Retaining microfluidic microcavity and other microfluidic structures

• US 7,300,199 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gyros Patent AB (Mesa Laboratories Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gyros AB (Mesa Laboratories Inc.)
• Inventors: Andersson, Per, Ekstrand, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): SOOHOO, TONY GLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/010,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20050153434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 366/341, 366/DIG.4, 422/99, 422/100
• US Class Current: 366/341
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/433 Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4331 Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4338 Mixers with a succession of converging-diverging cross-sections, i.e. undulating cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71 Feed mechanisms with proportioning B01F35/80
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/712 for feeding fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7172 using capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71725 using centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00536 in the shape of disks
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00738 Organic catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/06 Fluid handling related problems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0806 Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 : Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 : Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/14 : Means for pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/16 : Surface properties and coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 : centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0418 : electro-osmotic flow [EOF]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0633 : with moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 : surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 : for parallel transport of multiple samples
• 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 3/502738 : characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/10 : Libraries containing peptides or polypeptides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00504 : combined with carousels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/466 : with separation columns in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 : Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 : Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00069 : whereby the sample substrate is of the bio-disk type, i.e. having the format of an optical disk
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/04 : Arrangements for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed, e.g. vacuum locks; Arrangements for external adjustment of electron- or ion-optical components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 366/04 : Micromixers: with application of energy to influence mixing/agitation, e.g. magnetic, electrical, e-m radiation, particulate radiation, or ultrasound

Abstract

A microfluidic device that comprises several microchannel structures in which there are an inlet port, an outlet port and there between a structural unit comprising a fluidic function. The structural unit can be selected amongst units enabling a) retaining of nl-aliquots comprising constituents which has been defined by mixing of aliquots within the microfluidic device (unit A), b) mixing of aliquots of liquids (unit B), c) partition of larger aliquots of liquids into smaller aliquots of liquids and distributing the latter individually and in parallel to different microchannel structure of the same microfluidic device (unit C), d) quick penetration into a microchannel structure of an aliquot of a liquid dispensed to an inlet port of a microchannel structure (unit D), and e) volume definition integrated within a microchannel structure (unit E).

Claims

1. A microfluidic device having a microchannel structure in which there are one or more inlet ports, one or more outlet ports, and a structural unit in communication with at least one of said ports, wherein the structural unit is a distribution manifold which enables partition of a larger portion of liquid into smaller aliquots which subsequently are introduced in parallel into downstream parts of separate microchannel structures, and which said manifold comprises

(a) a continuous microconduit containing an upper part at each end and therebetween alternating lower and upper parts, the number of upper parts is n and the number of lower parts is n−

1 where n is an integer ≧

3;

(b) a vent to ambient atmosphere and/or anti-wicking means in length-going edges delineating its lower wall(s) in each of the upper parts;

(c) an emptying opening in each of the lower parts which opening in a downstream direction via a connecting microconduit communicates with the remaining substructure of the microchannel structure or with the corresponding substructure of another microchannel structure;

(d) a valve in each of the connecting microconduits;

(e) an inlet port which is connected to the continuous microconduit directly or indirectly at one of the upper parts; and

(f) an outlet port which is connected to the continuous microconduit directly or indirectly at an upper part that is not connected to said inlet port.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the inlet port is connected to the continuous microconduit directly or indirectly at one of the end parts.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the outlet port is connected to the continuous microconduit directly or indirectly at one of the end parts.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the outlet port is connected to the continuous microconduit by a microconduit comprising an inner valve.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each upper part comprises an upward bent.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 5, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port of the structural unit are at a lower level than the extremes of the upward bents.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each lower part comprises a downward bent.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the downward bent is enlarged to a microcavity.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area along the continuous microconduit is of constant size and/or shape.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the smallest cross-sectional area of the continuous microconduit is in each of the upper parts.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the smallest cross-sectional area of the continuous microconduit is associated with the vent and/or the anti-wicking means in each of the upper parts.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port of the structural unit are at a lower level than the extremes of the lower parts.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port of the structural unit are at a lower level than any other parts of the microchannel structure that are downstream the lower part.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein a connecting microconduit and a lower part are connected by joints which are located at the same level.

15. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein a connecting microconduit and a lower part are connected by joints, each of which are located at the lowest part of the lower part.

16. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the valve in the connecting microconduit or in the microconduit connecting the outlet port to the continuous microconduit is an inner valve.

17. The microfluidic device of claim 16, wherein the valve is a capillary valve.

18. The microfluidic device of claim 16, wherein the valve is a capillary valve comprising a hydrophobic surface break.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the vents in the upper parts are located at the same level.

20. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the vent comprises anti-wicking means.

21. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each vent comprises a capillary valve and/or anti-wicking means which each is based on a hydrophobic surface break.

22. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the vents are connected to ambient atmosphere via a common venting channel.

23. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the device is spinnable about a spin axis and the microchannel structures and the structural unit arranged such that centrifugal force caused by spinning the device about the spin axis can be used for overcoming the valve functions.

24. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the device is in the form of a disc in which said microchannel structures.