Valve unit and reaction apparatus having the same

• US 7,926,514 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precision Biosensor Inc.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Park, Jong-myeon, Hong, Sung-woo, Cho, Yoon-kyuong, Lee, Beom-seok, Lee, Jeong-gun
• Primary Examiner(s): Schneider; Craig M
• Application Number:
  US11/766,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20080029158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 137/251.1, 137/825, 137/827, 137/828, 137/831, 422/99, 422/100, 422/103, 251/11, 251/129.01
• US Class Current: 137/828
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1861 using radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0677 phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0084 Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0001 Microvalves microdevices B81B1/00; manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate B81C1/00; microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; micropumps F04B19/006
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0019 Valves using a microdroplet or microbubble as the valve member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0032 using phase transition or influencing viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0034 Operating means specially adapted for microvalves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/004 using radiation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1827 With heater for destructible or fusible element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2196 Acoustical or thermal energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6606 With electric heating element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7755 Reactor surface normal to flow

Abstract

Provided are a valve unit and a reaction apparatus having the valve unit. The valve unit includes a phase transition material, which melts and expands upon an application of the electromagnetic waves to the valve filler, and the valve filler is directed into the channel through the connection passage and closes the channel. The valve unit also includes heat generation particles, which are dispersed in the phase transition material and generate heat upon an application of electromagnetic wave energy.

Claims

1. A valve unit comprising:

a valve filler which includes a phase transition material;

a chamber to receive the valve filler;

a fluid channel; and

a connection passage which is located between the chamber and the fluid channel and provides fluid communication between the chamber and the fluid channel,

wherein the phase transition material melts and expands upon an application of the electromagnetic waves to the valve filler, and the valve filler is directed into the channel through the connection passage and closes the channel,

which further comprises an external energy source applying electromagnetic waves to the valve filler,

wherein the external energy source comprises a laser beam source irradiating a laser beam.

2. A reaction apparatus comprising:

a substrate which provides a reaction chamber and a fluid channel, said reaction chamber and said fluid channel being fluid communicated with each other; and

a valve unit which controls a flow in the fluid channel,

wherein the valve unit comprises;

a valve filler which includes a phase transition material;

a valve chamber to receive the valve filler; and

a connection passage,

wherein the phase transition material melts and expands upon an application of the electromagnetic waves to the valve filler, and the valve filler is directed into the channel through the connection passage and closes the channel,

which further includes an external energy source applying electromagnetic waves to the valve filler,

wherein the external energy source comprises a laser beam source irradiating a laser beam.

3. A valve unit comprising:

a valve filler which includes a phase transition material and a plurality of heat generation particles;

a chamber to receive the valve filler;

a fluid channel; and

a connection passage which is located between the chamber and the fluid channel and provides fluid communication between the chamber and the fluid channel,

wherein the heat generation particles are dispersed in the phase transition material and generate heat upon an application of electromagnetic wave energy, and

wherein the phase transition material melts and expands upon an application of heat which is generated by the heat generation materials, and the valve filler is directed into the channel through the connection passage and closes the channel,

which further comprises an external energy source,

wherein the external energy source comprises a laser beam source irradiating a laser beam.

4. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the laser beam source includes a laser diode.

5. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source is a pulse electromagnetic wave having an energy of at least 1 mJ/pulse.

6. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source is a continuous wave electromagnetic wave having an output of at least 10 mW.

7. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source has a wavelength in the range of 750 to 1300 nm.

8. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the heat generation particles are in the form of a quantum dot or a magnetic bead.

9. The valve unit of claim 3, further comprising a buffer chamber in the connection passage.

10. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the heat generation particles have an average diameter in the range of 1 nm to 100 μ

m.

11. The valve unit of claim 10, wherein the heat generation particles are dispersed in a hydrophobic carrier oil.

12. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the heat generation particles include a ferromagnetic material or a metal oxide.

13. The valve unit of claim 12, wherein the metal oxide is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al₂O₃, TiO₂, Ta₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, Fe₂O₄, and HfO₂.

14. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the heat generation particles are formed of a polymer.

15. The valve unit of claim 14, wherein the heat generation particles are magnetic beads and the magnetic beads are formed of a magnetic material selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Cr, and an oxide thereof.

16. The valve unit of claim 15, wherein the magnetic beads has a core formed from the magnetic material and further comprises an outer hydrophobic layer formed on the magnetic material core.

