High-temperature, adhesive-based microvalves and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9995411-B1
Application number	US-201414332831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2014
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to adhesive-based microvalves, as well as assemblies and cartridges having such microvalves. In particular examples, substantially planar layers of adhesive materials are used to construct both normally-open and normally-closed microvalves for fluid control within microfluidic laminate cartridges. Such microvalves and cartridges can be useful for medical, chemical, and biological investigations.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A normally-open microvalve assembly comprising:
a first chamber disposed in a first layer;
a second chamber disposed in a second layer;
a fluidic opening disposed in an intermediate layer that is disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein each of the first and second chambers is, independently, configured to receive one or more fluids;
a substantially planar layer disposed between the first layer and the intermediate layer, wherein the substantially planar layer comprises a backing layer having a top side and a bottom side and a layer of an adhesive material disposed on the top and bottom sides, wherein the adhesive material has a melting temperature from about 100° C. to about 250° C., wherein the substantially planar layer comprises a removed portion and a meltable element, wherein the meltable element is disposed in proximity to the fluidic opening, and wherein the removed portion provides an edge that forms a portion of the first chamber; and
an energy source in contact with at least a portion of the meltable element, wherein the energy source is configured to provide a melted adhesive material,
thereby allowing the melted adhesive material to substantially block the fluidic opening in order to substantially minimize fluidic communication between the first and second chambers.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substantially planar layer comprises an adhesive tape.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material comprises an acrylate, an acetate, and/or a styrene.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a center-to-center spacing between the fluidic opening and the energy source is less than about 2 mm.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second chambers is, independently, a microfluidic channel, a nanofluidic channel, or a reservoir.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the meltable element is disposed in proximity to the via and is configured to substantially block the via upon melting of the adhesive material.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the substantially planar layer is disposed above the intermediate layer.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the energy source is disposed above the substantially planar layer.

9. A normally-closed microvalve assembly comprising:
a first layer;
a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein each is independently configured to receive one or more fluids, and wherein both of the first and second chambers are located in the first layer;
a substantially planar layer disposed above the first layer, wherein the substantially planar layer comprises a backing layer having a top side and a bottom side and a layer of an adhesive material disposed on the top and bottom sides, wherein the adhesive material has a melting temperature from about 100° C. to about 250° C., wherein the substantially planar layer comprises a first removed portion, a second removed portion, and a meltable element, wherein the meltable element forms a fluidic barrier between the first and second chambers, wherein the first removed portion forms the first chamber, and wherein the second removed portion forms the second chamber; and
an energy source in contact with at least a portion of the meltable element, wherein the energy source is configured to melt the adhesive material,
thereby allowing the fluidic barrier to be melted in order to substantially establish fluidic communication between the first and second chambers.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fluidic barrier, the first chamber, and the second chamber are each disposed in the first layer, and wherein the first layer comprises the adhesive material.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the adhesive material comprises an acrylate, an acetate, and/or a styrene.

12. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the fluidic barrier divides a chamber in the first layer into the first and second chambers.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a retaining chamber configured to receive the melted adhesive material of the fluidic barrier.

14. A fluidic cartridge comprising:
a first fluidic chamber in fluidic communication with a first chamber;
a second fluidic chamber in fluidic communication with a second chamber; and
one or more single-use microvalve assemblies, wherein at least one of the single-use microvalve assemblies comprises:
the first chamber disposed in a first layer;
the second chamber disposed in a second layer;
a fluidic opening disposed in an intermediate layer that is disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein each of the first and second chambers is, independently, configured to receive one or more fluids;
a substantially planar layer disposed between the first layer and the intermediate layer, wherein the substantially planar layer comprises a backing layer having a top side and a bottom side and a layer of an adhesive material disposed on the top and bottom sides, wherein the adhesive material has a melting temperature from about 100° C. to about 250° C., wherein the substantially planar layer comprises a removed portion and a meltable element, wherein the meltable element is disposed in proximity to the fluidic opening, and wherein the removed portion provides an edge that forms a portion of the first chamber; and
an energy source in contact with at least a portion of the meltable element, wherein the energy source is configured to provide a melted adhesive material,
thereby allowing the melted adhesive material to substantially block the fluidic opening in order to substantially minimize fluidic communication between the first and second chambers.

15. A fluidic cartridge comprising:
a first fluidic chamber in fluidic communication with a first chamber;
a second fluidic chamber in fluidic communication with a second chamber; and
one or more single-use microvalve assemblies, wherein at least one of the single-use microvalve assemblies comprises:
a first layer;
the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein each is independently configured to receive one or more fluids, and wherein both of the first and second chambers are located in the first layer;
a substantially planar layer disposed above the first layer, wherein the substantially planar layer comprises a backing layer having a top side and a bottom side and a layer of an adhesive material disposed on the top and bottom sides, wherein the adhesive material has a melting temperature from about 100° C. to about 250° C., wherein the substantially planar layer comprises a first removed portion, a second removed portion, and a meltable element, wherein the meltable element forms a fluidic barrier between the first and second chambers, wherein the first removed portion forms the first chamber, and wherein the second removed portion forms the second chamber; and
an energy source in contact with at least a portion of the meltable element, wherein the energy source is configured to melt the adhesive material,
thereby allowing the fluidic barrier to be melted in order to substantially establish fluidic communication between the first and second chambers.

16. A multilayered, fluidic cartridge comprising:
a first channel disposed in a top layer;
a second channel disposed in a bottom layer;
an intermediate layer disposed between the top layer and the bottom layer, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a fluidic opening configured for fluidic communication between the first and second channels;
a substantially planar layer disposed between the top layer and the intermediate layer, wherein the substantially planar layer

Assignees

• Nat Tech & Eng Solutions Sandia Llc

Inventors

• Moorman Matthew W
• Manginell Ronald P
• Edwards Thayne L

Classifications

• B32B2037/1223

  film-shaped · CPC title

• B32B37/1207 Primary

  Heat-activated adhesive (B32B37/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K2099/008

  Multi-layer fabrications · CPC title

• F16K99/0036

  operated by temperature variations · CPC title

• F16K99/0021 Primary

  No-moving-parts valves · CPC title