Microfluidic devices
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsViktor Shkolnikov, Chien-Hua Chen, Michael W Cumbie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an example implementation, a microfluidic device includes a first layer with a first microfluidic channel and a second layer with a second microfluidic channel. The first and second channels are adjacent to one another at a channel intersection, and a conductive membrane valve extends across and covers the channel intersection to separate the first and second channels. The microfluidic device includes a conductive trace to open the membrane valve and join the first and second channels by supplying an electric current to heat and melt a thinned region of the membrane valve.
Claims14
A microfluidic device comprising:
- a first layer with a first microfluidic channel;
- a second layer with a second microfluidic channel, wherein the first and second channels are adjacent to one another at a channel intersection;
- a one-time openable, conductive membrane valve having two layers comprising a metal layer adjacent to a plastic layer, the membrane valve having a thinned region, and the membrane valve extending across and covering the channel intersection to separate the first and second channels;
- an electrically conductive trace coupled to the membrane valve to supply an electric current through the membrane valve to heat and disintegrate the thinned region of the membrane valve and join the first and second channels.
A method of joining microfluidic channels in a microfluidic device, comprising:
- providing within a microfluidic device, a first microfluidic channel running through a first microfluidic layer and a second microfluidic channel running through a second microfluidic layer, the first and second channels forming a channel intersection where the first and second channels are adjacent to one another;
- providing a one-time openable, multilayer, conductive membrane valve at the channel intersection to separate the first and second channels, the conductive membrane valve comprising a metal layer adjacent to a plastic layer and an area with a thinned region;
- and,
- providing a conductive trace to enable electric current to flow through and melt the thinned region of the conductive membrane valve to join the first and second channels.
A microfluidic valve in a microfluidic device comprising:
- an electrically conductive membrane valve extended between two microfluidic channels at an intersection of the channels within the microfluidic device, the membrane valve comprising a metal layer adjacent to a plastic layer;
- a thinned cross-sectional area formed in the membrane valve;
- and,
- an electrically conductive trace coupled to the membrane valve to enable an electrical current to flow through the membrane valve, the electrical current to heat up and melt the thinned cross-sectional area and cause the membrane valve to open.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.