Multi-channel flowcell

• US 9,958,438 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cytiva Sweden AB (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sjolander, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Dennis
• Assistant Examiner(s): KILPATRICK, BRYAN T
• Application Number:
  US14/343,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20140219871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 422 69, 422 8205, 422 8211, 422501, 422502, 436164
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0636 Focussing flows, e.g. to laminate flows
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0877 Flow chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• 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: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/553 and using surface plasmons fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/554 detecting the surface plasmon resonance of nanostructured metals, e.g. localised surface plasmon resonance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5302 Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings

Abstract

A flow cell unit to be docked against a flat lid surface to form a closed flow cell arrangement, the flow cell unit comprising a top surface with protruding walls of elastic material defining three or more adjacent elongated flow channels, each flow channel comprises a first fluid port and a second fluid port, wherein the walls separating adjacent flow channels comprises a valve section of reduced height, thereby allowing selective opening and closing of a flow path transverse to the elongated flow channels by controlling the docking force between flow cell and the lid surface to an open docking state and a closed docking state respectively.

Claims

1. A flow cell unit to be docked against a flat lid surface to form a closed flow cell arrangement, the flow cell unit comprising:

a top surface with protruding walls of elastic material defining three or more adjacent elongated flow channels, wherein the protruding walls separating adjacent flow channels comprise a valve section of reduced height that allows for selective opening and closing of a transverse flow path that is transverse to the elongated flow channels;

wherein each flow channel comprises a first fluid port and a second fluid port;

wherein the selective opening and closing of the transverse flow path is controllable by adjusting a docking force between the protruding walls and the lid surface; and

wherein the valve section in the protruding walls comprises a flat valve face and inclined segments extending from the valve face to a top surface of the protruding walls, and the docking force is configured to position the protruding walls to be in a first position when the valve face is not in sealing contact with the lid surface, thereby providing an open docking state with the transverse flow path open; and

a second position when the valve face abuts the lid surface, thereby providing a closed docking state with the transverse flow path closed.

2. The flow cell unit according to claim 1 further comprising one or more force control elements of elastic material arranged to stepwise rise the docking force required to further compress the walls, at one or both docking states.

3. The flow cell unit according to claim 1 further comprising one or more transversely arranged inlet-outlet pairs arranged to provide transverse laminar flow channels along the transverse flow path.

4. The flow cell unit according to claim 2, wherein the protruding walls protrudes further from the top surface than the force control elements.

5. The flow cell unit according to claim 1, wherein the selective opening and closing of the transverse flow path is controllable by adjusting the docking force between the protruding walls and the lid surface with the docking force provided by a docking unit.

6. The flow cell unit according to claim 5, wherein the docking unit is a mechanical arrangement.

7. The flow cell unit according to claim 6, wherein the docking unit comprises an actuator.

8. The flow cell unit according to claim 6, wherein the docking unit comprises parallel spring elements of different length.

9. The flow cell unit according to claim 5, wherein the docking unit is arranged to apply a predefined force based on sensor feedback.

10. The flow cell unit according to claim 5, wherein the docking force is sensed based on a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) response.

11. The flow cell unit according to claim 10, wherein a change in the SPR response is registered when the valve face abuts the lid surface.