Microfluidic systems and methods for combining discrete fluid volumes

• US 7,318,912 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nanostream, Inc.
• Inventors: Dantsker, Eugene, Pezzuto, Marci
• Primary Examiner(s): Sines; Brian
• Application Number:
  US10/150,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20020187560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,070 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/68.1, 422/81, 422/82, 422/100, 422/101, 422/102, 422/103, 422/104, 436/43, 436/52, 436/53, 436/180, 137/1, 137/87.01, 137/89, 137/110
• US Class Current: 422/504
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/314 wherein additional components are introduced at the circumference of the conduit
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/432 with means for dividing the material flow into separate sub-flows and for repositioning and recombining these sub-flows; Cross-mixing, e.g. conducting the outer layer of the material nearer to the axis of the tube or vice-versa
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/713 comprising breaking packages or parts thereof, e.g. piercing or opening sealing elements between compartments or cartridges containers or packages per se B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7182 with means for feeding the material with a fractal or tree-type distribution in a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/06 Valves, specific forms thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• 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 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00119 Arrangement of basic structures like cavities or channels, e.g. suitable for microfluidic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/019 Bonding or gluing multiple substrate layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2496 Self-proportioning or correlating systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2501 : Dividing and recombining flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2562 : Dividing and recombining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/117497 : with a continuously flowing sample or carrier stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/118339 : with formation of a segmented stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Microfluidic devices capable of combining discrete fluid volumes generally include channels for supplying different fluids toward a sample chamber and means for establishing fluid communication between the fluids within the chamber. Discrete fluid plugs are defined from larger fluid volumes before being combined. Certain embodiments utilize adjacent chambers or subchambers divided by a rupture region such as a frangible seal. Further embodiments utilize one or more deformable membranes and/or porous regions to direct fluid flow. Certain devices may be pneumatically or magnetically actuated.

Claims

1. A multi-layer microfluidic device for combining discrete volumes of at least two fluids, the device comprising:

a microfluidic chamber;

a first microfluidic channel adapted to supply a first fluid to the microfluidic chamber;

a second microfluidic channel adapted to supply a second fluid to the microfluidic chamber;

a deformable membrane bounding a surface of the microfluidic chamber, the deformable membrane including a first membrane portion adapted to selectively block the passage of the first fluid from the first microfluidic channel into the microfluidic chamber, and including a second membrane portion adapted to selectively block the passage of the second fluid from the second microfluidic channel into the microfluidic chamber;

wherein the first membrane portion and the second membrane portion are independently actuatable, and the deformable membrane is adapted to permit the first fluid to contact the second fluid within the microfluidic chamber.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein the first microfluidic channel is a first microfluidic branch channel and the second microfluidic channel is a second microfluidic branch channel, the device further comprising:

a first microfluidic trunk channel in fluid communication with the first microfluidic branch channel, the first microfluidic trunk channel having a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet; and

a second microfluidic trunk channel in fluid communication with the second microfluidic branch channel, the second microfluidic trunk channel having a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein the deformable membrane is adapted to divide the microfluidic chamber into a plurality of discrete subchambers.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of actuation chambers in fluid communication with the deformable membrane, each actuation chamber being adapted to permit manipulation of a different portion of the deformable membrane.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein the deformable membrane includes a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic material.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein the microfluidic chamber is bounded along at least one surface by a substantially optically transmissive material.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of microfluidic chambers arranged in a two-dimensional array.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein at least one layer of the multi-layer device is a stencil layer.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein at least one layer of the multi-layer device comprises a self-adhesive tape.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein at least one layer of the multi-layer device comprises a polymeric material.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a porous region in fluid communication with the microfluidic chamber.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 11 wherein the porous region is vented to atmosphere.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 11 wherein the porous region is in selective fluid communication with a vacuum source.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein the microfluidic chamber has a volume of less than about 1 microliter.

15. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first microfluidic channel has a first width, the secoad microfluidic channel inlet has a second width, and the microfluidic chamber has a width that is greater than each of the first width and the second width.