Microfluidic devices with mechanically-sealed diaphragm valves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9341284-B2
Application number	US-201414320384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Aug 20, 2010
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

This invention provides a fluidic device comprising a diaphragm valve having a fluidics layer, an actuation layer and an elastic layer between the fluidics layer and the actuation layer, the elastic layer having a diaphragm that is mechanically sealed against the fluidics layer and the actuation layer by a sealing ring in the actuation layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising at least one diaphragm valve configured to regulate liquid flow in a microfluidic channel, the diaphragm valve comprised in a combination that comprises a fluidics layer, an actuation layer and an elastic layer sandwiched between the fluidics layer and the actuation layer, wherein a diaphragm in each diaphragm valve is comprised in the elastic layer and is mechanically sealed against the fluidics layer and against the actuation layer by a sealing ring in the actuation layer, wherein the actuation layer has a substantially flat surface, the sealing ring is raised above the flat surface and the sealing ring exerts localized pressure against the elastic layer.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical fastener configured to fasten the combination into a sandwich, wherein the mechanical fastener transmits pressure to a pressure seal.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical fastener is selected from a screw, a clip, a snap, a staple, a rivet, a band and a pin.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elastic layer comprises a urethane, a nitrile, a latex or a silicone.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one diaphragm valve is a plurality of diaphragm valves.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein each diaphragm valve comprises:
a) a valve seat against which the diaphragm is configured to sit;
b) a valve relief defined at least in part by the sealing ring into which the diaphragm is configured to be deflected, thereby defining a valve chamber; and
c) a valve inlet and a valve outlet comprised in the fluidics layer and in fluid communication with the valve chamber,
wherein the diaphragm is configured to be actuated by positive or negative pressure transmitted through an actuation conduit in the actuation layer that communicates with the valve relief.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the fluidics layer comprises a via layer and a fluidics manifold, wherein the via layer has a first face mated with the elastic layer and a second face mated with a fluidics manifold, wherein the valve inlet and valve outlet of each diaphragm valve are configured as vias through the via layer and each via is in fluidic communication with a microfluidic channel in the fluidics layer, and wherein the fluidics manifold comprises at least one compartment sealed by the second face of the via layer, wherein at least one macrofluidic chamber is in fluid communication with a microfluidic channel communicating with a via.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the microfluidic channel is disposed in the second face of the via layer.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the microfluidic channel is disposed in the fluidics manifold.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the via layer is comprised of a flexible material.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the fluidics manifold comprises a second compartment that opens toward the via layer and the via layer comprises an aperture exposing the second compartment to the elastic layer.

12. The device of claim 7 , wherein the fluidics manifold and/or the actuation layer comprises a polymer selected from poly(acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) (“ABS”), acrylic, acetal, rubber, nylon, polycarbonate, polyether, polyester, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyolefin, cycloolefin, and co-polymers or filled versions thereof.

13. The device of claim 7 , wherein the fluidics manifold and/or the actuation layer are comprised of a rigid material.

14. The device of claim 6 , wherein at least one actuation conduit is configured to transmit positive or negative pressure to a plurality of diaphragm valves.

15. The device of claim 6 , wherein at least one actuation conduit is configured to transmit positive or negative pressure to a fluidic conduit.

16. The device of claim 6 , wherein at least one actuation conduit traverses the actuation layer from a first face to a second, opposing face.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the sealing ring contacts the elastic layer.

18. A method comprising:
a) providing a device comprising at least one diaphragm valve configured to regulate liquid flow in a microfluidic channel, the diaphragm valve comprised in a combination that comprises a fluidics layer, an actuation layer and an elastic layer sandwiched between the fluidics layer and the actuation layer, said elastic layer having a diaphragm that is mechanically sealed against the fluidics layer and against the actuation layer by a sealing ring in the actuation layer, wherein the actuation layer has a substantially flat surface, the sealing ring is raised above the flat surface and the sealing ring exerts localized pressure against the elastic layer;
wherein the fluidics layer comprises a via layer and a fluidics manifold, wherein said device comprises a first compartment and a second compartment in the fluidics manifold fluidically connected to each other through one of the diaphragm valves;
b) opening the diaphragm valve; and
c) moving liquid through the valve from one compartment to another.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the sealing ring contacts the elastic layer.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the valve is opened and/or closed with pneumatic pressure.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein liquid is moved with pneumatic pressure.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein liquid comprises magnetically responsive particles and the method comprises moving liquid with magnetically responsive particles into a chamber and immobilizing the particles in the chamber with a magnetic force.

23. The method of claim 18 comprising moving liquid into a chamber and performing thermal cycling on the liquid in the chamber.

24. A system comprising:
a) a device comprising a plurality of diaphragm valves,
each diaphragm valve configured to regulate liquid flow in a microfluidic channel and comprised in a combination having a fluidics layer, an actuation layer and an elastic layer sandwiched between the fluidics layer and the actuation layer, said elastic layer having a diaphragm that is mechanically sealed against the fluidics layer and the actuation layer by a sealing ring in the actuation layer, wherein the actuation layer has a substantially flat surface, the sealing ring is raised above the flat surface and the sealing ring exerts localized pressure against the elastic layer; and
wherein the diaphragm is configured to be actuated by positive or negative pressure transmitted through an actuation conduit in the actuation layer that communicates with the diaphragm;

b) a source of positive and/or negative pressure in communication with the actuation conduits; and
c) a control unit comprising logic to open and/or close valves in a programmed sequence.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the sealing ring contacts the elastic layer.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein each diaphragm valve comprises:
i) a valve seat against which the diaphragm is configured to sit;
ii) a valve relief defined at least in part by the sealing ring, into which the diaphragm is configured to be deflected thereby defining a valve chamber; and
iii) a valve inlet and a valve outlet comprised in the fluidics layer and in fluid communication with the valve chamber.

27. The system of claim 24 further comprising:
d) a magnet assembly configured to deliver a regulatable magnetic field to a chamber in a fluidic manifold of the device.

28. The sy

Assignees

• Integenx Inc

Inventors

• Vangbo Mattias

Classifications

• F04B19/006

  Micropumps (F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T137/7895

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F04B43/043

  Micropumps · CPC title

• F16K2099/008

  Multi-layer fabrications · CPC title

• F16K99/0055

  actuated by fluids · CPC title