Microfluidic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016199835-A1
Application number	US-201414909796-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2014
Priority date	Aug 8, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A microfluidic device includes a channel through which a reaction solution flows. The channel passes through a reaction section having a plurality of temperature zones set at predetermined different temperatures. The channel includes, at least in the reaction section, a region where a cross-sectional area decreases in a feeding direction of the reaction solution.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . A microfluidic device comprising
a channel through which a reaction solution flows, the channel passing through a reaction section having a plurality of temperature zones set at predetermined different temperatures, wherein the channel includes, at least in the reaction section, a region where a cross-sectional area monotonically decreases in a feeding direction of the reaction solution.

17 . The microfluidic device according to claim 16 , wherein
in the region where the cross-sectional area monotonically decreases, the channel has a tapered structure.

18 . The microfluidic device according to claim 17 , wherein
in the region where the cross-sectional area monotonically decreases, the channel has a tapered width and a constant depth.

19 . The microfluidic device according to claim 16 , wherein
the channel includes, in the reaction section, a region where a cross-sectional area decreases in a step-wise fashion in the feeding direction of the reaction solution.

20 . The microfluidic device according to claim 19 , wherein
in the region where the cross-sectional area decreases in a step-wise fashion, the channel includes a plurality of lines arranged in a meandering fashion, and in the region where the cross-sectional area decreases in a step-wise fashion, the cross-sectional area of the channel decreases with each line in the feeding direction.

21 . The microfluidic device according to claim 20 , wherein
in the region where the cross-sectional area decreases in a step-wise fashion, the channel has a narrower width with each line and a constant depth.

22 . The microfluidic device according to claim 16 , wherein
the region where the cross-sectional area monotonically decreases is an entire portion of the channel in the reaction section.

23 . The microfluidic device according to claim 16 , wherein
in the region where the cross-sectional area decreases, the cross-sectional area of the channel is adjusted with a pillar disposed in the channel.

24 . The microfluidic device according to claim 16 , wherein
the channel is a meandering channel arranged to pass back and forth through the plurality of temperature zones, and the reaction solution is subjected to cyclic temperature changes by being fed through the meandering channel.

25 . The microfluidic device according to claim 24 , wherein
the reaction solution includes a target nucleic acid, and the target nucleic acid is amplified by a polymerase chain reaction as a result of the reaction solution passing through the reaction section of the channel.

26 . The microfluidic device according to claim 16 , wherein
the reaction solution includes one of a bacteria and virus as an analyte, and the microfluidic device detects the analyte included in the reaction solution.

27 . The microfluidic device according to claim 26 , wherein
an antibody that specifically reacts with the analyte is immobilized in the channel.

28 . The microfluidic device according to claim 16 , wherein
a portion of the channel is divided into branches.

29 . The microfluidic device according to claim 16 , wherein
the channel is formed in a substrate, and the substrate includes one of silicon, resin, and glass.

Assignees

• Panasonic Corp

Inventors

• Tachibana Hiroaki
• Tamiya Eiichi
• Saito Masato

Classifications

• B01L3/502746 Primary

  characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles or throttle valves · CPC title

• B01L2300/0887

  Laminated structure · CPC title

• B01L7/525

  with physical movement of samples between temperature zones · CPC title

• B01L2300/0883

  Serpentine channels · CPC title

• B01J19/0093 Primary

  Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors (laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027) · CPC title