Fluidic device

• US 7,794,665 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Weng, Kuo-Yao
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kingan; Timothy G
• Application Number:
  US11/612,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 422/103, 422/110, 206/532, 206/538
• US Class Current: 422/413
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/046 Chemical or electrochemical formation of bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• 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

Abstract

A fluidic device includes a first material defining a first region, a second material defining a second region that is separated from the first region, and a connector coupled between the first region and the second region. The connector includes a brittle material and has an open end and a closed end, the open end being disposed in the second region, the closed end being disposed in the first region. The first region is closed off from the second region by the closed end of the connector. The connector is configured such that when the closed end of the connector is broken, the connector defines a passage from the first region to the second region.

Claims

1. A fluidic device comprising:

a first material defining a first region;

a second material defining a second region that is separated from the first region; and

a connector coupled between the first region and the second region, both of a first channel or of a first and second channel respectively, the connector comprising a brittle material and having an open end and a closed end, the open end being disposed in the second region, the closed end being disposed in the first region the connector configured such that when the closed end of the connector is broken, the connector defines a passage from the first region to the second region,

whereby the connector comprises a material having a volume that does not block a passage of a fluid prior to absorption of the fluid, wherein the material expands in volume upon absorption of a portion of the fluid such that, after expansion, the material blocks passage of additional fluid through the connector.

2. The fluidic device of claim 1 wherein the first region comprises a channel and a reservoir, the channel configured to draw fluid from the reservoir into the channel due to a capillary force after the connector is broken.

3. The fluidic device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises an outer perimeter having a portion that has a flat surface, and an inner perimeter having a portion that has a flat surface, to allow light to illuminate a fluid in the connector.

4. The fluidic device of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a flexible material that allows application of an external force to break the closed end of the connector.

5. The fluidic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a self-close valve comprising a third material disposed in the first channel outside the connector, the third material having a volume that does not block a passage of a fluid prior to absorption of the fluid,

wherein the third material expands in volume upon absorption of a portion of the fluid such that, after expansion, the third material blocks passage of additional fluid through the channel,

wherein the closed-end of the connector prevents passage of the fluid through the connector when intact and allows passage of the fluid through the connector when broken.

6. The fluidic device of claim 5 wherein the third material comprises superabsorbent polymers.

7. The fluidic device of claim 5 wherein the first channel comprises an expanded section having a larger diameter than adjacent portions of the first channel, and the third material is disposed in the expanded section.

8. The fluidic device of claim 5 wherein the first channel comprises a capillary, and the fluid moves in the first channel at least in part due to a capillary force.

9. The fluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a second channel, in which a part of the connector is positioned in the second channel, the second channel having a wall that comprises a flexible material that allows application of an external force to break the closed end of connector.

10. A method of using the fluidic device of claim 1, wherein the open end of the connector is positioned in the first channel and the closed end in the second channel, comprising:

breaking the closed end of the connector to form a passage from the first region to the second region through the connector;

absorbing the portion of the fluid flowing in the connector by using the material of the connector that expands in volume after absorbing the fluid; and

using the expanded material of the connector to block further flow of additional fluid through the connector.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the material of the connector comprises superabsorbent polymers.

12. A method of using the fluidic device of claim 5, wherein the connector couples the first region and the second region of the first channel, comprising:

flowing a fluid in a channel that includes a material that expands in volume upon absorption of a portion of the fluid, including flowing a first portion of the fluid past the material and using the material to absorb a second portion of the fluid, causing the material to expand in volume; and

blocking passage of additional fluid through the first channel by using the expanded third material.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising breaking the closed end of the connector to enable passage of additional fluid in the first channel by flowing the fluid through the connector to bypass the expanded third material, wherein prior to breaking the closed end, the open end of the connector is disposed in a first section of the first channel and the closed end of the connector is disposed in a second section of the first channel, the first and second sections being separated by the expanded third material.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising absorbing another portion of the fluid flowing through the connector by using a fourth material in the connector that expands in volume after absorbing the fluid, and using the expanded fourth material to block further flow of fluid through the connector.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the fourth material in the connector comprises superabsorbent polymers.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the first channel having a wall that comprises a flexible material that allows application of an external force to break the closed end of the connector.