Device for controlling exposure of reservoir contents to surroundings

• US 8,016,817 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microchips Biotech, Inc. (Keratin Biosciences, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MicroCHIPS Inc.
• Inventors: Uhland, Scott A., Cima, Michael J., Santini, John T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez; Manuel A
• Application Number:
  US12/348,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 604/890.1, 604/113, 604/114, 604/891.1, 604/892.1, 604/19, 216/2, 216/39, 216/56
• US Class Current: 604/890.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0024 Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0097 Micromachined devices; Microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]; Devices obtained by lithographic treatment of silicon; Devices comprising chips intradermal microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; MEMS in general B81B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0677 phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids

Abstract

Microchip devices are provided that include a substrate; a plurality of reservoirs in the substrate, each reservoir defining an internal volume; and a reservoir cap positioned on or in each of the reservoirs bounding the internal volume from an external environment, the reservoir cap being formed of a material that undergoes a phase change upon heating, wherein the internal volume can communicate with the external environment upon heating said reservoir cap to cause said reservoir cap to undergo a phase change and rupture.

Claims

1. A microchip device comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of reservoirs in the substrate, each reservoir defining an internal volume; and

a reservoir cap bounding the internal volume of each of said reservoirs from an external environment, the reservoir cap being formed of a material that undergoes a phase change upon heating,

wherein the internal volume can communicate with the external environment upon heating said reservoir cap to cause said reservoir cap to undergo a phase change and rupture.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a means for heating said reservoir cap.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said reservoir cap comprises a metal film.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said reservoir cap can be heated and ruptured with substantially no heating of a material disposed in the internal volume.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal volume comprises a protein.