Capillary fluid flow control

• US 9,352,316 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carclo Technical Plastics Limited (Carclo PLC)
• Original Assignee: Carclo Technical Plastics Limited (Carclo PLC)
• Inventors: Robertson, Philip, Swainson, Richard, Ward, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Sines, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US14/697,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20150238957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 422/68.1, 422/81, 422/82, 422/502, 422/503, 422/504, 436/43, 436/174, 436/180
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/082 Active control of flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers
• 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 3/502707 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 3/50273 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 3/56 Labware specially adapted for transferring fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/561 Tubes; Conduits in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A fluid flow control device controls flow of fluid in a capillary pathway device having a first capillary passage with an inlet and an outlet and a fluid application region for receiving a liquid sample for entry to the capillary passage via the inlet, with the fluid flow control device comprising first sealing means operable for releasably sealing the outlet of the first capillary passage.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

i) a capillary pathway device comprising a first capillary passage with an inlet and an outlet and a fluid application region for receiving a liquid sample for entry to the capillary passage via the inlet

ii) a fluid flow control device for controlling flow of fluid in a capillary pathway device,

comprising first sealing means operable for releasably sealing the outlet of the first capillary passage, wherein the sealing means (and additional sealing means if present) are located on a control element which is movable to cause operation of the sealing means;

wherein the control element is mounted for motion with, around or over the fluid application region.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the control element is movable between a first, inactive position in which the liquid inlet is not in fluid communication with the fluid application region and the first sealing means do not seal the outlet(s) of the capillary passage(s) and a second position in which the liquid inlet is in fluid communication with the fluid application and the first sealing means seal the outlet of the first capillary passage.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the capillary pathway device comprises a side passage, and the fluid flow control device comprises second sealing means positioned not to seal the outlet(s) of any side passages in the first, inactive position;

and not to seal the outlet(s) of any side passages in the second position.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the control element is movable to a third position in which the first sealing means do not seal the outlet(s) of the first capillary passage(s), and any second sealing means seal the outlet(s) of any side passage(s), and preferably, the liquid inlet is not in fluid communication with the fluid application region.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein a sample well is provided as a recess or indent in the capillary pathway device and an underside of the control element forms a cover of the sample well, preferably such that rotation of the control element causes the cover to expose or conceal the sample well.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein two or more sealing means are constituted by a single sealing component.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein a sealing component is carried on or forming part of a control element.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein two or more first sealing means are constituted by a single sealing component, moveable between a first position in which the first sealing means is positioned to seal the outlet of the first capillary passage and a second position in which the sealing means are positioned not to seal the outlet of a first capillary passage.

9. A device according to claim 6 wherein two or more second sealing means are constituted by a single sealing component moveable between a first position in which the second sealing means are positioned to not seal an outlet of a side passage and a second position in which the sealing means are positioned to seal an outlet of a side passage.

10. A device according to claim 6 wherein the component is movable between a first position in which the first sealing means is positioned to seal the outlet of the first capillary passage and the second sealing means is positioned not to seal the outlet of the side passage;

and a second position in which the first sealing means is positioned not to seal the outlet of a capillary passage and the second sealing means is positioned to seal the outlet of the side passage.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein two or more first sealing means and two or more second sealing means, or a sealing component, are/is provided on a control element, which is moveable between a first position in which the first sealing means is positioned to seal the outlet of the first capillary passage and the second sealing means is positioned to not seal the outlet of the side passage;

and a second position in which the first sealing means are positioned not to seal the outlet of a first capillary passage and the second sealing means are positioned to seal the outlet of a side passage.

12. A device according to claim 1, comprising fluid dispensing means.

13. A device according to claim 12 wherein movement of the control element to operate the sealing means may be combined with movement to release fluid from the fluid dispensing means.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein a cam is provided to operably link rotational movement of the control element with a linear movement of operating means of the fluid dispensing device.

15. A device according to claim 1 comprising a timer.

16. A device according to claim 1 wherein detection means are provided in a capillary passage, and optionally if present in a side passage, for determining presence of absence of sample liquid.

17. A device according to claim 16 wherein the detection means are operably linked to a control element of the device.

18. A device according to claim 1 wherein a capillary passage incorporates a reagent system capable of causing a reaction with a component of interest.

19. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device further comprises sample metering means.