Microfluidic valve and method of making same

• US 8,765,076 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HandyLab Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: HandyLab Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Handique, Kalyan, Parunak, Gene, Haley, Cecelia
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramdhanie, Bobby
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Denise R
• Application Number:
  US12/515,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20100173393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,421 Days
• Field of Search: 422/502
• US Class Current: 422/502
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/14 Means for pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1844 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0677 phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• 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: B81C 1/00087 Holes
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 : Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/008 : Multi-layer fabrications
• 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

Abstract

The present technology provides for a microfluidic substrate configured to carry out PCR on a number of polynucleotide-containing samples in parallel. The substrate can be a single-layer substrate in a microfluidic cartridge. Also provided are a method of making a microfluidic cartridge comprising such a substrate. Still further disclosed are a microfluidic valve suitable for use in isolating a PCR chamber in a microfluidic substrate, and a method of making such a valve.

Claims

1. A method of making a micro fluidic valve, the method of making comprising:

directing a dispensing head over an inlet hole in a microfluidic substrate;

propelling a quantity of thermally responsive substance from the dispensing head into the inlet hole; and

maintaining a temperature of the microfluidic substrate so that the thermally responsive substance flows by capillary action from the inlet hole past a shoulder and into a microfluidic channel in communication with the inlet hole via the shoulder, wherein the shoulder is disposed between the inlet hole and the microfluidic channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the quantity is 75±

15 nl.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the propelling utilizes compressed gas.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermally responsive substance is wax.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the shoulder is disposed at the bottom of the inlet hole.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a temperature of the thermally responsive substance in the dispensing head so that the thermally responsive substance is dispensed in molten form into the inlet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the volume of the microfluidic channel does not exceed a maximum volume of thermally responsive substance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the directing is automatically controlled.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the quantity of thermally responsive substance is dispensed as a dot.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the dot has one dimension of around 100 μ

m.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the propelling utilizes heated air.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing head is heated.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein microfluidic channel comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end of the microfluidic channel is fluidly connected with the inlet hole.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein microfluidic channel comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the second end of the micro fluidic channel intersects a flow channel.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the intersection of the mlcrofluidic channel and the flow channel forms a T-junction which gives rise to lower capillary forces than in the microfluidic channel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the flow of the thermally responsive substance stops when the thermally responsive substance reaches the flow channel.

17. A microfluidic valve made by the method of claim 1.

18. A microfluidic substrate comprising one or more microfluidic valves made by the method of claim 1.