Chip, mixing device, and mixing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11448332-B2
Application number	US-202017035220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2020
Priority date	Mar 30, 2018
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A chip includes a first chamber that stores a fluid, a second chamber that stores a mixing target which is to be mixed with the fluid, a flow path that allows a communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, and a valve that is provided in the flow path and capable of changing the flow path by change in shape by heating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chip comprising:
a first chamber that stores a fluid;
a second chamber that stores a mixing target which is to be mixed with the fluid;
a first flow path that allows a communication between the first chamber and the second chamber;
a first valve that is provided in the first flow path and capable of changing the first flow path by change in shape by heating;
a second flow path that allows a communication between the second chamber and an outside of the chip; and
a second valve that is provided in the second flow path and capable of changing the second flow path by change in shape by heating.

2. The chip according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a light permeable member in which the first flow path and the second flow path are formed and which is capable of transmitting light,
wherein the first valve and the second valve are heated by absorbing light transmitted through the light permeable member.

3. The chip according to claim 2 ,
wherein at least one of the first valve or a peripheral portion of the first valve has a color material that absorbs light, and at least one of the second valve or a peripheral portion of the second valve has a color material that absorbs lioht.

4. The chip according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first valve and the second valve are a thermoplastic material.

5. The chip according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first valve and the second valve are a thermoplastic material.

6. The chip according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first valve and the second valve are a thermoplastic material.

7. The chip according to claim 4 ,
wherein the first valve and the second valve have a melting; point less than a temperature at which a specimen contained in the fluid is thermally denatured.

8. The chip according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first valve and the second valve have a melting point less than a temperature at which a specimen contained in the fluid is thermally denatured.

9. The chip according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first valve and the second valve have a melting point less than a temperature at which a specimen contained in the fluid is thermally denatured.

10. The chip according to claim 1 ,
wherein the change in shape of the first valve and the second valve is irreversible.

11. The chip according to claim 2 ,
wherein the change in shape of the first valve and the second valve is irreversible.

12. The chip according to claim 3 , wherein the change in shape of the first valve and the second valve is irreversible.

13. A mixing device comprising:
the chip according to claim 1 ; and
a heater that heats the valve.

14. The mixing device according to claim 13 ,
wherein the heater irradiates the first valve and the second valve with light to heat the first valve and the second valve.

15. The mixing device according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a moving mechanism for moving the fluid stored in the first chamber to the second chamber.

16. A mixing method comprising:
providing a chip comprising a first chamber and a second chamber;
a first step of heating a first valve provided in a first flow path that allows a communication between a the first chamber and a the second chamber, and changing a shape of the first valve by heating to open the first flow path;
a second step of moving the fluid stored in the first chamber to the second chamber in which a mixing target is stored;
a third step of heating a second valve provided in a second flow path that allows a communication between the second chamber and an outside of the chip, and changing a shape of the second valve by heating to open the second flow path; and
a fourth step of moving the fluid mixed with the mixing target from the second chamber to the outside of the chip.

17. The mixing method according to claim 16 ,
wherein, in the first step, an irradiation unit irradiates the first valve with light to heat the first valve, and changes a shape of the first valve to open the first flow path, and in the third step, the irradiation unit irradiates the second valve with light to heat the second valve, and changes a shape of the second valve to open the second flow path.

Assignees

• Fujifilm Corp

Inventors

• Usami Yoshihisa
• Ishii Yasuyuki
• Inoue Yuki
• Ouchi Aya

Classifications

• B01L2400/0457

  passive flow or gravitation · CPC title

• B01L3/502738

  characterised by integrated valves (throttle valves in microfluidic sample containers B01L3/502746) · CPC title

• G01N35/08

  using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis · CPC title

• F16K99/003 Primary

  Valves for single use only · CPC title

• B01F35/7135

  Opening the seal between the compartments by application of heat · CPC title