17. The valve unit of claim 3, wherein the phase-transition material is at least one selected from the group consisting of wax, a gel, and a thermoplastic resin.

18. The valve unit of claim 17, wherein the wax is at least one selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, synthetic wax, and natural wax.

19. The valve unit of claim 17, wherein the gel is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, and polyvinylamides.

20. The valve unit of claim 17, wherein the thermoplastic resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of a cyclic olefin copolymer, a polymethylmethacrylate, a polycarbonate, a polystyrene, a polyoxymethylene, a perfluoralkoxy, a polyvinylchloride, a polypropylene, a polyethylene terephthalate, a polyetheretherketone, a polyamide, a polysulfone, and a polyvinylidene fluoride.

21. A reaction apparatus comprising:

a substrate which provides a reaction chamber and a fluid channel, said reaction chamber and said fluid channel being fluid communicated with each other; and

a valve unit which controls a flow in the fluid channel,

wherein the valve unit comprises;

a valve filler which includes a phase transition material and a plurality of heat generation particles;

a valve chamber to receive the valve filler; and

a connection passage,

wherein the connection passage is located between the valve chamber and the fluid channel and provides fluid communication between the valve chamber and the fluid channel,

wherein the heat generation particles are dispersed in the phase transition material and generate heat upon an application of electromagnetic wave energy;

wherein the phase transition material is in solid phase at an operational temperature of the apparatus, and wherein the phase transition material melts and expands upon an application of heat which is generated by the heat generation materials, and the valve filler is directed into the channel through the connection passage and closes the channel,

wherein the valve unit further comprises an external energy source which applies electromagnetic waves to the valve filler,

wherein the external energy source comprises a laser beam source irradiating a laser beam.

22. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the laser beam source includes a laser diode.

23. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source is a pulse electromagnetic wave having an energy of at least 1 mJ/pulse.

24. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source is a continuous wave electromagnetic wave having an output of at least 10 mW.

25. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source has a wavelength in the range of 750 to 1300 nm.

26. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heat generation particles are formed of a polymer.

27. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a buffer chamber in the connection passage.

28. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a rotating unit which rotates the substrate, wherein the valve filler, in its melted phase, is pumped to the fluid channel by a centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the substrate.

29. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the reaction chamber has an inlet port and an outlet port each fluid communicate with the fluid channel and the reaction apparatus comprises at least two valve units which each close the fluid channel on the side of the inlet port and the side of the outlet port of the reaction chamber, respectively.

30. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the substrate is provided with a fluid hole, through which the fluid is injected into the fluid channel, and with a valve filler hole, through which the valve filler is injected into the valve chamber.

31. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least a portion of the substrate is transparent so that the electromagnetic wave can be transmitted therethrough.

32. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heat generation particles have an average diameter in the range of 1 nm to 100 μ

m.

33. The reaction apparatus of claim 32, wherein the heat generation particles are dispersed in a hydrophobic carrier oil.

34. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heat generation particles include a ferromagnetic material or a metal oxide.

35. The reaction apparatus of claim 34, wherein the metal oxide is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al₂O₃, TiO₂, Ta₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, Fe₂O₄, and HfO₂.

36. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heat generation particles are in the form of a quantum dot or a magnetic bead.

37. The reaction apparatus of claim 36, wherein the heat generation particles are magnetic beads and the magnetic beads are formed of a magnetic material selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Cr, and an oxide thereof.

38. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the phase-transition material is at least one selected from the group consisting of wax, a gel, and a thermoplastic resin.

39. The reaction apparatus of claim 38, wherein the wax is at least one selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, synthetic wax, and natural wax.

40. The reaction apparatus of claim 38, wherein the gel is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, and polyvinylamides.

41. The reaction apparatus of claim 38, wherein the thermoplastic resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of a cyclic olefin copolymer, a polymethylmethacrylate, a polycarbonate, a polystyrene, a polyoxymethylene, a perfluoralkoxy, a polyvinylchloride, a polypropylene, a polyethylene terephthalate, a polyetheretherketone, a polyamide, a polysulfone, and a polyvinylidene fluoride.

42. The reaction apparatus of claim 21, wherein the substrate includes upper and lower plates bonded together.

43. The reaction apparatus of claim 42, wherein the upper and lower plates are bonded together by an adhesive or are thermally bonded together by an ultrasonic wave.

44. The reaction apparatus of claim 42, wherein the fluid channel, the reaction chamber, the valve chamber, and the connection passage are formed on one of the upper and lower substrates.