Method and device for producing a microfluidic analysis cartridge
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsFranz Laermer, Juergen Steigert, Sven Zinober
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for producing a pneumatically actuatable microfluidic analysis cartridge includes closing a joining side of a fluidic part of the analysis cartridge with a first fluid-tight elastic membrane and/or closing a joining side of a pneumatic part of the analysis cartridge with a second membrane. The fluidic part is configured to perform fluidic basic operations of a biochemical analysis process, and the pneumatic part is configured to control the basic operations using air pressure. The joining side of the fluidic part and the joining side of the pneumatic part are aligned, and the fluidic part and the pneumatic part are connected to form the analysis cartridge.
Claims21
A method of producing a pneumatically actuated microfluidic analysis cartridge, comprising:
- closing a joining side of a fluidic part of the analysis cartridge with a first fluid-tight elastic membrane, the fluidic part configured such that fluidic basic operations of a biochemical analysis process are performed in the fluidic part;
- closing a joining side of a pneumatic part of the analysis cartridge with a second membrane, the pneumatic part configured such that pneumatic actuation of the cartridge controls the basic operations using air pressure in the pneumatic part;
- aligning the closed joining side of the fluidic part with respect to the closed joining side of the pneumatic part;
- and
- connecting the aligned fluidic part and the aligned pneumatic part to form the analysis cartridge,
- wherein, after connecting of the aligned fluidic part and the aligned pneumatic part, the first elastic membrane is configured to seal against a first portion of the fluidic part so as to disable fluid flow through the fluidic part, and the first and second elastic membranes are configured to jointly elastically deform such that the first elastic membrane separates from the first portion of the fluidic part to enable fluid flow through the fluidic part.
A pneumatically actuated microfluidic analysis cartridge comprising:
- a fluidic part in which fluidic basic operations of a biochemical analysis process are performed;
- a pneumatic part configured such that pneumatic actuation of the cartridge controls the basic operations using air pressure in the pneumatic part;
- and
- a first fluid-tight elastic membrane configured to close the joining side of the fluidic part;
- and
- a second fluid-tight elastic membrane configured to close the joining side of the pneumatic part, the first elastic membrane and the second elastic membrane are connected to each other and positioned between the fluidic part and the pneumatic part,
- wherein the first elastic membrane is configured to seal against a first portion of the fluidic part so as to disable fluid flow through the fluidic part, and the first and second elastic membranes are configured to jointly elastically deform such that the first elastic membrane separates from the first portion of the fluidic part to enable fluid flow through the fluidic part.
A method of producing a pneumatically actuated microfluidic analysis cartridge, comprising:
- closing a joining side of a fluidic part of the analysis cartridge with a first fluid-tight elastic membrane;
- closing a joining side of a pneumatic part with a second fluid-tight elastic membrane, the pneumatic part being configured such that pneumatic actuation of the analysis cartridge controls fluidic basic operations of a biochemical analysis process in the fluidic part using air pressure in the pneumatic part;
- aligning the joining side of the fluidic part with respect to the joining side of the pneumatic part after the closing of the one of the joining side of the fluidic part and the joining side of the pneumatic part in such a way that the first and second fluid-tight elastic membranes are interposed between the fluidic part and the pneumatic part;
- and
- connecting the aligned fluidic part and the pneumatic part to form the analysis cartridge by:
- passing a connecting element from one of the fluidic part and the pneumatic part through a first through-hole defined in the first elastic membrane, through a second through-hole defined in the second elastic membrane, and through a third through-hole defined in the other of the fluidic part and the pneumatic part;
- and
- fixing the connecting element to the other of the fluidic part and the pneumatic part at a side of the other of the fluidic part and the pneumatic part opposite the one of the fluidic part and the pneumatic part,
- wherein, after connecting of the aligned fluidic part and the aligned pneumatic part, the first elastic membrane is configured to seal against a first portion of the fluidic part so as to disable fluid flow through the fluidic part, and the first and second elastic membranes are configured to jointly elastically deform such that the first elastic membrane separates from the first portion of the fluidic part to enable fluid flow through the fluidic part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.