System, method, and device for forming an array of emulsions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018229239-A1
Application number	US-201815894836-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2018
Priority date	Feb 13, 2017
Publication date	Aug 16, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for forming an array of emulsions. An exemplary device comprises a frame and at least one or a plurality of separate microfluidic modules mounted to the frame and each configured to form an array of emulsions. In some embodiments, each module may be mounted by snap-fit attachment. The device also may include the same sealing member bonded to a top side of each module and hermetically sealing each of the modules. Another exemplary microfluidic device for forming an array of emulsions comprises a stack of layers bonded together. The stack may comprise a port layer forming a plurality of ports. Each port may have a top rim formed by a protrusion that encircles the central axis of the port. The rims may be coplanar with one another to facilitate bonding of a sealing member to each rim.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A device for forming emulsions, comprising:
a frame; a plurality of separate microfluidic modules mounted to the frame, each module including an array of emulsion formation units, each emulsion formation unit including a sample reservoir configured to be loaded with sample-containing fluid, and a droplet generation site configured to receive sample-containing fluid from the sample reservoir and to generate droplets of sample-containing fluid encapsulated by carrier fluid; and a same sealing member configured to be bonded to a top side of each module of the plurality of modules, such that the sealing member covers and seals a plurality of ports of each module, each port being in fluid communication with the emulsion formation units of the module.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ports of each module is defined by a port layer including a body and at least one protrusion projecting from a top surface of the body, wherein the body defines a lower section of each port of the plurality of ports, wherein the at least one protrusion forms a top rim of each port of the plurality of ports, and wherein the sealing member is bonded directly to the top rim of each port.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the top rim of each port is elevated with respect to a top of the frame.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each module is attached to the frame via complementary mating features of the module and the frame.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein each module is mounted to the frame via snap-fit attachment.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is configured to hermetically seal each module, such that each of the emulsion formation units of the module is isolated from the ambient atmosphere outside the module.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each sample reservoir is located under a respective sample-loading port, and wherein the sample-loading port includes a tapered region that tapers toward the sample reservoir.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein a neck region of the sample-loading port is located between the tapered region and the sample reservoir.

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each module includes a vacuum port and a vacuum manifold, and wherein the vacuum port is in fluid communication with an emulsion reservoir of each emulsion formation unit of the module via the vacuum manifold.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the array of each module is a smaller array, and wherein the plurality of modules forms a larger, rectangular array of emulsion formation units that includes the smaller array of each module.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein each sample reservoir is configured to be loaded with sample-containing fluid via a respective sample-loading port that defines a loading axis, wherein the rectangular array has the loading axes of the sample-loading ports arranged in uniformly-spaced rows and uniformly-spaced columns, and wherein the rows and the columns have the same spacing as one another.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the rectangular array is an 8-by-12 array.

13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each emulsion formation unit of the plurality of modules includes an emulsion reservoir to collect an emulsion including droplets of sample-containing fluid encapsulated by carrier fluid, and wherein the droplet generation site of the emulsion formation unit includes a channel junction at which a sample channel, at least one carrier fluid channel, and a droplet channel meet one another and at which droplets are generated.

14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ports includes a plurality of sample-loading ports, at least one carrier fluid port, and at least one vacuum/pressure port.

15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of ports also includes a respective vent port for each emulsion formation unit.

16 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each module includes an assembly of layers bonded together, and wherein the assembly creates each emulsion formation unit of the module.

17 . A system for forming emulsions, comprising:
the device of claim 1 ; and at least one source of vacuum/pressure configured to be operatively coupled to the device, to drive droplet generation at each droplet generation site of each module.

18 . A method of forming emulsions, the method comprising:
selecting a device including a frame and a plurality of separate microfluidic modules mounted to the frame, each module including an array of emulsion formation units; loading emulsion formation units of each array with sample-containing fluid; bonding a same sealing member to each module of the plurality of modules; and applying vacuum and/or pressure through the sealing member to the array of each module, to generate droplets of sample-containing fluid encapsulated by carrier fluid, using emulsion formation units of the module.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of applying vacuum and/or pressure includes a step of applying vacuum to only a single line of vacuum ports defined collectively by the plurality of modules.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of bonding includes a step of bonding the sealing member directly to one or more protrusions formed on a top side of each module, and wherein the one or more protrusions form a top rim of a plurality of ports of the module.

21 . A device to form an array of emulsions, comprising:
an assembly of bonded layers creating an array of emulsion formation units, each emulsion formation unit including a sample reservoir configured to be loaded with sample-containing fluid, and a droplet generation site configured to receive sample-containing fluid from the sample reservoir and to generate droplets of sample-containing fluid encapsulated by carrier fluid, the layers including a port layer forming a plurality of ports arranged in fluid communication with the array, wherein the port layer includes a body and at least one protrusion projecting upwardly from the body, and wherein the at least one protrusion forms an encircling rim of each port.

Assignees

• Bio Rad Laboratories

Inventors

• Cauley Trey
• Dzenitis John
• Hobbs Steve
• Schiaffino Stefano

Classifications

• B01L2200/028

  Modular arrangements · CPC title

• B01L2200/0673

  Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid · CPC title

• B01L2200/0689

  Sealing · CPC title

• B01L9/527

  for microfluidic devices, e.g. used for lab-on-a-chip · CPC title

• B01L3/502715

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