Fluidic system with fluidic stop

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9962693-B2
Application number	US-201314651880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2013
Priority date	Dec 13, 2012
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention relates to a fluidic system ( 200 ) in which a first channel ( 210 ) and a second channel ( 230 ) are separated by a fluidic stop ( 220 ), for example a region with a hydrophobic coating and/or a structure ( 220 ) with non-capillary internal dimensions. Moreover, it comprises a flexible element ( 240 ) that is deformable to enable a flow of a medium across the fluidic stop.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluidic system for transporting a medium, comprising:
a first channel;
a second channel;
a flexible element disposed between the first channel and the second channel, and having an inner surface, wherein without application of a force to the flexible element, a gap exists between the first and second channel; and
a fluidic stop that connects the first channel and the second channel disposed between the first channel and the second channel; wherein the flexible element is arranged such that a determined mechanical pressure (F) applied on an outer surface of the flexible element and is configured to produce a local deformation of the inner surface of the flexible element, thereby reducing the gap between the first and second channels and changing a distance (Δ) between the inner surface of the flexible element and the second channel in such a way that a flow of the medium across the fluidic chop is enabled.

2. The fluidic system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the flexible element comprises a part of the first channel, the second channel, and/or the fluidic stop.

3. The fluidic system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the inner surface of the flexible element comprises a protrusion.

4. The fluidic system according to claim 3 ,
wherein the protrusion is wettable by the medium and/or allows for the transporting of the medium by capillary forces.

5. The fluidic system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first channel and/or the second channel allow for the transporting of the medium by capillary forces.

6. The fluidic system according to claim 5 ,
wherein the fluidic stop has a lower capillarity than the first channel and/or the second channel.

7. The fluidic system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fluidic stop comprises a medium-repellant component or a geometrical structure for an at least partial pinning of a meniscus.

8. The fluidic system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fluidic stop has larger interior dimensions than the first channel and/or the second channel.

9. The fluidic system according to claim 1 ,
wherein it comprises multiple channels in parallel and/or a filter element.

10. The fluidic system according to claim 1 ,
characterized that it is incorporated into a cartridge.

11. A processing apparatus, comprising:
an accommodation space for a fluidic system according to claim 1 ; and
an actuator for controllably applying a pressure (F) on the outer surface of the flexible element of a fluidic system in the accommodation space.

12. A method for control of flow of a medium across a fluidic stop between a first channel and a second channel in a fluidic system, wherein without application of a force to a flexible element, disposed between the first and second channel, the method comprising: deforming the flexible element, the fluidic stop being located between the first and second channel, and by the deforming, reducing the gap between the first and second channel, and changing a distance (Δ) between the inner surface of the flexible element and the second channel in such a way that a flow of the medium across the fluidic chop is enabled.

13. The fluidic system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fluidic stop comprises multiple channels in parallel and/or a filter element.

14. The fluidic system according to claim 1 , wherein a region of increased capillarity is disposed adjacent to the fluidic stop.

15. The fluidic system according to claim 1 , further comprising a surface coating wherein the surface coating comprises a hydrophobic coating.

16. The fluidic system according to claim 1 , wherein the first channel has a width, a height, and a rectangular cross section, the first channel comprising a region having an increased capillarity compared to a remainder of the first channel, the first channel having a reduced channel height, or a surface coating, or both, to provide the increased capillarity.

17. The fluidic system according to claim 1 , wherein the first channel comprises a region having an increased capillarity compared to a remainder of the first channel, the first channel having a reduced channel height, or a surface coating, or both, to provide the increased capillarity.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Verhoeckx Godefridus Johannes
• Smulders Nicole Henrica Maria
• Evers Toon Hendrik
• Scholten Monica
• Prins Menno Willem Jose

Classifications

• B01L2300/0816

  Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions · CPC title

• B01L3/502723

  characterised by venting arrangements · CPC title

• B01L2300/087

  Multiple sequential chambers · CPC title

• G01N1/28

  Preparing specimens for investigation {including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q}(mounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 {; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00}) · CPC title

• F16K99/0017

  Capillary or surface tension valves, e.g. using electro-wetting or electro-capillarity effects · CPC title