US 7,311,882 B1Granted

Capillary interconnect device

AssigneeSandia National Laboratories

InventorRonald F. Renzi

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Abstract

A manifold for connecting external capillaries to the inlet and/or outlet ports of a microfluidic device for high pressure applications is provided. The fluid connector for coupling at least one fluid conduit to a corresponding port of a substrate that includes: (i) a manifold comprising one or more channels extending therethrough wherein each channel is at least partially threaded, (ii) one or more threaded ferrules each defining a bore extending therethrough with each ferrule supporting a fluid conduit wherein each ferrule is threaded into a channel of the manifold, (iii) a substrate having one or more ports on its upper surface wherein the substrate is positioned below the manifold so that the one or more ports is aligned with the one or more channels of the manifold, and (iv) means for applying an axial compressive force to the substrate to couple the one or more ports of the substrate to a corresponding proximal end of a fluid conduit.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A connector assembly that provides fluid communication between first fluid-bearing conduits and second fluid-bearing conduits that comprises:

a plurality of first fluid-bearing conduits;
a corresponding plurality of second fluid-bearing conduits;
a support plate;
a manifold that is positioned on the support plate and that defines a plurality of recess regions within the manifold and having a plurality of channels wherein each channel has a first opening at a lower end of each recess region and a second opening at a lower surface of the manifold, wherein each of the second fluid-bearing conduits is positioned within one of the channels so that the distal end of each second fluid-bearing conduit is positioned in or near the first opening wherein the manifold is made of a rigid material;
a ferrule plate that is positioned on the manifold and that defines a plurality of protrusions wherein each protrusion fits into a corresponding recess region of the manifold and the ferrule plate has a plurality of passages with each passage traversing the height of the ferrule plate and through the protrusion and wherein each of the first fluid-bearing conduits is positioned within one of the passages so that a proximal end of each first fluid-bearing conduit abuts a distal end of a corresponding second fluid-bearing conduit wherein the protrusions are made of a compliant material and wherein each recess region of the manifold has a cavity structure with a conical-shaped exterior surface and each protrusion of the ferrule plate has a corresponding conical-shaped exterior surface;
and
means for applying an axial force on the ferrule plate to case the plurality of protrusions of the ferrule plate to contact a corresponding recess region of the manifold.

4 more elements

A connector assembly that provides fluid communication between first fluid-bearing conduits and second fluid-bearing conduits that comprises:

a plurality of first fluid-bearing conduits;
a corresponding plurality of second fluid-bearing conduits;
a support plate;
a lower ferrule plate that is positioned on the support plate and that defines a plurality of first protrusions;
a manifold that is positioned on the lower ferrule plate and that defines (i) a plurality of first recess regions within the manifold and (ii) a plurality of second recess regions within the manifold, wherein each of the first recess regions is connected to a corresponding second recess region;
an upper ferrule plate that is positioned on the manifold and that defines a plurality of second protrusions wherein each second protrusion fits into a corresponding second recess region and wherein the upper ferrule plate has a plurality of second passages with each second passage traversing the height of the upper ferrule plate and through the second protrusions, and wherein each first protrusion of the first ferrule plate fits into a corresponding first recess region so that each first passage of the lower ferrule plate is in communication with a corresponding second passage of the upper ferrule plate and wherein each of the first fluid-bearing conduits is positioned within one of first passages and each of the second fluid-bearing conduits is positioned within one of the second passages so that that a proximal end of each first fluid-bearing conduit abuts a distal end of a corresponding second fluid-bearing conduit;
and
means for applying an axial force on the first and second ferrule plates to cause the plurality first protrusions to contact a corresponding first recess region and to cause the plurality second protrusions to contact a corresponding second recess regions.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.