Method of moving fluid in a microfluidic device
AssigneeOrchid BioSciences, Inc.
InventorsSterling Eduard Mcbride, Satyam Choudary Cherukuri, Pamela Kay York
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Abstract
A microfluidic device has a layer that has a capillary break formed by a capillary sluice. The capillary sluice has a lower surface and an upper surface. An input channel is coupled to the capillary break. A first electrode is disposed proximate the lower surface. The first electrode is coupled to the voltage source. A second electrode is spaced a first predetermined distance from the first electrode coupled to the voltage source. A third electrode is spaced apart from the second electrode and positioned within the input channel from the first electrode coupled to the voltage source.
Claims2
A method of moving fluid within a microfluidic device comprising the steps of:
- providing a microfluidic device having a capillary break;
- providing a first electrode disposed at the bottom surface of a sluice separated from a capillary break;
- providing a second electrode spaced a predetermined distance from said first electrode;
- stopping the fluid at the capillary break;
- filling the capillary up to capillary break with the fluid;
- thereafter, applying a voltage between said first electrode and said second electrode;
- generating an electric field at the first electrode sufficient to move fluid through the capilary break;
- drawing the fluid through the capillary break in response to the electric field;
- and
- moving fluid into the sluice in response to the step of generating an electric field at the first electrode.
A method of moving fluid within a microfluidic device comprising the steps of:
- providing a microfluidic device having a capillary break;
- filling a fluid up to a capillary break;
- providing a first electrode disposed at a bottom surface of a sluice separated from the capillary break and upper surface of the sluice;
- providing a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode within the capillary break;
- providing a third electrode spaced apart from the first electrode within said input capillary channel;
- filling the microfluidic device a fluied up to the capillary break;
- thereafter, applying a voltage potential between said third electrode and the second to move fluid into the sluice from the capillary break;
- and
- thereafter applying a voltage potential between said first and second electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.