Microfluidic devices for fluid manipulation and analysis

• US 8,697,009 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perkinelmer Health Sciences Incorporated (Perkinelmer Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Micronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saltsman, Patrick, Shen, Mingchao, Houkal, Jeffrey M., Lancaster, Christy A., Battrell, C. Frederick, Weigl, Bernhard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Brian R
• Application Number:
  US14/020,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20140010736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: 422502-505, 422/500, 422/400, 422/408, 422/417, 422/420, 422534-535, 422/537, 422551-552, 422/554
• US Class Current: 422/502
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/3141 with additional mixing means other than injector mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/433 Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4331 Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0621 Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied
• 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 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1805 Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0605 check valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0633 with moving parts
• 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 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• 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 3/502753 : characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/043 : Micropumps
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5304 : Reaction vessels, e.g. agglutination plates for solid-phase systems G01N33/543
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/80 : involving blood groups or blood types or red blood cells white blood cells G01N33/56972

Abstract

The present invention relates to microfluidic devices and methods for manipulating and analyzing fluid samples. The disclosed microfluidic devices utilize a plurality of microfluidic channels, inlets, valves, filter, pumps, liquid barriers and other elements arranged in various configurations to manipulate the flow of a fluid sample in order to prepare such sample for analysis.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device comprising:

a first microfluidic channel having a first end and a second end;

a sample inlet fluidly connected to the first end of the first microfluidic channel, the sample inlet configured to receive a liquid sample;

an active valve positioned between the sample inlet and the first end of the first microfluidic channel;

a first bellows pump fluidly connected to the second end of the first microfluidic channel;

a liquid barrier positioned between the first bellows pump and the second end of the first microfluidic channel, wherein the liquid barrier is gas permeable and liquid impermeable;

a second microfluidic channel having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second microfluidic channel is fluidly connected to the first microfluidic channel at a location adjacent to the active valve;

a passive valve positioned between the first end of the second microfluidic channel and the first microfluidic channel, wherein the passive valve is configured to open when fluid pressure in the first microfluidic channel is greater than fluid pressure in the second microfluidic channel; and

a sample reservoir fluidly connected to the second end of the second microfluidic channel.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first bellows pump comprises a vent hole.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a second bellows pump configured to actuate the active valve.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the sample reservoir comprises a vent hole.

5. A microfluidic device comprising:

first and second microfluidic channels, each of the first and second microfluidic channels having a first end and a second end;

a sample inlet fluidly connected to the first end of the first microfluidic channel, the sample inlet configured to receive the liquid sample;

a first bellows pump fluidly connected to, and positioned between, the second end of the first microfluidic channel and the first end of the second microfluidic channel;

a second bellows pump fluidly connected to the second end of the second microfluidic channel, wherein the second bellows pump has a fluid outlet;

a first check valve positioned between the sample inlet and the first end of the first microfluidic channel, wherein the first check valve is configured to permit fluid flow towards the first microfluidic channel;

a second check valve positioned between the second end of the first microfluidic channel and the first bellows pump, wherein the second check valve is configured to permit fluid flow towards the first bellows pump;

a third check valve positioned between the first bellows pump and the first end of the second microfluidic channel, wherein the third check valve is configured to permits fluid flow towards the second microfluidic channel; and

a fourth check valve positioned between the second end of the second microfluidic channel and the second bellows pump, wherein the fourth check valve is configured to permit fluid flow towards the second bellows pump.