Micro fluid system support and manufacturing method thereof

• US 8,889,084 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Company Limited (Resonac Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Company Limited (Resonac Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawazoe, Hiroshi, Nakaso, Akishi, Arike, Shigeharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyun, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): EOM, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US12/496,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20090269245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,966 Days
• Field of Search: 422/100
• US Class Current: 422/502
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00788 Three-dimensional assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a form other than a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00822 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00833 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0086 Dimensions of the flow channels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00869 Microreactors placed in parallel, on the same or on different supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• 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: B81B 2201/051 Micromixers, microreactors
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00119 Arrangement of basic structures like cavities or channels, e.g. suitable for microfluidic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/019 Bonding or gluing multiple substrate layers
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/032 Gluing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A support unit for a microfluidic system includes a first support; a first adhesive layer provided on a surface of the first support; and a hollow filament laid on a surface of the first adhesive layer to have an arbitrary shape and functioning as a flow channel layer of the microfluidic system.

Claims

1. A support unit for a microfluidic system, comprising:

a first support;

a first adhesive layer provided on a surface of the first support; and

a first hollow filament group constituted by a plurality of hollow filaments laid on a surface of the first adhesive layer and respectively functioning as a plurality of flow channel layers of the microfluidic system;

a second support; and

a second adhesive layer provided on a surface of the second support, wherein the first adhesive layer and second adhesive layer are stuck together with the first hollow filament group being therebetween,

wherein a shape of each of said hollow filaments along its longitudinal axis is curved,

wherein each of the hollow filaments has an open beginning end and an open ending end and each of the hollow filaments is continuously hollow from the beginning end to the ending end,

wherein the plurality of hollow filaments comprise hollow filaments that have a beginning end which is exposed and extends from the first support and that have an ending end which is exposed and extends from the first support and

wherein the beginning end and the ending end are each shorter than a length of an unexposed portion of the plurality of hollow filaments.

2. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, further comprising a second hollow filament group constituted by a plurality of hollow filaments laid in a direction so as to intersect with the first hollow filament group and functioning as another plurality of flow channel layers of the microfluidic system.

3. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, wherein a metal film is formed on an outside part and surrounds a beginning end or ending end of at least one of the plurality of hollow filaments.

4. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of hollow filaments is partially provided with an optically transparent portion.

5. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the hollow filaments have light permeability.

18. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1 or 6, wherein a laying shape of the hollow filaments is fixed by the first adhesive layer.

19. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1 or 6, wherein a terminal or a circuit is formed on the surface of at least one of the first support and the second support.

20. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1 or 6, wherein at least one of a micromachine, a heat generation element, a piezoelectric element, a sensor, an electronic part, and a light part is formed on the surface of at least one of the first support and the second support.

21. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1 or 6, wherein the hollow filaments have a straight line part.

22. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 1 or 6, wherein said first adhesive layer and said second adhesive layer are made from the same material.

23. A method of manufacturing the support unit for a microfluidic system of claim 1 or 6, comprising:

forming the first adhesive layer on the surface of the first support; and

laying the hollow filaments with curvatures on the surface of the first adhesive layer.

24. A method of manufacturing the support unit for a microfluidic system of claim 1 or 6, comprising:

forming the first adhesive layer on the surface of the first support; and

laying the first hollow filament group constituted by the plurality of hollow filaments with curvatures, on the surface of the first adhesive layer.

25. The method of manufacturing the support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 24, wherein between the forming the first adhesive layer and laying the first hollow filament group, the manufacturing method further comprising:

providing release layers on the surface of the first adhesive layer at positions where the hollow filaments are exposed; and

providing a slit in the first support,

wherein the first hollow filament group is in contact with both surfaces of a pair of the release layers.

26. The method of manufacturing the support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 24, further comprising laying a second hollow filament group constituted by a plurality of hollow filaments in a direction so as to intersect with the first hollow filament group, after laying the first hollow filament group.

27. The method of manufacturing the support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 24, wherein after laying the first hollow filament group, the manufacturing method further comprising:

forming the second adhesive layer on a surface of the first hollow filament group; and

adhering the second support onto the surface of the second adhesive layer.

28. A method of manufacturing the support unit for a microfluidic system of claim 1 or 6, comprising:

forming the first adhesive layer on the surface of a first support;

laying the plurality of hollow filaments with curvatures on the surface of the first adhesive layer;

forming the second adhesive layer on the first adhesive layer and the hollow filaments;

forming the relay portion in the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer; and

adhering the second support onto the surface of the second adhesive layer.

29. The method of manufacturing the support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 28, wherein forming the relay portion in the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer further includes forming the relay portion so that the second support becomes a part of the relay portion.

6. A support unit for a microfluidic system, comprising:

a first support;

a first adhesive layer provided on a surface of the first support;

a plurality of hollow filaments laid on the surface of the first adhesive layer;

a second support;

a second adhesive layer provided on a surface of the second support, wherein the first adhesive layer and second adhesive layer are stuck together with the plurality of hollow filaments being therebetween; and

a relay portion provided in the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer and connecting routes of the hollow filaments,

wherein a shape of each of said hollow filaments along its longitudinal axis is curved,

wherein each of the hollow filaments has an open beginning end and an open ending end and each of the hollow filaments is continuously hollow from the beginning end to the ending end,

wherein the plurality of hollow filaments comprise hollow filaments that have a beginning end which is exposed and extends from the first support and that have an ending end which is exposed and extends from the first support and

wherein the beginning end and the ending end are each shorter than a length of an unexposed portion of the plurality of hollow filaments.

7. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6,

wherein the relay portion includes a part of the second support.

8. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are adhered to each other.

9. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein there is a cavity in a circumference of the plurality of hollow filaments.

10. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein the relay portion comprises a wall portion and a bottom portion.

11. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein in the relay portion hollow filaments are exposed between the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer.

12. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein the relay portion has a cylindrical shape.

13. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein the relay portion allows fluid other than that of the hollow filaments to be filled into the relay portion.

14. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein the relay portion has an open structure so that fluid within the relay portion may be removed.

15. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein the relay portion provides for mixing fluid in the relay portion.

16. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein the relay portion comprises a branch hollow filament for branching a fluid path from a hollow filament.

17. The support unit for a microfluidic system according to claim 6, wherein the relay portion is closed by the second support.