Apparatus, and method for propelling fluids

A method for constructing a fluidic device, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one flow channel within said device;
• and
• providing at least one controllably openable closed chamber, said at least one closed chamber is fluidically isolated from said at least one flow channel by an openable sealing member, said closed chamber has a first pressure level therewithin, said first pressure level is lower than the pressure level outside said fluidic device.

A method for moving a liquid within or into a microfluidics device, the method comprising opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, the pressure within said at least one closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said at least one closed chamber is configured to fluidically communicate with a flow channel included in said microfluidics device upon said opening, said opening comprises opening an openable sealing member fluidically isolating said at least one closed chamber from said flow channel, said opening produces a net force acting on a quantity of said liquid disposed within or on said microfluidics device to move at least a portion of said quantity of liquid within or into said device through said flow channel.

A method for moving a liquid disposed-within at least one flow channel in a microfluidics device, the method comprising opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, said at least one openable closed chamber is fluidically isolated from said at least one flow channel by an openable sealing member, the pressure within said at least one closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said at least one closed chamber is configured to fluidically communicate with said at least one flow channel upon said opening, said opening comprises opening said openable sealing member, to produce a net force acting on said liquid for moving at least a portion of said liquid within said device.

A method for introducing a liquid into a microfluidics device, the method comprising the steps of:

• sealingly covering an opening of at least one inlet port included in said microfluidics device with a quantity of said liquid, said inlet port is in fluidic communication with at least one flow channel included within said microfluidics device;
• and
• opening at least one closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, said at least one closed chamber is fluidically isolated from said at least one flow channel by an openable sealing member, said opening comprises opening said openable sealing member, the pressure within said at least one closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said at least one closed chamber is configured to fluidically communicate with said at least one flow channel upon said opening to produce a net force acting on a portion of said liquid disposed within said microfluidics device to move at least a portion of said quantity of liquid into said at least one flow channel.

A method for moving a fluid within or into a microfluidics device including at least one flow channel, the method comprising opening at least one closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, the pressure within said at least one closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said at least one closed chamber is fluidically isolated from said at least one flow channel by an openable sealing member, said opening comprises opening said openable sealing member, said at least one closed chamber is configured to fluidically communicate with said at least one flow channel included in said microfluidics device upon said opening, said opening reduces the pressure within said at least one flow channel of said microfluidics device to move at least a portion of a quantity of said fluid disposed within or in contact with at least part of said at least one flow channel along said at least one flow channel.

A method for moving a fluid disposed within at least one flow channel in a microfluidics device, the method comprising opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, said at least one closed chamber is fluidically isolated from said at least one flow channel by an openable sealing member, the pressure within said at least one closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said opening comprises opening said openable sealing member, said opening fluidically connects said at least one openable closed chamber with said at least one flow channel to induce a flow of said fluid for moving at least a portion of said fluid within said at least one flow channel.

A method for introducing a fluid into a microfluidics device, the method comprising the steps of:

• disposing an opening of at least one inlet port included in said microfluidics device within said fluid, said inlet port is in communication with at least one flow channel included within said microfluidics device;
• and
• opening at least one openable closed chamber included in said microfluidics device, the pressure within said at least one closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said at least one closed chamber is fluidically isolated from said at least one flow channel by an openable sealing member, said opening comprises opening said openable sealing member said opening fluidically connects said at least one openable chamber with said at least one flow channel to induce a flow of said fluid for moving at least a portion of said fluid into said at least one flow channel through said opening of said at least one inlet port.

A device for moving a fluid in a fluidic system, the device comprising:

• one or more openable closed chambers, the pressure within said one or more openable closed chambers is lower than the ambient pressure outside said fluidic system, at least one chamber of said one or more closed chambers is fluidically isolated by an openable sealing member from a flow channel included within said fluidic system, said one or more openable closed chambers are configured for being controllably opened by opening said sealing member to fluidically connect said one or more openable chambers with said flow channel to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said one or more openable chambers, for moving said fluid within or into said fluidic system.

In a microfluidics system, a device for moving a fluid within the microfluidics system, the device comprising:

• at least one openable closed chamber, the pressure within said closed chamber is lower than the pressure outside said microfluidics system, said at least one closed chamber is fluidically isolated from a flow channel included within said fluidic system by an openable sealing member, said openable sealing member is configured for being controllably opened to fluidically connect said at least one openable chamber with said flow channel, to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said at least one openable chamber for moving said fluid within or into said flow channel.

A microfluidics system comprising:

• a flow channel disposed within said microfluidics system;
• and
• at least one openable closed vacuum chamber, said at least one closed vacuum chamber is fluidically isolated from said flow channel by an openable sealing member, said openable sealing member is configured for being controllably opened to fluidically connect said at least one openable vacuum chamber with said flow channel to allow pressure equalization between said flow channel and said at least one openable vacuum chamber for moving a fluid into or within said microfluidics system.

A microfluidics device comprising:

• at least one openable closed chamber, the pressure within said at least one closed chamber is lower than the ambient pressure outside said microfluidics device, said at least one closed chamber is fluidically isolated from a flow channel included within said microfluidics device by an openable sealing member, said sealing member is configured for being controllably opened to fluidically connect said at least one openable chamber with said flow channel to induce a fluid to flow within or into said flow channel.