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.
Claims15
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 conductive membrane valve extending across and covering the channel intersection to separate the first and second channels;
- a conductive trace to open the membrane valve and join the first and second channels by supplying an electric current to heat and disintegrate a thinned region of the membrane valve.
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 conductive membrane valve at the channel intersection to separate the first and second channels;
- and,
- providing a conductive trace to enable electric current to flow through and melt a thinned area 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 a microfluidic device;
- a thinned cross-sectional area formed in the valve;
- and,
- an electrically conductive trace coupled to the valve to enable an electrical current to flow through the valve, the electrical current to heat up and melt the thinned cross-sectional area and cause the valve to open.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.