Electromechanical and fluidic interface to a microfluidic substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10155177-B2
Application number	US-201514747074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2009
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A liquid-chromatography module includes a microfluidic cartridge housing a microfluidic substrate with a channel for transporting fluid. The microfluidic substrate has fluidic apertures through which fluid is supplied to the channel. One side of the cartridge has nozzle openings, each aligning with a fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate and receiving a fluidic nozzle. A clamping assembly has a plunger that is movable into a clamped position and an end housing that defines a chamber. One wall of the end housing has a fluidic block with fluidic nozzles extending into the chamber. A second wall has a slot through which the cartridge enters the chamber. When moved into the clamped position while the cartridge is in the chamber, the plunger urges the cartridge against the fluidic block such that each fluidic nozzle enters one nozzle opening and establishes fluidic communication with one fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microfluidic device, comprising:
i. a microfluidic substrate having a channel for transporting fluid, a first side of the microfluidic substrate having a plurality of apertures through which fluid is supplied to the channel and a second side of the microfluidic substrate opposite the first side, the channel disposed within the microfluidic substrate between the first and second sides;
ii. an emitter assembly connected to the microfluidic substrate, said emitter assembly having an electrospray emitter including a lumen in communication with the channel at the second side of the microfluidic substrate; and
iii. a housing enclosing the microfluidic substrate and at least a portion of the emitter assembly, the housing having a first side having a high-voltage input port configured to couple to a high-voltage cable, the housing further having a gas inlet port adapted to receive a gas nozzle for supplying a gas to the emitter assembly, and a plurality of nozzle openings each aligned with one of the apertures in the microfluidic substrate and adapted to receive a fluidic nozzle.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , further comprising circuitry including an electrical connector with an array of electrical contacts, wherein the circuitry further comprises a heater thermally coupled to the microfluidic substrate.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , further comprising a push block disposed proximate to the second side of the microfluidic substrate, the push block configured to press against the second side of the microfluidic substrate in response to an urging force applied to the push block.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 3 , wherein the push block has at least three inwardly facing spatially separated bosses that press simultaneously against the second side of the microfluidic substrate in response to the urging force applied to the push block.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 4 , wherein each of the at least three bosses aligns directly opposite one of the apertures in the first side of the microfluidic substrate.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic substrate further comprises a separation column in fluidic communication with the channel.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic substrate is formed of a ceramic-based material.

Assignees

• Waters Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Prentice David P
• Keene Russell L
• Koziol Stanislaw
• Michienzi Joseph D
• Linderson Paul E
• Bertone Gary W

Classifications

• B05B1/02

  designed to produce a jet, spray, or other discharge of particular shape or nature, e.g. in single drops, {or having an outlet of particular shape}(B05B1/26, B05B1/28, B05B1/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01N27/44791

  Microapparatus (sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027) · CPC title

• G01N30/72

  Mass spectrometers {(mass spectrometers per se H01J49/00)} · CPC title

• B05B1/00

  Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means (B05B3/00, B05B5/00, B05B7/00 take precedence; devices for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by contact B05C; nozzles for ink-jet printing mechanisms B41J2/135; nozzles for liquid-dispensing, e.g. in vehicle service stations, B67D7/42) · CPC title

• B01L2300/0883

  Serpentine channels · CPC title