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US 7,919,062 B2Granted
Modular microfluidic system and method for building a modular microfludic system
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorPo Ki Yuen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A “plug-n-play” modular microfluidic system is described herein which can be made by connecting multiple microfluidic components together to form a larger integrated system. For example, the modular microfluidic system includes a motherboard with interconnecting channels and integrated electrodes (or holes for electrodes to pass) which provide electronic connections to external data acquisition and system control devices. The modular microfluidic system can also include channel inserts (which are placed in the channels of the motherboard), heater units, actuator units, fitting components and microchips/modules with different functionalities which are placed on the motherboard.
Claims32
A modular microfluidic system comprising:
- a motherboard having a top surface with a plurality of interconnecting channels and a plurality of depressions formed therein;
- at least one channel insert, each channel insert is sized to be placed within one of the interconnecting channels within said motherboard;
- at least one fitting component;
- at least one micromodule, where at least one micromodule is coupled via at least one fitting component to at least one channel insert, wherein there is fluid communication between said at least one micromodule, said at least one fitting component, and said at least one channel insert;
- and
- at least one of a pump-valve actuator, a heater, or an electrical pad which is sized to be positioned in at least one of the depressions formed within the motherboard, wherein the at least one of the pump-valve actuator, the heater, or the electrical pad is configured to be positioned between the motherboard and said at least one micromodule, and wherein the at least one of the pump-valve actuator, the heater, or the electrical pad is configured to be entirely covered by said at least one micromodule.
3 more elements
A method for building a microfluidic system, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a motherboard having a top surface with a plurality of interconnecting channels and a plurality of depressions formed therein;
- providing at least one channel insert;
- placing at least one channel insert within one or more of the interconnecting channels within said motherboard;
- providing at least one micromodule;
- connecting at least one micromodule to the at least one channel insert located within the one or more interconnecting channels of said motherboard, using at least one fitting component wherein there is fluid communication between said at least one micromodule, said at least one fitting component, and said at least one channel insert;
- and
- providing at least one of a pump-valve actuator, a heater, or an electrical pad which is sized to be positioned in at least one of the depressions formed within the motherboard, wherein the at least one of the pump-valve actuator, the heater, or the electrical pad is configured to be positioned between the motherboard and said at least one micromodule, and wherein the at least one of the pump-valve actuator, the heater, or the electrical pad is configured to be entirely covered by said at least one micromodule.
4 more elements
A kit for building a microfluidic device, said kit comprising:
- a motherboard having a top surface with a plurality of interconnecting channels and a plurality of depressions formed therein;
- at least one channel insert, each channel insert is sized to be placed within one of the interconnecting channels within said motherboard;
- at least one fitting component;
- at least one of a pump-valve actuator, a heater, or an electrical pad which is sized to be positioned in at least one of the depressions formed within the motherboard,
- at least one micromodule, where the microfluidic device is built using at a minimum one micromodule which is connected to one fitting component such that there is fluid communication between the one micromodule and the one fitting component, where the one micromodule and the one fitting component are coupled together via a barbed fitting, a taper fitting, a Luer fitting or a Luer lock fitting, where the microfluidic device is built by positioning the at least one of the pump-valve actuator, the heater, or the electrical pad between the motherboard and said at least one micromodule, and where the at least one of the pump-valve actuator, the heater, or the electrical pad is configured to be entirely covered by said at least one micromodule.
2 more elements
A three-dimensional modular microfluidic system comprising:
- at least one channel insert,
- at least one fitting component;
- at least one micromodule, where at least one micromodule is coupled via at least one fitting component to at least one channel insert, wherein there is fluid communication between said at least one micromodule, said at least one fitting component, and said at least one channel insert, wherein an end of the at least one fitting component is structured and arranged to couple with the at least one channel insert to form a barbed fitting, a taper fitting, a Luer fitting or a Luer lock fitting, and wherein a motherboard is not used in the three-dimensional modular microfluidic system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.