Microfluidic chip with sealed on-board reagent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235321-B2
Application number	US-201916598363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2019
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A microfluidic product pouch assembly may be used in a microfluidic chip. The microfluidic product pouch may include a pouch surrounding an inner chamber and having a rupturing portion and an inner membrane positioned within the inner chamber. The inner membrane may separate the inner chamber into a first cavity and a second cavity. A reagent may be positioned within the first cavity and/or the second cavity. The microfluidic product pouch assembly may also include a rupturing structure. The rupturing structure may be configured to selectively break the rupturing portion of the microfluidic product pouch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A microfluidic product pouch assembly for use in a microfluidic chip, comprising:
a pouch surrounding an inner chamber and having a rupturing portion;
an inner membrane positioned within the inner chamber to form a first cavity and a second cavity;
a reagent in fluid form within the first cavity;
a housing spaced from at least a portion of the pouch; and
a pin having a first end and an opposed second end, the first end of the pin supported by and attached to the housing, and the second end of the pin positioned adjacent to the rupturing portion of the pouch such that the pin is located between the pouch and the housing, the pin and housing being movable toward the pouch to permit the second end of the pin to selectively break the rupturing portion, the second end of the pin having a sharp edge configured to penetrate the rupturing portion;
wherein the second cavity houses a gas stored under pressure such that rupturing the rupturing portion causes a pressure imbalance whereby the inner membrane deforms into the first cavity and pushes the contents of the first cavity into a channel of the microfluidic chip.

2. A microfluidic product pouch assembly for use in a microfluidic chip having a first surface and a second surface, comprising:
a pouch surrounding an inner chamber and having a rupturing portion;
an inner membrane positioned within the inner chamber to form a first cavity and a second cavity;
a reagent in fluid form within the first cavity;
a housing forming the first surface of the microfluidic chip; and
a plunger supported by the housing, and having a contact member movable relative to the pouch to selectively break the rupturing portion, the plunger having a rod connected to the contact member, the rod extendable through and/or beyond the first surface of the microfluidic chip, the contact member positioned between the housing and the pouch;

wherein the second cavity houses a gas stored under pressure such that rupturing the rupturing portion causes a pressure imbalance whereby the inner membrane deforms into the first cavity and pushes the contents of the first cavity into a channel of the microfluidic chip.

3. The microfluidic product pouch of claim 2 , wherein the plunger includes a rod connected to a contact member having a substantially flat surface.

4. The microfluidic product pouch of claim 3 , wherein the pouch further includes a deformable membrane, the flat surface of the plunger configured to provide pressure to the deformable membrane to break the rupturing portion of the pouch.

5. The microfluidic product pouch of claim 3 , wherein the plunger includes a first end and a second end, the first end configured to form fit within the second cavity of the inner chamber.

6. A microfluidic product pouch assembly for use in a microfluidic chip having a first surface and a second surface, comprising:
a first pouch surrounding an inner chamber and having a rupturing portion;
an inner membrane positioned within the inner chamber to form a first cavity and a second cavity;
a reagent in fluid form within the first cavity;
a roller rotatingly movable relative to the pouch to selectively break the rupturing portion;

wherein the second cavity houses a gas stored under pressure such that rupturing the rupturing portion causes a pressure imbalance whereby the inner membrane deforms into the first cavity and pushes the contents of the first cavity into a channel of the microfluidic chip.

7. The microfluidic product pouch of claim 6 , wherein the second cavity is an elongated cavity having a first end and a second end, the first cavity positioned at the second end of the cavity and the roller configured to rotatingly move from the first end to the second end of the elongated cavity.

8. The microfluidic pouch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pressurized gas is helium, or nitrogen.

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc

Inventors

• Chen Dafeng
• Rasmussen James E
• Deshpande Manish

Classifications

• B01L3/502715 Primary

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

• B01L2300/123

  Flexible; Elastomeric · CPC title

• B01L2300/0672

  Integrated piercing tool · CPC title

• B01L2300/0867

  Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution · CPC title

• B01L2400/0683

  mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber · CPC title