Microfluidic device
Inventors
Lee, Jong Gun • Kim, Seung Hyun • Kim, Seung Hoon • MIN, Jung Ki • Lee, Yang-ui • NOH, Jae Sang
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10058862-B2
Publication Date
2018-08-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a microfluidic device, which includes a platform, at least one chamber provided in the platform to accommodate a sample, and at least one channel configured to couple the chambers to each other. The at least one chamber includes a detection chamber configured to detect the sample, and the microfluidic device further includes a light blocking portion configured to prevent external light from entering the detection chamber so as to prevent occurrence of errors in detection of the sample in the detection chamber. The microfluidic device can be useful for preventing the occurrence of detection errors which might otherwise be caused by interference of external light. The microfluidic device may also be useful for reducing an inspection time and for miniaturizing microfluidic devices. Further, the microfluidic device may be useful for preventing contaminants from entering the detection chamber.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a centrifugal disk-shaped microfluidic device having a platform and a plurality of chambers arranged to process a sample. The chambers include a reaction chamber in which a reaction of the sample occurs, a contaminant accommodation chamber configured to accommodate contaminants generated as a result of the reaction, and a detection chamber configured to detect the sample. At least one channel couples the reaction chamber, the contaminant accommodation chamber, and the detection chamber so that flow can be directed between the chambers by the device architecture.
A surrounding light-blocking portion is provided in association with an outer wall of the detection chamber, and it is made of light-impenetrable/opaque material to prevent external-light interference and detection errors. The device further includes quantitative reaction using porous material for simultaneous weighing and reaction in the reaction chamber. Phase-transition valves are used on channels, and the phase transition material includes exothermic particles that are triggered by external light/laser to open channels and control flow.
Contaminants generated during the reaction are generated and trapped in the contaminant accommodation chamber, and the flow is directed toward the detection chamber via inlet and outlet ports of the contaminant accommodation chamber. Geometry constraints place the inlet/outlet ports nearer to a central region of the platform than the contaminant accommodation chamber center, so that a linear distance between the outlet port and a central point of the platform is shorter than a linear distance between a center of the contaminant accommodation chamber and the central point of the platform. This spatial arrangement prevents contaminant backflow into downstream chambers during rotation and reduces inspection time while enabling miniaturization.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims covered by the provided text are clm-00001 and refinements clm-00002, clm-00003, clm-00004, clm-00005, and clm-00006. These claims collectively specify a multi-chamber microfluidic architecture for reaction, contaminant accommodation, and detection; port geometry constraints relative to the platform center; a light-blocking portion for detection; and phase-transition valve/phase-transition material definitions that include exothermic particles.
Microfluidic multi-chamber architecture for reaction, contaminant accommodation, and detection
A microfluidic device having a platform; a plurality of chambers including a reaction chamber in which a reaction of the sample occurs, a contaminant accommodation chamber configured to accommodate contaminants generated as a result of the reaction of the sample in the reaction chamber, and a detection chamber configured to detect the sample.
Port geometry limiting contaminant backflow by distance to platform center
The contaminant accommodation chamber comprises an inlet port to facilitate a flow of the sample into the contaminant accommodation chamber and an outlet port to facilitate a flow of the sample out from the contaminant accommodation chamber and into the detection chamber, and the inlet port and the outlet port are spaced apart from each other, wherein a linear distance between the outlet port and a central point of the platform is shorter than a linear distance between a center of the contaminant accommodation chamber and the central point of the platform.
Light-blocking portion surrounding the outer wall of the detection chamber
The microfluidic device includes a light-blocking portion surrounding an outer wall of a detection chamber to prevent detection errors when detecting the sample in the detection chamber.
Phase-transition valve using phase-transition material with dispersed exothermic particles
The microfluidic device includes a valve on at least one channel, where the valve uses phase-transition material containing dispersed exothermic particles.
Phase-transition material selected from wax, gel, or thermoplastic resin
The microfluidic device includes a phase transition material that comprises at least one of a wax, a gel, or a thermoplastic resin.
The claims focus on a microfluidic multi-chamber device that performs a sample reaction, captures reaction-generated contaminants in a contaminant accommodation chamber, and detects the sample in a detection chamber. Key inventive aspects include specifying inlet/outlet port geometry relative to the platform center, providing a light-blocking portion to reduce detection errors, and using phase-transition valves with phase-transition material that includes dispersed exothermic particles and is selected from wax, gel, or thermoplastic resin.
Stated Advantages
Reducing inspection time.
Miniaturizing the system.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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