Non-mechanical valves for fluidic systems

• US 6,779,559 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences Incorporated (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences Incorporated (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chow, Andrea W., Parce, J. Wallace
• Primary Examiner(s): Chambers, A. Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/702,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20040144421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: 137/14, 137/806, 137/818, 137/825, 137/827, 204/601
• US Class Current: 137/806
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0621 Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/06 Valves, specific forms thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/02 Burettes; Pipettes
• 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: F15C 1/04 Means for controlling fluid streams to fluid devices, e.g. by electric signals or other signals, no mixing taking place between the signal and the flow to be controlled fluid information or pulse transducers F15B5/00; electric regulation with electro-fluid amplifiers G05B7/02; fluid operating means for indicating or recording members in measuring instruments G01D5/42; distribution or supply devices for servomotors with electrically-controlled pilot valves F15B13/043
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2076 Utilizing diverse fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2142 With variable or selectable source of control-input signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/218 Means to regulate or vary operation of device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2191 By non-fluid energy field affecting input [e.g., transducer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2273 Device including linearly-aligned power stream emitter and power stream collector

Abstract

Methods devices and systems that employ non-mechanical valve modules for controlling directing fluid and other material movement through integrated microscale channel network. These non-mechanical valve modules apply forces that counter the driving forces existing through a given channel segment, via fluidly connected channel segments, so as to selectively arrest flow of material within the given channel segment.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device for sampling and dispensing material, comprising:

a body structure having at least a first channel network disposed therein, the first channel network comprising at least a first valve module, wherein the valve module comprises first, second and third channel segments in the channel network, the second and third channel segments intersecting the first channel segment at an inlet end and an outlet end of the first channel segment, the inlet and outlet ends of the first channel segment forming inlet and outlet sides of the valve module; and

first and second pipettor elements fluidly connected to the first channel network, wherein the first pipettor element is fluidly connected to the first channel network on an inlet side of the valve module, and the second pipettor element is fluidly coupled to the first channel network on an outlet side of the valve module.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising one or more pressure sources operably coupled to the second and third channel segments for selectively permitting or preventing flow into the valve module from the inlet side or flow out of the valve module from the outlet side.