Fluid control structures in microfluidic devices
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsRichard A. Mathies, William H. Grover, Alison Skelley, Eric Lagally, Chung N. Liu
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for implementing microfluidic analysis devices are provided. A monolithic elastomer membrane associated with an integrated pneumatic manifold allows the placement and actuation of a variety of fluid control structures, such as structures for pumping, isolating, mixing, routing, merging, splitting, preparing, and storing volumes of fluid. The fluid control structures can be used to implement a variety of sample introduction, preparation, processing, and storage techniques.
Claims13
A method for controlling fluid flow on a microfluidic device, the method comprising:
- providing a microfluidic device comprising one or more elastomer membranes sandwiched between a pneumatic layer and a fluidic layer, wherein the fluidic layer comprises a plurality of fluidic channels, each of which comprises of a discontinuity, and a plurality of via holes at the discontinuity, wherein the pneumatic layer comprises a first surface including at least one pneumatic channel facing an elastomer membrane and valve areas aligned with said discontinuities, the fluidic layer comprising a second surface including the plurality of via holes facing the one or elastomer membranes;
- controlling fluidic flow across a fluidic channel by varying pneumatic pressure in a pneumatic channel thereby causing an elastomer membrane to deflect at a discontinuity of the fluidic channel to modulate a flow of a fluid volume from one side of the discontinuity, through the plurality of via holes, to the other side of the discontinuity;
- and
- varying pneumatic pressure in one pneumatic channel to thereby cause one or more elastomer membranes to deflect at discontinuities of a plurality of fluidic channels to modulate flow of a plurality of fluid volumes in the plurality of fluidic channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.