Device for controlling fluid flows in lab-on-a-chip systems
AssigneeBoehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH
InventorsKatja Friedrich, Walter Gumbrecht, Peter Paulicka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An array of valves are arranged in n columns and m lines and which are each designed to control a fluid flow in an associated flow channel in a lab-on-a-chip system. The array includes at least two valves, every column having not more than one valve and every line having from zero to n valves. A device is used for actuating the valves. The valves are pressure-actuated. To produce the device, the flow channels are arranged in accordance with the arrangement of the valves. Which valves are actuated being changeable by movement of projections relative to array of valves so as to change which valves the projections are pressed against.
Claims19
A device for controlling fluid flows in a lab-on-a-chip-system, comprising:
- a chip card having flow channels,
- multiple valves for controlling flow through the flow channels, and
- an instrument to actuate the valves,
- wherein the chip card is arranged in sandwich fashion in or with the instrument,
- wherein said instrument comprises spaced projections,
- wherein selected ones of said valves are opened simultaneously by a linear movement of said instrument for moving the projections relative to said chip card,
- wherein the instrument comprises an essentially planar plate having said projections extending a planar surface of the plate, and wherein said planar plate is moveable parallel to said apertured plate so as to change which valve members are aligned with a projection for changing which valves are closed by movement of a projection thereagainst.
A device for controlling fluid flows in a lab-on-a-chip-system, comprising:
- a chip card having flow channels,
- multiple valves for controlling flow through the flow channels, and
- an instrument to actuate the valves,
- wherein the chip card is arranged in sandwich fashion in or with the instrument,
- wherein said instrument comprises spaced projections,
- wherein selected ones of said valves are opened simultaneously by a linear movement of said instrument for moving the projections relative to said chip card,
- wherein said valves comprise valve members,
- wherein the valve members are in an apertured plaid that is arranged on a side of the chip card,
- wherein the instrument comprises an essentially planar plate having said projections extending from a planar surface of the plate, and wherein the essentially planar plate is arranged on an opposite side of said apertured plate from said chip card and has spaced projections extending from a planar surface of the essentially planar plate.
A device for controlling fluid flows in a lab-on-a-chip-system, comprising:
- a chip card having flow channels,
- multiple valves for controlling flow through the flow channels, and
- an instrument to actuate the valves,
- wherein the chip card is arranged in sandwich fashion in or with the instrument,
- wherein said instrument comprises spaced projections,
- wherein selected ones of said valves are opened simultaneously by a linear movement of said instrument for moving the projections relative to said chip card,
- wherein the instrument comprises an essentially planar plate having said projections extending from a planar surface of the plate, and wherein the essentially planar plate forms a rigid or integral component with the projections.
A device for controlling fluid flows in a lab-on-a-chip-system, comprising:
- a chip card having flow channels,
- multiple valves for controlling flow through the flow channels, and
- an instrument to actuate the valves,
- wherein the chip card is arranged in sandwich fashion in or with the instrument,
- wherein said valves comprise valve members in an apertured plate that is arranged on a side of the chip card,
- wherein said instrument comprises an essentially planar plate arranged on an opposite side of said apertured plate from said chip card and linearly movable for actuating said valves,
- wherein selected ones of said valves are opened simultaneously in a controlled way by a movement of the essentially planar plate relative to said apertured plate.
A device for controlling fluid flows in a lab-on-a-chip-system, comprising:
- a chip card having flow channels,
- multiple valves for controlling flow through the flow channels,
- an instrument to actuate the valves, and
- a reader unit,
- wherein the chip card is arranged in sandwich fashion in the reader unit,
- wherein selected ones of said valves are opened mechanically and simultaneously by a linear movement of the instrument relative to said chip card,
- wherein said instrument comprises multiple projections for mechanically actuating the valves when moving the instrument relative to the chip card,
- wherein the instrument comprises an essentially planar plate supporting or forming the projections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.