Electrospray interface to a microfluidic substrate

• US 9,095,791 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation (Waters Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation (Waters Corporation)
• Inventors: Prentice, David P., Keene, Russell L., Koziol, Stanislaw, Michienzi, Joseph D., Linderson, Paul E., Bertone, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Lore
• Application Number:
  US13/202,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20120024399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 422/505
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/10 characterised by constructional or operational features
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0883 Serpentine channels
• 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 3/502753 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: B01L 3/563 Joints or fittings in general F16L; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/00 Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means B05B3/00, B05B5/00, B05B7/00 take precedence; nozzles for baths with water or gas jets A61H33/00, e.g. A61H33/6063, A61H33/6021, A61H33/026 or A61H33/027; Nozzles specially adapted for fire-extinguishing A62C31/02; Nozzles for generating high velocity abrasive fluid jets B24C5/04; nozzles for jet-ink printing mechanisms B41J2/135; nozzles for filling containers B65B39/00; nozzles for liquid-dispensing, e.g. in vehicle service stations B67D7/42
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/02 designed to produce a jet, spray, or other discharge of particular shape or nature, e.g. in single drops, or having an outlet of particular shapeB05B1/26, B05B1/28, B05B1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/34 designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl designed to control volume of flow B05B1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/72 Mass spectrometers mass spectrometers per se H01J49/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7233 interfaced to liquid or supercritical fluid chromatograph interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/724 Nebulising, aerosol formation or ionisation spraying or atomising in general B05B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7266 by electric field, e.g. electrospray
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/167 Capillaries and nozzles specially adapted therefor; electrostatic spraying per se B05B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/598 : With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/24 : Nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance or other spin effects or mass spectrometry

Abstract

A liquid-chromatography module includes a microfluidic cartridge housing a microfluidic substrate with a channel for transporting fluid. The microfluidic substrate has fluidic apertures through which fluid is supplied to the channel. One side of the cartridge has nozzle openings, each aligning with a fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate and receiving a fluidic nozzle. A clamping assembly has a plunger that is movable into a clamped position and an end housing that defines a chamber. One wall of the end housing has a fluidic block with fluidic nozzles extending into the chamber. A second wall has a slot through which the cartridge enters the chamber. When moved into the clamped position while the cartridge is in the chamber, the plunger urges the cartridge against the fluidic block such that each fluidic nozzle enters one nozzle opening and establishes fluidic communication with one fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a microfluidic substrate having a channel for transporting fluid, a first side of the microfluidic substrate having a plurality of apertures through which fluid can be supplied to the channel;

a plurality of fluidic nozzles disposed adjacent the first side of the microfluidic substrate, each fluidic nozzle having a fluid-egress end in alignment with and facing one of the apertures in the first side of the microfluidic substrate, wherein an elastic modulus of each fluidic nozzle is lower than an elastic modulus of the microfluidic substrate; and

a clamping assembly that, in a closed state, clamps the fluid-egress ends of the fluidic nozzles flush against the first side of the microfluidic substrate with sufficient pressure to establish a leakproof fluidic pathway between each fluidic nozzle and the aperture with which that fluidic nozzle is in alignment,

wherein, in an open state of the clamping assembly, the microfluidic substrate floats freely to self level during transition of the clamping assembly from the open state to the closed state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a push block disposed adjacent to a second side of the microfluidic substrate opposite the first side of the microfluidic substrate, and wherein the clamping assembly includes a plunger for applying a force to the push block substantially orthogonal to the substrate when clamping the fluid-egress ends of the fluidic nozzles flush against the first side of the microfluidic substrate, the applied force urging the push block against the second side of the microfluidic substrate and the first side of the microfluidic substrate against the fluid-egress ends of the fluidic nozzles.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the push block has at least three spatially separated bosses that press flush against the second side of the microfluidic substrate in response to the applied force.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of the at least three bosses presses against the second side of the microfluidic substrate directly opposite one of the apertures in the first side of the microfluidic substrate.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a microfluidic cartridge housing the microfluidic substrate, a first side of the microfluidic cartridge having a plurality of nozzle openings, each of the nozzle openings aligning with one of the apertures in the first side of the microfluidic substrate and being adapted to receive one of the fluidic nozzles, a second side of the microfluidic cartridge having a interior recess within which the push block movably floats and a window behind which the push block is disposed, a portion of the push block being exposed through the window in order to receive the force applied by the plunger.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluidic nozzles are arranged triangularly to define a substantially circular load pattern when the fluidic nozzles are clamped flush against the first side of the microfluidic substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a flex circuit on the microfluidic substrate, the flex circuit including an electrical connector with an array of electrical contacts; and

an electrical connector that makes an electrical connection with the array of electrical contacts concurrently with when the clamping assembly clamps the fluid-egress ends of the fluidic nozzles flush against the first side of the microfluidic substrate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the flex circuit includes a heater that is thermally coupled to the microfluidic substrate.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first side of the microfluidic substrate further includes an electrical contact adapted to receive a high voltage electrical conductor when the clamping assembly clamps the fluid-egress ends of the fluidic nozzles flush against the first side of the microfluidic substrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gas inlet port disposed near an emitter end of the microfluidic substrate, the gas inlet port receiving a gas nozzle when the clamping assembly clamps the fluid-egress ends of the fluidic nozzles flush against the first side of the microfluidic substrate.