US 6,767,194 B2 · Valves and pumps for microfluidic systems and method for making microfluidic systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to microfluidic systems, including valves and pumps for microfluidic systems. The valves of the invention include check valves such as diaphragm valves and flap valves. Other valves of the invention include one-use valves. The pumps of the present invention include a reservoir and at least two check valves. The reservoir may be of variable volume. The present invention also relates to a flexible microfluidic system. The present invention additionally relates to a method of making microfluidic systems including those of the present invention. The method includes forming a microfluidic system on a master, connecting a support to the microfluidic system and removing the microfluidic system from the master. The support may remain connected to the microfluidic system or the microfluidic system may be transferred to another substrate. The present invention further relates to a method of manipulating a flow of a fluid in a microfluidic system. This method includes initiating fluid flow in a first direction and inhibiting fluid flow in a second direction and may be practiced with the valves of the present invention.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A microfluidic system comprising:

a fluid path;
an inlet to the fluid path;
an outlet to the fluid path;
and
a first closing member comprised of a material and disposed along the fluid path between the inlet and the outlet, the first closing member comprising a substantially sealed barrier and further comprising a first electrode electrically connected to at least one of the inlet of the fluid path and the outlet of the fluid path and a second electrode,
wherein the fluid path has a cross-sectional dimension of less than about 500 μm and the first closing member is degradable by application of a voltage between the first and second electrodes.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/041,718Filed 8 Jan 2002 · us provisional application

Priority

8 Jan 2001

Published

US 2002/0168278 A114 Nov 2002

Granted

27 Jul 2004

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification34 codes

B01L 3/502707
By integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g.…
B01L 3/50273
By integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g.…
B01L 3/502738
By integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g.…
F04B 43/043
Pumps having electric drive: micropumps

Family

Application60/260,221Us provisional application · filed 8 Jan 2001

Application60/327,430Us provisional application · filed 5 Oct 2001

Application60/331,856Us provisional application · filed 20 Nov 2001

US 2002/0168278 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Nov 2002

US 6,767,194 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Valves and pumps for microfluidic systems and method for making microfluidic systems

Life of this patent

Valves and pumps for microfluidic systems and method for making microfluidic systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29