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US 9,956,558 B2Granted
Reconfigurable microfluidic systems: homogeneous assays
AssigneeHJ Science & Technology, Inc.
InventorsHong Jiao, Erik C. Jensen, Homayun Mehrabani, Liran Yosef Haller
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Abstract
Reconfigurable microfluidic systems are based on networks of microfluidic cavities connected by hydrophobic microfluidic channels. Each cavity is classified as either a reservoir or a node, and includes a pressure port via which gas pressure may be applied. Sequences of gas pressures, applied to reservoirs and nodes according to a fluid transfer rule, enable fluid to be moved from any reservoir to any other reservoir in a system. Such systems are suitable for automated, multi-input, multi-output homogeneous assays.
Claims21
A reconfigurable microfluidic system comprising:
- (a) a network of microfluidic cavities connected by hydrophobic microfluidic channels exhibiting, during operation, a hydrophobic threshold pressure, wherein:
- reservoirs are cavities that are connected to only one channel each, and nodes are cavities that are connected to two or more channels each;
- a plurality of the channels connect only two cavities each;
- a plurality of the channels have a greater resistance to fluid flow than that of the nodes;
- and
- a plurality of the cavities include a gas pressure port;
- and
- (b) a pressure sequencer including a set of gas valves, the pressure sequencer connected by gas tubing to:
- a high pressure gas source, a low pressure gas source, and a plurality of cavities, where the high gas pressure is a pressure greater than the low gas pressure, the pressure sequencer programmed to apply the high gas pressure and the low gas pressure to the at least one cavity according to operations (i) through (iv):
- (i) apply the high gas pressure to an origin cavity from which a fluid is transferred;
- (ii) apply the low gas pressure to a destination cavity to which the fluid is transferred;
- (iii) apply the high gas pressure to any cavity (other than the destination cavity) connected to the origin cavity by a first channel;
- and
- (iv) apply the low gas pressure to any cavity (other than the origin cavity) connected to the destination cavity by a second channel.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.