System and method for bubble removal

• US 8,075,852 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gao, Chuan, Yu, Tianyue
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Brian R
• Application Number:
  US11/761,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20070267335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 422502-505, 422/552, 436/180, 436/43
• US Class Current: 422/502
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 19/00 Degasification of liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/028 Modular arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/04 Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• 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 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1844 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1861 using radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/565 : Seals in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 : with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/525 : with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 : Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/19 : for removing air bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 : Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention, systems, methods, and devices are provided for handling liquid. In some embodiments, such systems, methods, and devices are used to combine fluids while removing gaseous bubbles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing gas bubbles from a mixture of a first fluid and a second fluid, the apparatus comprising:

a first substrate, wherein the first substrate forms a top surface of a bubble removal chamber;

a second substrate, wherein the second substrate forms a bottom surface of the bubble removal chamber, wherein the bottom surface comprises a chamber entrance and a substrate coating, wherein a lower portion of the bottom surface comprises a first radius, wherein an upper portion of the bottom surface comprises a second radius, wherein the second radius is different than the first radius, and wherein the substrate coating and the first and second radii are adapted to retain the mixture of the first and second fluids within the lower portion while the gas bubbles dissipate into the chamber;

a third substrate, wherein the second and third substrates form one or more inlet channels, wherein the one or more inlet channels comprise at least one inlet opening, and wherein the one or more inlet channels are designed to provide fluidic communication between the at least one inlet opening and the bubble removal chamber such that fluids enter the bubble removal chamber through the chamber entrance; and

a venting channel, wherein the venting channel is connected with the bubble removal chamber and is designed to facilitate the exit of gas from the chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate coating is hydrophilic.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate coating is hydrophobic.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the venting channel is formed by the first and second substrate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second radii are in the range of about 1 mm to about 20 mm.

6. A system for removing gas bubbles from a mixture of a first fluid and a second fluid, the system comprising:

one or more gas bubble removal devices, each device comprising;

a first substrate, wherein the first substrate forms a top surface of a bubble removal chamber;

a second substrate, wherein the second substrate forms a bottom surface of the bubble removal chamber, wherein the bottom surface comprises a chamber entrance and a substrate coating, wherein a lower portion of the bottom surface comprises a first radius, wherein an upper portion of the bottom surface comprises a second radius, wherein the second radius is different than the first radius, and wherein the substrate coating and the first and second radii are adapted to retain the mixture of the first and second fluids within the lower portion while the gas bubbles dissipate into the chamber;

a third substrate, wherein the second and third substrates form one or more inlet channels, wherein the one or more inlet channels comprise at least one inlet opening, and wherein the one or more inlet channels are designed to provide fluidic communication between the at least one inlet opening and the bubble removal chamber such that fluids enter the bubble removal chamber through the chamber entrance;

a venting channel, wherein the venting channel is connected with the bubble removal chamber and is designed to facilitate the exit of gas from the chamber; and

an outlet channel, wherein the outlet channel is connected with the bubble removal chamber and is designed to provide fluidic communication between the bubble removal chamber and at least one collection port such that the mixture of the first and second fluids are removed from the chamber through the outlet channel; and

a source of pressurized gas;

a plurality of valve mechanisms and a plurality of gates, wherein the valve mechanisms and the plurality of gates are designed to control the input and output of fluids and gas throughout the inlet, venting and outlet channels of the system; and

a controlling device, wherein the controlling device is designed to manage the input and output of fluids and gas within the system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the substrate coating is hydrophilic.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the substrate coating is hydrophobic.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the venting channel is formed by the first and second substrate.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the first and second radii are in the range of about 1 mm to about 20 mm.

11. A method for removing gas bubbles from a mixture of a first fluid and a second fluid, the method comprising:

providing a gas bubble removal device, the device comprising;

a first substrate, wherein the first substrate forms a top surface of a bubble removal chamber;

a second substrate, wherein the second substrate forms a bottom surface of the bubble removal chamber, wherein the bottom surface comprises a chamber entrance and a substrate coating, wherein a lower portion of the bottom surface comprises a first radius, wherein an upper portion of the bottom surface comprises a second radius, wherein the second radius is different than the first radius, and wherein the substrate coating and the first and second radii are adapted to retain the mixture of the first and second fluids within the lower portion while the gas bubbles dissipate into the chamber;

a third substrate, wherein the second and third substrates form one or more inlet channels, wherein the one or more inlet channels comprise at least one inlet opening, and wherein the one or more inlet channels are designed to provide fluidic communication between the at least one inlet opening and the bubble removal chamber such that fluids enter the bubble removal chamber through the chamber entrance; and

a venting channel, wherein the venting channel is connected with the bubble removal chamber and is designed to facilitate the exit of gas from the chamber;

introducing a first quantity of the first fluid and a second quantity of the second fluid into the at least one inlet opening; and

using pressurized gas to transport the first quantity of the first fluid and the second quantity of the second fluid through the one or more inlet channels and into the bubble removal chamber such that the mixture of the first and second fluids is retained within the lower portion of the bottom surface while the gas bubbles within the mixture are dissipated into the chamber.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate coating is hydrophilic.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate coating is hydrophobic.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the venting channel is formed by the first and second substrate.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second radii are in the range of about 1 mm to about 20 mm.