Pattenred film for forming fluid-filled blister, microfluidic blister, and kit and method of forming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046893-B2
Application number	US-201715484812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2017
Priority date	Apr 11, 2016
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A patterned thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) film for fabricating a liquid-filled blister, has a blister-sized cavity in fluid communication with a microfluidic channel via a gating region. The gating region is defined by a relief pattern that has at least one of the following: at least 5 separate compartments defined by respective recesses in the first side, each of the recesses bounded by walls that separate the compartments from each other, the recess, or the channel; at least 5 walls defined by the patterning of the first side, the walls separating a plurality of compartments from each other, the recess, or the channel, wherein the walls have a mean thickness that is less than a mean height, and each pair of walls has a mean separation greater than twice the mean thickness; an array of separate compartments bounded by walls defined by the patterning of the first side that collectively define a polygonal regular planar tiling with at least 50% of the surface area of the gating region being open spaces; and a focusing region in fluid communication with the cavity, and a seal region having at least one wall defined by patterning of the film, wherein the at least one wall separates the focusing region from the seal region, and a shape of the at least one wall tapers the focusing region towards the seal region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A patterned thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) film for fabricating a liquid-filled blister, the film having opposite first and second sides, the first side defining a blister-sized cavity in fluid communication with a microfluidic channel via a gating region, at least the channel and gating region being defined by a relief pattern, wherein the cavity and microfluidic channel are surrounded by a single continuous edge for bonding to a backing substrate to seal around the cavity, and the gating region has at least one of the following:
a) at least 5 separate compartments defined by respective recesses in the first side, each of the recesses bounded by walls that separate the compartments from each other, the recess, or the channel;
b) at least 5 walls defined by the patterning of the first side, the walls separating a plurality of compartments from each other, the recess, or the channel, wherein the walls have a mean thickness that is less than a mean height, and each pair of walls has a mean separation greater than twice the mean thickness;
c) an array of separate compartments bounded by walls defined by the patterning of the first side that collectively define a polygonal regular planar tiling with at least 50% of the surface area of the gating region being open spaces; and
d) a focusing region in fluid communication with the cavity, and a seal region having at least one wall defined by patterning of the film, wherein the at least one wall separates the focusing region from the seal region, and a shape of the at least one wall tapers the focusing region towards the seal region.

2. The film according to claim 1 composed of a SEBS polymer with less than 10 wt. % oil.

3. The film according to claim 1 further comprising a layer bonded to the second side of the film to overlie at least the cavity and forming a membrane that communicates pressure to the cavity.

4. The film according to claim 1 wherein the layer completes an enclosure of the cavity.

5. The film according to claim 3 wherein the layer covers the film, and the layer is contoured such that adhesion of the film to the contoured layer provides a shaping to the film that produces the blister-sized cavity.

6. The film according to claim 5 wherein the relief pattern defining the gating region is indistinguishable from a patterning on a portion of the film adhered to the contoured layer that is inside the cavity 15 .

7. The film according to claim 1 in a kit with the backing substrate, the substrate having a meeting surface for bonding with at least the edge to define a blister, and for sealing the blister from the channel by bonding the walls or the at least one wall to the substrate.

8. The film in a kit according to claim 7 wherein the backing substrate is smooth and flexible, and composed of a material sufficiently compatible with the TPE of the film to provide a bond that survives a bending of the bonded structure to any radius greater than 10 cm.

9. The film in a kit according to claim 7 wherein the backing substrate is planar and has a microfluidic pattern and an alignment mark for aligning the microfluidic pattern of the backing substrate with one of: the microfluidic channel, and a microfluidic circuit in fluid communication with the microfluidic channel.

10. The film in a kit according to claim 7 wherein the backing substrate is composed of a hard thermoset or thermoplastic polymer having surface properties for reversibly bonding with the film to form a water-tight seal with a pressure under 120 kPa, a temperature less than 100° C., and a time less than 1 minute.

11. The film in a kit according to claim 7 wherein the backing substrate is harder and stiffer than the film, and has a surface that covers 80-120% of the first side.

12. The film in a kit according to claim 11 further comprising a sheet and instructions for:
putting a liquid sample into the cavity; bonding the film to the substrate to seal the edge and the substrate; sealing the blister from the channel by bonding the walls, or the at least one wall, to the substrate; and covering the second side of the film with the sheet, wherein at least one of the sheet and substrate are soft enough to facilitate manual burst of the blister.

13. A method for fabricating a blister, the method comprising:
providing the film according to claim 1 ; and
dispensing a fluid into the cavity and bonding the film to a substrate to seal the recess between the edge and the substrate to seal the blister by bonding a layer to the film.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the fluid is dispensed prior to bonding the film to the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising adding a layer to cover the film on a side opposite to the substrate.

16. A fluid filled blister comprising:
a patterned thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) film with patterned surface, the pattern of which defining a blister-sized cavity in fluid communication with a microfluidic channel via a gating region;
a backing surface reversibly bonded to the film over the patterned surface wherein the cavity and microfluidic channel are surrounded by a single continuous bonded edge to seal around the cavity, the gating region and the channel; and
a fluid retained within the cavity;

wherein the gating region includes 5 separate compartments defined by respective recesses in the first side, each of the recesses bounded by walls that separate the compartments from each other, the recess, or the channel, and each wall has a mean thickness that is less than a mean height, and each pair of walls has a mean separation greater than twice the mean thicknesses.

17. The liquid filled blister according to claim 16 wherein the gating region comprises an array of the separate compartments that define a polygonal regular planar tiling.

18. The liquid filled blister according to claim 16 wherein at least 50% of the surface area of the gating region is open space.

19. The liquid filled blister according to claim 16 wherein the gating region is tapered to narrow towards the channel.

20. The liquid filled blister according to claim 16 further comprising a layer that overlies at least the cavity.

Assignees

• Nat Res Council Canada

Inventors

• Janta Mojra
• Hoa Xuyen Dai
• Geissler Matthias
• Veres Teodor

Classifications

• B65D75/326

  and forming one compartment · CPC title

• B81C1/00158

  Diaphragms, membranes (manufacture process for semi-permeable inorganic membranes B01D67/0039) · CPC title

• B29C65/76

  Making non-permanent or releasable joints · CPC title

• B01L2300/123

  Flexible; Elastomeric · CPC title

• B29C66/71

  characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125) · CPC title