Fluid delivery system and method

• US 8,389,272 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Original Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Inventors: Linder, Vincent, Sia, Samuel K., Whitesides, George M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, N. C.
• Application Number:
  US13/226,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20110315229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/286.4
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5304 Reaction vessels, e.g. agglutination plates for solid-phase systems G01N33/543
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/543 with an insoluble carrier for immobilising immunochemicals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/08 using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 Multiple transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering one or more fluids. Fluids may be delivered sequentially from a common vessel to a chemical, biological or biochemical process.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a first and a second fluid maintained separately from each other by a third fluid in a common, sealed vessel, wherein the third fluid is adjacent to and substantially immiscible with the first and second fluids;

unsealing the vessel;

transferring the first, third and second fluids in series from the vessel to a reaction site; and

avoiding substantial contact between the first and second fluids, at least until after the fluids have been applied to the reaction site.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising connecting the vessel to a device comprising the reaction site.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel and reaction site are on a common platform.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel and reaction site are integrally connected during storage of the first, second and third fluids in the vessel.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel comprises a tube.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a pressure differential across the reaction site.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the pressure differential is provided by suction on a downstream side of the reaction site.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the pressure differential is provided by a pump on an upstream side of the reaction site.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second fluids are transferred in series to the reaction site without actuating a valve.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second fluids are transferred in series to the reaction site without actuation of any device that controls the rate, the order, or timing of introduction of either of the first and second fluids, relative to each other, to the reaction site.

13. The method of claim 4 wherein the device is a microfluidic device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of an antibody or an antigen is associated with the reaction site.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the third fluid is a gas or a gaseous mixture.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the first fluid and/or second fluid is a rinse solution.

17. The method of claim 4 further comprising disposing a sample in the device prior to applying the first and second fluids to the reaction site.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel contains a fourth fluid, the method further comprising combining the fourth fluid and the second fluid while transferring the first, third, and second fluids from the vessel to the reaction site.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel has a length to inner diameter ratio of at least 10:

1.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel has an inner diameter of less than 1 millimeter.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the vessel has an inner diameter of less than 500 microns.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the fluids comprises a gold conjugated antibody.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the fluids comprises a metal precursor.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising electrolessly depositing metal at the reaction site to produce an opaque material.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising determining light absorbance or transmission through the opaque material.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second fluids are maintained separately from each other by the third fluid in the common, sealed vessel for greater than one hour.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein the reaction site is adapted for allowing a binding event to occur between at least two binding partners, and wherein at least one of the binding partners comprises an antibody.

48. The method of claim 18 wherein the fourth fluid is stored in the vessel prior to the unsealing step.

2. A method comprising:

unsealing a sealed vessel containing a first and a second fluid maintained separately from each other by a third fluid adjacent to and substantially immiscible with the first and second fluids;

applying in series the first, third, and second fluids to a reaction site, wherein the vessel and the reaction site are formed in a microfluidic chip; and

avoiding substantial contact between the first and second fluids, at least until after the fluids have been applied to the reaction site.

27. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of an antibody or an antigen is associated with the reaction site.

28. The method of claim 2 wherein the third fluid is a gas or a gaseous mixture.

29. The method of claim 2 wherein the first fluid and/or second fluid is a rinse solution.

30. The method of claim 2 further comprising disposing a sample in the microfluidic chip prior to applying the first and second fluids to the reaction site.

31. The method of claim 2 wherein the vessel has a length to inner diameter ratio of at least 10:

1.

32. The method of claim 2 wherein the vessel has an inner diameter of less than 500 microns.

33. The method of claim 2 further comprising electrolessly depositing metal at the reaction site to produce an opaque material.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising determining light absorbance or transmission through the opaque material.

35. The method of claim 2 wherein the vessel contains a fourth fluid, the method further comprising combining the fourth fluid and the second fluid while transferring the first, third, and second fluids from the vessel to the reaction site.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein at least one of the first, third, and second fluids comprises a metal precursor.

37. The method of claim 2 wherein the reaction site is adapted for allowing a binding event to occur between at least two binding partners, and wherein at least one of the binding partners comprises an antibody.

3. A method comprising:

unsealing a sealed vessel containing a first and a second fluid maintained separately from each other by a third fluid adjacent to and substantially immiscible with the first and second fluids;

applying in series the first, third, and second fluids to a reaction site, wherein the vessel and the reaction site are integrally connected to one another; and

avoiding substantial contact between the first and second fluids, at least until after the fluids have been applied to the reaction site.

39. The method of claim 3 wherein the third fluid is a gas or a gaseous mixture.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the first fluid and/or second fluid is a rinse solution.

41. The method of claim 3 wherein the vessel has a length to inner diameter ratio of at least 10:

1.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the vessel has an inner diameter of less than 500 microns.

43. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the first, third, and second fluids comprises a metal precursor.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising electrolessly depositing metal at the reaction site to produce an opaque material.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising determining light absorbance or transmission through the opaque material.

46. The method of claim 39 wherein the vessel contains a fourth fluid, the method further comprising combining the fourth fluid and the second fluid while transferring the first, third, and second fluids from the vessel to the reaction site.

47. The method of claim 3 wherein the reaction site is adapted for allowing a binding event to occur between at least two binding partners, and wherein at least one of the binding partners comprises an antibody.