Microfluidic device having separable structure using thin film

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12059678-B2
Application number	US-201917281297-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2019
Priority date	Nov 19, 2018
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a microfluidic device including a lower panel including flow velocity measuring structures for measuring a flow velocity of a fluid; an upper panel separated from the lower panel and including a microfluidic channel through which a sample passes; a thin film provided at a portion where the lower panel and the upper panel adjoin each other in order to prevent the sample passing through the microfluidic channel from coming into direct contact with the flow velocity measuring structures, the thin film being configured to separate the lower panel and the upper panel to enable the lower panel to be repeatedly used multiple times; a specific functional unit configured to perform a specific operation on the sample passing through the microfluidic channel; and a negative pressure forming means configured to suck the lower panel and the upper panel with a negative pressure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A microfluidic device comprising:
a lower panel comprising flow velocity measuring structures configured for measuring a flow velocity of a fluid;
a distinct upper panel separated from the lower panel and comprising a microfluidic channel through which a sample passes;
a thin film disposed in between the lower panel and the upper panel, where the lower panel and the upper panel adjoin each other, and are configured to prevent the sample passing through the microfluidic channel from coming into direct contact with the flow velocity measuring structures, the thin film being configured to separate the lower panel and the upper panel and further configured to enable the lower panel to be repeatedly used multiple times;
a specific functional unit configured to perform a specific operation on the sample passing through the microfluidic channel; and
a negative pressure forming means configured to suck the lower panel and the upper panel with a negative pressure.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein a cell separating structure for separating a cell or a fine particle in the fluid is further installed on the lower panel, and
wherein the specific functional unit comprises an external magnetic field source configured to generate a magnetic field around the cell separating structure.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic channel is divided into:
a microfluidic injection channel region comprising a sample injection part into which the sample containing the cell or the fine particle is injected, and a buffer injection part into which a buffer is injected;
a microfluidic separation channel region through which the cell or the fine particle contained in the sample passes while being separated; and
a microfluidic discharge channel region comprising a chamber in which the cell or the fine particle separated while passing through the microfluidic separation channel region is collected, and a plurality of discharge parts through which the remaining samples are separated and discharged to the chamber in which the samples are collected.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 2 , wherein the cell separating structure is configured as a magnetic microstructure patterned on the lower panel by molding.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 4 , wherein depending on the fine particle to be separated, the cell separating structure changes an inclination angle with respect to a flow direction of the sample, a thickness, an interval between the structures, the number of structures to be installed, a size of the external magnetic field source, and a flow velocity of the fluid in the microfluidic channel.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the negative pressure forming means comprises:
an air removing passageway formed at a portion where the lower panel and the upper panel adjoin each other; and
a negative pressure applying hole configured to communicate with the air removing passageway and apply a negative pressure to completely remove an air layer between the lower panel and the upper panel and suck the lower panel and the upper panel.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 6 , wherein the air removing passageway is formed in a lower surface of the upper panel, and the negative pressure applying hole is formed to communicate with an upper surface or a lateral surface of the upper panel.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein a material of the thin film includes one or more materials selected from polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI), polypropylene (PP), polymeric plastic, glass, and ceramic.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the flow velocity measuring structure comprises:
a heater configured to apply heat to the sample passing through the microfluidic channel; and
two temperature measuring electrodes installed at front and rear sides of the heater to measure a resistance difference in accordance with a change in temperature of the sample when the temperature of the sample is increased by the heat generated by the heater.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 9 , wherein the flow velocity measuring structures are installed at positions corresponding to a sample injection part and a buffer injection part of the microfluidic channel and a discharge part of a chamber in which a separated cell or fine particle is collected.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the thin film has a multilayered thin film structure having a plurality of layers.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 11 , wherein the thin film has the multilayered thin film structure formed at a position at which the flow velocity measuring structures adjoin one another.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 12 , wherein the thin film comprises a heat blocking film configured to prevent expansion of the thin film by preventing heat generated by the flow velocity measuring structure from being transferred directly to the thin film.

Assignees

• Univ Inje Ind Acad Coop Found
• Inje Univ Industry—Academic Cooperation Foundation

Inventors

• Han Ki-Ho
• Kim Jin-Ho

Classifications

• B01L2400/0487

  fluid pressure, pneumatics · CPC title

• B01L2400/043

  magnetic forces · CPC title

• B01L2300/1827

  using resistive heater · CPC title

• B01L2300/0887

  Laminated structure · CPC title

• B01L2300/0861

  Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices · CPC title