel comprising a microchannel laser-ablated in the first planar surface; reservoir means comprising a cavity laser-ablated in the first planar surface; fluid conducting means comprising a duct laser-ablated in the first planar surface enabling fluid communication between the separation channel and the reservoir means; a bypass microchannel laser-ablated in the first planar surface that is distinct from and unconnected to the separation channel and the reservoir means; a first cover plate arranged over the first planar surface that respectively defines a separation compartment in combination with the separation channel, a reservoir compartment in combination with the reservoir means, a fluid conducting compartment in combination with the fluid conducting means, and a volumetric sample compartment in combination with the bypass microchannel; and an inlet port and at an outlet port communicating with the separation compartment, said ports enabling passage of fluid from an external source through the separation compartment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A miniaturized column device comprising:
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a substrate having a first substantially planar surface, wherein said substrate is comprised of a material other than silicon or silicon dioxide; a separation channel comprising a microchannel laser-ablated in the first planar surface, wherein said separation channel has an upstream and a downstream terminus; and a makeup flow channel extending substantially along the length of the separation channel, comprising a duct laser-ablated in the first planar surface and having an upstream terminus and a downstream terminus, wherein the downstream terminus of the makeup flow channel is in communication with the downstream terminus of the separation channel; a first cover plate arranged over the first planar surface that respectively defines a separation compartment in combination with the separation channel, and a makeup flow compartment in combination with the makeup flow channel; and an inlet port in communication with the upstream terminus of the separation channel, an outlet port in communication with the downstream terminus of the separation compartment, said ports enabling passage of fluid from an external source through the separation compartment, and a makeup compartment inlet in communication with the upstream terminus of the makeup flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A liquid phase separation apparatus comprising:
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(a) a miniaturized column, comprising (i) a substrate having a first substantially planar surface, wherein said substrate is comprised of a material other than silicon or silicon dioxide, (ii) a separation channel comprising a microchannel laser-ablated in the first planar surface, (iii) a first cover plate arranged over the first planar surface, whereby said cover plate defines a separation compartment in combination with the separation channel, and (iv) at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port communicating with the separation compartment, said ports enabling the passage of fluid from an external source through the separation compartment; (b) associated containment means for housing a sample to be separated; (c) injection means for introducing the sample into the column from the associated containment means; (d) means for applying a motive force along the column such that the sample is moved therethrough; and (e) detecting means for detecting separated analytes of interest contained in the sample. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 27)
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22. A liquid phase separation apparatus comprising:
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(a) a miniaturized column, comprising (i) a substrate having a first substantially planar surface, wherein said substrate is comprised of a material other than silicon or silicon dioxide, (ii) a separation channel comprising a microchannel laser-ablated in the first planar surface, (iii) a first cover plate arranged over the first planar surface, whereby said cover plate defines a separation compartment in combination with the separation channel, (iv) at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port communicating with the separation compartment, said ports enabling the passage of fluid from an external source through the separation compartment, and (v) a bypass microchannel laser-ablated in the first planar surface, wherein the first cover plate in combination with the bypass microchannel defines a volumetric sample compartment having first and second ends; (b) associated containment means for housing a sample to be separated; and (c) injection means for introducing the sample into the column from the associated containment means, comprising a manifold in fluid communication with the containment means and in divertable fluid communication with the volumetric sample compartment and the inlet port. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification