EWOD device with holdback feature for fluid loading

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10730048-B2
Application number	US-201715629201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2017
Priority date	Jun 21, 2017
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

An electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) device includes a first substrate assembly and a second substrate assembly spaced apart to define a channel between them; an input port in fluid communication with the channel, the input port defining an input well for receiving a fluid for inputting into the channel; and a control port in fluid communication with the channel, the control port defining a control well for receiving a fluid and having a seal that seals the control port in a sealed state in which fluid is restricted from entering the control well from the channel. When the seal is pierced, the control port is placed in an unsealed state permitting fluid to enter the control well from the channel. The electrowetting force may be manipulated to remove the dispensed droplets via an exit port. Multiple cycles of fluid input/droplet manipulation/fluid extraction may be repeated to perform complex reaction protocols.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) device comprising:
a first substrate assembly and a second substrate assembly spaced apart to define a channel between the first and second substrate assemblies;
an input port in fluid communication with the channel, the input port defining an input well for receiving a fluid for inputting into the channel;
a control port that is in fluid communication with the channel, the control port defining a control well for receiving a fluid and having a seal that seals the control port in a sealed state in which fluid is restricted from entering the control well from the channel;
wherein when the seal is removed or pierced, the control port is placed in an unsealed state thereby permitting fluid to enter the control well from the channel; and
a vent port in fluid communication with the EWOD channel, wherein the vent port is configured to vent air from the EWOD channel as fluid enters the EWOD channel from the input port and to prevent air from being trapped in the EWOD channel prior to removing or piercing the seal.

2. The EWOD device of claim 1 , wherein the input port includes an input wall that defines the input well and a channel port configured as a hole through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the input well to the channel, wherein an inner surface of the input wall coincides with a boundary of the channel port to disrupt surface tension of a fluid within the channel at the input port.

3. The EWOD device of claim 2 , wherein the input wall has a tapered inner surface that tapers toward the channel port.

4. The EWOD device of claim 2 , wherein the input wall has a wall extension that extends parallel to the first substrate assembly to provide a small opening into the input well.

5. The EWOD device of claim 1 , wherein the input port includes an input wall that defines the input well and a plurality of channel ports configured as holes through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the input well to the channel.

6. The EWOD device of claim 1 , further comprising a second input port in fluid communication with the channel, the second input port defining a second input well for receiving a fluid for inputting into the channel.

7. The EWOD device of claim 6 , wherein the second input port includes a second wall that defines the second input well and a second channel port configured as a hole through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the second input well to the channel, wherein an inner surface of the second wall coincides with a boundary of the second channel port to disrupt surface tension of a fluid within the channel at the second input port.

8. The EWOD device of claim 6 , wherein the second input port includes a second wall that defines the second input well and a second channel port configured as a hole through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the second input well to the channel, wherein an inner surface of the second wall is spaced apart from a boundary of the second channel port so as not to disrupt surface tension of a fluid within the channel at the second input port.

9. The EWOD device of claim 6 , wherein the second input port differs from the input port in at least one of well height, port diameter, channel port diameter, or wall material properties.

10. The EWOD device of claim 1 , wherein the control port includes a control wall that defines the control well and an exit port configured as a hole through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the control well to the channel, wherein an inner surface of the control wall coincides with a boundary of the exit port to disrupt surface tension of a fluid within the channel at the control port.

11. The EWOD device of claim 10 , wherein the control wall has a tapered inner surface that tapers toward the exit port.

12. The EWOD device of claim 10 , wherein the control wall has a wall extension that extends parallel to the first substrate assembly to provide a small opening into the control well, and the seal rests on the wall extension when the control port is in the sealed state.

13. The EWOD device of claim 1 , wherein the control port includes a control wall that defines the control well and a plurality of exit ports configured as holes through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the control well to the channel, wherein an inner surface of the control wall coincides with boundaries of the exit ports to disrupt surface tension of a fluid within the channel at the control port.

14. The EWOD device of claim 1 , wherein the control port includes at least one absorbent layer located within the control well for absorbing fluid that enters the control well.

15. The EWOD device of claim 14 , wherein the control port includes a plurality of absorbent layers located at different positions within the control well.

16. The EWOD device of claim 1 , further comprising a second control port in fluid communication with the channel, the second control port defining a second control well for receiving a fluid and having a second seal that seals the second control port in a sealed state in which fluid is restricted from entering the second control port;
wherein when the second seal is removed or pierced, the second control port is in an unsealed state thereby permitting fluid to enter the second control well from the channel.

17. The EWOD device of claim 16 , wherein the second control port includes a second control wall that defines the second control well and a second exit port configured as a hole through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the control well to the channel, wherein an inner surface of the second control wall coincides with a boundary of the second exit port to disrupt surface tension of a fluid within the channel at the second control port.

18. The EWOD device of claim 1 , further comprising a second control port in fluid communication with the channel, the second control port defining a second control well for receiving a fluid and having a second seal that seals the second control port in a sealed state in which fluid is restricted from entering the second control port;
wherein when the second seal is removed or pierced, the second control port is in an unsealed state thereby permitting the second control port to act as an input port for inputting fluid from the second control well into the channel.

19. The EWOD device of claim 18 , wherein the second control port includes a second control wall that defines the second control well and another channel port configured as a hole through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the second control well to the channel, wherein an inner surface of the second control wall coincides with a boundary of the another channel port to disrupt surface tension of a fluid within the channel at the second control port.

20. The EWOD device of claim 1 , wherein the vent port is configured as another input port in fluid communication with the channel, the vent port defining a vent port input well for receiving a fluid for inputting into the channel.

21. The EWOD device of claim 20 , wherein the vent port includes a vent port wall that defines the vent port input well and a vent port channel port configured as a hole through the first substrate assembly to fluidly connect the vent port input well to the channel, wherein an inner surface of the vent port wall coincides with a boundary of the vent port channel port to disrupt surface tension of a fluid within the channel at

Assignees

• Sharp Life Science Eu Ltd

Inventors

• Walton Emma Jayne
• Parry-Jones Lesley Anne

Classifications

• B01L3/502715 Primary

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title

• B01F33/305

  using mixing means not otherwise provided for (B01F25/00, B01F27/00, B01F29/00, B01F31/00, B01F33/301 - B01F33/3045, B01F33/40 and B01F33/45 take precedence) · CPC title

• B01F33/3021

  the components to be mixed being combined in a single independent droplet, e.g. these droplets being divided by a non-miscible fluid or consisting of independent droplets · CPC title

• B01L2400/0427

  Electrowetting · CPC title

• B01L2200/0642

  Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques · CPC title