Microfluidic Assay Assemblies and Methods of Manufacture
AssigneeCyVek, Inc.
InventorMartin A. Putnam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making at least a portion of at least one microfluidic actuator having a flexible diaphragm portion and an opposite surface portion, the diaphragm and opposite surface each having opposed faces, at least one of the faces comprising surface-activated PDMS, and the opposed faces being arranged such that when the opposed faces contact each other, they form a fluidic seal, including performing repeated make-and-break-contact protocol on the contacting opposed faces until the tendency for permanent bonds to form between the contacting faces has been neutralized, thereby enabling the diaphragm portion to perform actuated movements to engage and disengage with the opposite surface portion, without the diaphragm sticking to the opposite surface portion.
Claims20
A microfluidic valve disposed in a microfluidic channel, the valve having a valve diaphragm and a valve seat, the diaphragm and seat each having opposed faces, at least one of the faces comprising surface-activated PDMS, and the opposed faces being arranged such that when the diaphragm engages the seat, fluid is blocked from flowing along the channel, the valve being made by a process, comprising:
- performing repeated make-and-break-contact protocol on the contacting faces of the valve diaphragm and valve seat until the tendency for permanent bonds to form between the contacting faces has been neutralized, thereby enabling the valve diaphragm to perform actuated movements to engage and disengage with the valve seat, without the diaphragm sticking to the valve seat.
A microfluidic actuator having a flexible diaphragm portion and an opposite surface portion, the diaphragm and opposite surface each having opposed faces, at least one of the faces comprising surface-activated PDMS, and the opposed faces being arranged such that when the opposed faces contact each other, they form a fluidic seal, the actuator being made by a process, comprising:
- performing repeated make-and-break-contact protocol on the contacting opposed faces until the tendency for permanent bonds to form between the contacting faces has been neutralized, thereby enabling the diaphragm portion to perform actuated movements to engage and disengage with the opposite surface portion, without the diaphragm sticking to the opposite surface portion.
A method of preventing permanent bonds from forming between opposed faces of two materials, at least one of the faces comprising surface-activated PDMS, comprising:
- performing repeated make-and-break-contact protocol on the opposed faces until the tendency for bonds to form between the opposed faces has been neutralized.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.