Fluid mixing and delivery in microfluidic systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9731291-B2
Application number	US-201514716151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	Nov 24, 2009
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

The specification generally discloses systems and methods for mixing and delivering fluids in microfluidic systems. The fluids can contain, in some embodiments reagents that can participate in one or more chemical or biological reactions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic device, comprising:
a first microfluidic channel comprising an inlet and an outlet; and
a first fluid comprising metol, water, and an anionic wetting agent, wherein the first fluid is contained in the first microfluidic channel.

2. A fluidic device as in claim 1 , comprising
a second fluid comprising a metal solution; and
a metal colloid conjugated to an antibody.

3. A fluidic device as in claim 1 , comprising a second fluid contained in the fluidic device.

4. A fluidic device as in claim 3 , wherein the fluidic device is configured to prevent mixing between the first and second fluids during storage of the fluids.

5. A fluidic device as in claim 3 , wherein the second fluid comprises a second reagent for the chemical and/or biological reaction, wherein the second reagent is reactive with the first reagent.

6. A fluidic device as in claim 5 , wherein the second reagent is a salt.

7. A fluidic device as in claim 6 , wherein the salt is a silver salt.

8. A fluidic device as in claim 3 , wherein the second fluid is separated from the first fluid by a third fluid that is immiscible with the first and second fluids.

9. A fluidic device as in claim 8 , wherein the third fluid is a gas.

10. A fluidic device as in claim 3 , wherein the second fluid is stored in a second microfluidic channel in fluid communication with the first microfluidic channel.

11. A fluidic device as in claim 10 , wherein the first and second microfluidic channels connect at an intersection and are fluidically connected to a main channel.

12. A fluidic device as in claim 11 , wherein a cross-sectional area of at least one of the first microfluidic channel and the second microfluidic channel are selected such that, when equal pressures are applied to the first and second microfluidic channels, the first and second fluids flow into the intersection substantially simultaneously.

13. A fluidic device as in claim 3 , wherein the second fluid comprises a wetting agent.

14. A fluidic device as in claim 3 , wherein the first and/or second fluid includes an anionic detergent, and wherein the first and/or second fluid includes a non-ionic detergent.

15. A fluidic device as in claim 1 , further comprising a metal colloid.

16. A fluidic device as in claim 15 , wherein the metal colloid is a gold-conjugated antibody.

17. A fluidic device as in claim 1 , further comprising a rinse fluid stored in the fluidic device.

18. A fluidic device as in claim 1 , wherein a silver salt is contained in a second fluid positioned in a second microfluidic channel in fluid communication with the first microfluidic channel.

Assignees

• Opko Diagnostics Llc

Inventors

• Tan Enqing
• Linder Vincent

Classifications

• B01L2300/0877

  Flow chambers · CPC title

• B01L2400/0487

  fluid pressure, pneumatics · CPC title

• B01L2400/0694

  vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves · CPC title

• B01L2200/0684

  Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles · CPC title

• Y10T137/87652

  With means to promote mixing or combining of plural fluids · CPC title