Assembly of at least one microfluidic device and mounting piece

• US 9,387,475 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micronit Microfluidics B.V.
• Original Assignee: Micronit Microfluidics B.V.
• Inventors: Van't Oever, Ronny, Blom, Marko Theodoor
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, In Suk
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pregler, Sharon
• Application Number:
  US12/439,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20100239462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,238 Days
• Field of Search: 422/68.1, 422/500, 422/501, 422/502, 422/503, 422/504, 422/505, 422/506, 422/507, 422/82.02, 137/487.5, 436/43, 436/174, 436/180
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• 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 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5635 connecting two containers face to face, e.g. comprising a filter

Abstract

An assembly comprising at least one microfluidic device and a mounting piece, this microfluidic device comprising at least one material layer and at least one first fluidic port, which first fluidic port it situated at least partially in an end surface of the material layer and which mounting piece comprises at least one fluidic component, wherein the mounting piece is coupled to the microfluidic device by means of first coupling means provided for this purpose such that the fluidic component is connected to the first fluidic port. The invention also relates to such a mounting piece.

Claims

1. An assembly of at least one microfluidic device and a mounting piece,

the microfluidic device comprising a substantially planar material layer extending in x- and y-directions of the microfluidic device, wherein the substantially planar material layer has a thickness in a z-direction of the microfluidic device, and at least one first fluidic port situated at least partially in an end surface of the substantially planar material layer, wherein the normal of the end surface is in the x- or y-direction, and

the mounting piece comprising at least one fluidic component, wherein the mounting piece is coupled to the microfluidic device by a first coupling means provided for this purpose such that the fluidic component is connected to the first fluidic port, and wherein

the first coupling means comprises a receiving space in the mounting piece in which an edge of the microfluidic device with the at least one first fluidic port is received and coupled thereto by a clamp connection, a snap connection, a melt connection or a glued connection;

and

wherein the first coupling means comprises a fluidic seal which is at least partially arranged on the end surface of the substantially planar material layer.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluidic component is one of a reservoir, a fluidic conduit, and a second fluidic port.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device includes a component and the mounting piece includes a component, and said components make contact.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting piece includes a component which can make contact with a fluid present in the fluidic component.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device includes a component which can make contact with a fluid present in the fluidic component.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting piece includes a component for the purpose of an operation on the microfluidic device.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first coupling means includes alignment means for aligning the component relative to the microfluidic device.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises a connector which is coupled to the microfluidic device by means of second coupling means provided for this purpose and which connector comprises a component, and the microfluidic device comprises a component and said components make contact.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the component forming part of the connector can make contact with a fluid present in the fluidic component by means of the component forming part of the microfluidic device.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connector includes a component for the purpose of an operation on the microfluidic device.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second coupling means includes alignment means for aligning the component relative to the microfluidic device.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substantially planar material layer includes two layers of glass between which a plurality of microtunnels are arranged.

13. An assembly of at least one microfluidic device and a mounting piece,

the microfluidic device comprising a sheet of material disposed in x- and y-directions of the microfluidic device, wherein the sheet of material has an upper surface disposed in the x- and y-directions, a lower surface disposed in the x- and y-directions and a thickness in a z-direction of the microfluidic device, and wherein the sheet of material has a plurality of microtunnels therein for moving fluids perpendicularly to the z-direction and a plurality of fluidic ports connecting to the plurality of microtunnels, wherein the plurality of fluidic ports are situated at least partially in an end surface of the sheet of material, the end surface being defined as a boundary of the microfluidic device in the y-direction, and wherein the plurality of fluidic ports are respectively arranged along the x-direction of the end surface,

the mounting piece comprising a plurality of fluidic components, wherein the mounting piece is coupled to the microfluidic device such that the plurality of fluidic components are connected to the plurality of fluidic ports, and wherein the mounting piece comprises a receiving space in the mounting piece in which an edge of the microfluidic device with the plurality of fluidic ports is received and coupled thereto by a clamp connection, a snap connection, a melt connection or a glued connection;

and

wherein the mounting piece is coupled to the microfluidic device by a fluidic seal which is at least partially arranged on the end surface of the substantially planar material layer.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sheet of material includes two layers of glass between which the plurality of microtunnels are arranged.