Microfluidic cartridge for processing and detecting nucleic acids
Inventors
Williams, Jeffrey • Kusner, Michael T.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9452430-B1
Publication Date
2016-09-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
A microfluidic cartridge, configured to facilitate processing and detection of nucleic acids, comprising: a top layer comprising a set of cartridge-aligning indentations, a set of sample port-reagent port pairs, a shared fluid port, a vent region, a heating region, and a set of Detection chambers; an intermediate substrate, coupled to the top layer comprising a waste chamber; an elastomeric layer, partially situated on the intermediate substrate; and a set of fluidic pathways, each formed by at least a portion of the top layer and a portion of the elastomeric layer, wherein each fluidic pathway is fluidically coupled to a sample port-reagent port pair, the shared fluid port, and a Detection chamber, comprises a turnabout portion passing through the heating region, and is configured to be occluded upon deformation of the elastomeric layer, to transfer a waste fluid to the waste chamber, and to pass through the vent region.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a cartridge for processing a sample that includes a first layer with a sample port and an intermediate substrate coupled to the first layer. The intermediate substrate is partially separated from the first layer by a film layer and is configured to form a sealed waste chamber and a waste port into the sealed waste chamber, and the sealed waste chamber directly opposes the first layer across the film layer and defines an external void.
A fluidic pathway is located superior to the intermediate substrate and at least partially separated from the sealed waste chamber by a deformable layer. The fluidic pathway is fluidly coupled to the sample port, and deformation of the deformable layer through the external void occludes the fluidic pathway. The occluded fluidic pathway is configured to transfer waste fluid of the sample through the waste port into an interior portion of the sealed waste chamber.
For processing a set of samples, the cartridge includes a first layer and an intermediate substrate coupled to the first layer and partially separated by a film layer to form the sealed waste chamber and a set of waste ports. A first fluidic pathway and a second fluidic pathway are provided in parallel and are each at least partially separated from the sealed waste chamber by a deformable layer deformable through the external void. Each of the first and second fluidic pathways is configured to transfer waste fluid into the sealed waste chamber through the set of waste ports.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00011, each defining a cartridge architecture that uses an intermediate substrate and film-separated sealed waste chamber, together with occlusion of one or more fluidic pathways via deformation of a deformable layer through an external void. Across the independent claims, the main inventive features focus on the sealed waste chamber structure and deformable-layer occlusion that routes waste fluid through waste ports.
Sealed waste chamber formed by film-separated intermediate substrate with external void
A cartridge for processing a sample comprising a first layer comprising a sample port; an intermediate substrate coupled to the first layer, partially separated from the first layer by a film layer, configured to form a sealed waste chamber and a waste port into the sealed waste chamber; wherein the sealed waste chamber directly opposes the first layer across the film layer and defines an external void.
Deformable-layer occlusion of a fluidic pathway through the external void to transfer waste
A cartridge for processing a sample comprising a fluidic pathway superior to the intermediate substrate and at least partially separated from the sealed waste chamber by a deformable layer; wherein the fluidic pathway is fluidly coupled to the sample port; and wherein, upon deformation of the deformable layer through the external void defined by the waste chamber, the fluidic pathway is occluded and configured to transfer waste fluid of the sample through the waste port into an interior portion of the sealed waste chamber.
Parallel fluidic pathways for a set of samples with deformable-layer occlusion through an external void
A cartridge for processing of a set of samples comprising a first layer and an intermediate substrate coupled to the first layer and partially separated from the first layer by a film layer; wherein the intermediate substrate forms a sealed waste chamber and a set of waste ports into the sealed waste chamber, wherein the sealed waste chamber directly opposes the first layer across the film layer and defines an external void; a first fluidic pathway formed by at least a portion of the first layer; and a second fluidic pathway in parallel with the first fluidic pathway and formed by at least a portion of the first layer; wherein the first fluidic pathway and the second fluidic pathway are each at least partially separated from the sealed waste chamber by a deformable layer that is deformable through the external void, and each of the first and the second fluidic pathways is configured to transfer waste fluid of the set of samples into the sealed waste chamber through the set of waste ports.
The independent claims collectively cover cartridges in which a sealed waste chamber is formed by an intermediate substrate that is separated from the first layer by a film layer and defines an external void, and in which one or more fluidic pathways are occluded upon deformation of a deformable layer through that external void to route waste fluid into the sealed waste chamber via waste ports.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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