Microfabricated structures for facilitating fluid introduction into microfluidic devices
First Claim
1. A microfluidic system comprising:
- a substrate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a microfluidic channel disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface;
a wall in the substrate bordering a port for receiving a fluid, the port in fluid communication with the channel, the port open at the upper surface and at the lower surface of the substrate, the port having a cross-section capable of inducing sufficient capillary force in the fluid to restrain the fluid within the port; and
a mechanism to transport the fluid to the port from outside the substrate, the transport mechanism including a pin which extends downward toward the port to transfer fluid on the pin to the port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Fluid introduction is facilitated through the use of a port which extends entirely through a microfluidic substrate. Capillary forces can be used to retain the fluid within the port, and a series of samples or other fluids may be introduced through a single port by sequentially blowing the fluid out through the substrate and replacing the removed fluid with an alternate fluid, or by displacing the fluid in part with additional fluid. In another aspect, microfluidic substrates have channels which varying in cross-sectional dimension so that capillary action spreads a fluid only within a limited portion of the channel network. In yet another aspect, the introduction ports may include a multiplicity of very small channels leading from the port to a fluid channel, so as to filter out particles or other contaminants which might otherwise block the channel at the junction between the channel and the introduction port.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A microfluidic system comprising:
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a substrate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a microfluidic channel disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface; a wall in the substrate bordering a port for receiving a fluid, the port in fluid communication with the channel, the port open at the upper surface and at the lower surface of the substrate, the port having a cross-section capable of inducing sufficient capillary force in the fluid to restrain the fluid within the port; and a mechanism to transport the fluid to the port from outside the substrate, the transport mechanism including a pin which extends downward toward the port to transfer fluid on the pin to the port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A microfluidic system comprising:
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a substrate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a microfluidic channel disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface, the lower surface of the substrate comprising a hydrophobic material; a wall in the substrate bordering a port for receiving a fluid, the port in fluid communication with the channel, the port open at the upper surface and at the lower surface of the substrate; a mechanism to transport the fluid to the port from outside the substrate, the transport mechanism including a pin which extends downward toward the port to transfer fluid on the pin to the port; a surface disposed below the port and separated from the lower surface of the substrate for collecting and removing fluid from the port; and a rod extending upward from the surface toward the port to promote decanting of the fluid from the port, the rod comprising a hydrophilic material.
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7. A method for introducing a fluid into a microfluidic channel of a substrate, the method comprising:
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transporting the fluid from outside the substrate to a port of the substrate through an opening in a first surface, the port extending through the substrate and having an opening on a second surface of the substrate, the microfluidic channel of the substrate being in fluid communication with the port between the first and second surfaces; restraining the fluid within the port with a capillary force between the port and the fluid; and moving material from the port into the channel during the restraining step. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for introducing a fluid into a microfluidic channel of a substrate, the method comprising:
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transporting the fluid from outside the substrate to a port of the substrate through an opening in a first surface by advancing a pin downward toward the port from above the first surface so that a volume of the fluid on the pin wicks from the pin into the port, the port extending through the substrate and having an opening on a second surface of the substrate, the microfluidic channel of the substrate being in fluid communication with the port between the first and second surfaces; and restraining the fluid within the port with a capillary force between the port and the fluid.
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18. A microfluidic system comprising:
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a substrate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a microfluidic channel disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface, the lower surface comprising a hydrophobic material; a wall in the substrate bordering a port for receiving a fluid, the port in fluid communication with the channel, the port open at the upper surface and at the lower surface of the substrate, the wall comprising a different material than the hydrophobic material and the port having a cross-section capable of inducing sufficient capillary force in the fluid to restrain the fluid within the port. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification