Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090294055 | Laminated Microfluidic Structures and Method for Making - A method for making a polymeric microfluidic structure in which two or more components (layers) of the microfluidic structure are fixedly bonded or laminated with a weak solvent bonding agent, particularly acetonitrile or a mixture of acetonitrile and alcohol. In an aspect, acetonitrile can be used as a weak solvent bonding agent to enclose a microstructure fabricated in or on a non-elastomeric polymer such as polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic or other linear polymer to form a three-dimensional microfluidic network. The method involves the steps of wetting at least one of the opposing surfaces of the polymeric substrate components with the weak solvent bonding agent in a given, lower temperature range, adjacently contacting the opposing surfaces, and thermally activating the bonding agent at a higher temperature than the lower temperature range for a given period of time. The contacted polymeric substrates may also be aligned prior to thermal activation and compressed during thermal activation. A laminated, polymeric microfluidic structure is also disclosed. | 12-03-2009 |
20100319360 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR DISPENSING A CRYOGENIC FLUID - A dispensing head for dispensing a cryogenic fluid may comprise a flow passage configured to be placed in flow communication with a reservoir containing a cryogenic fluid, the flow passage defining a flow passage inlet opening configured to receive the cryogenic fluid from the reservoir, and a flow passage outlet opening opposite the flow passage inlet opening. The dispensing head may further comprise a dispensing member configured to dispense the cryogenic fluid, the dispensing member defining a lumen having a lumen inlet opening and a lumen outlet opening; and at least one porous member disposed in the flow passage, the at least one porous member being configured as a primary flow regulation mechanism to limit a flow rate of the cryogenic fluid as it flows from the reservoir to the lumen outlet opening. | 12-23-2010 |
20110152850 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR DISPENSING A CRYOGENIC FLUID - Self-contained disposable cryosurgical devices dispense a cryogenic fluid, such as a stream of liquid nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide or argon. The cryosurgical devices include a container, including a reservoir containing a cryogenic fluid, a flow passage configured to receive the cryogenic fluid from the reservoir, a valve assembly configured in an ergonomic housing, and a dispensing head. The device further includes at least one filter disposed in the flow passage configured to facilitate the flow of the cryogenic fluid. The valve assembly includes a valve body and valve slide that is actuated to effect the flow of the cryogenic fluid through the flow passage to patient target. The housing includes an activation lever with an eccentric hub that primes the device for use when a container is loaded into the housing and the activation lever is closed. | 06-23-2011 |
20110162785 | LATENT SOLVENT-BASED MICROFLUIDIC APPARATUS, METHODS, AND APPLICATIONS - A latent solvent-based microfluidic apparatus and method involves laminate bonding of two non-elastomeric, cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) components having opposing surfaces to be bonded, wherein in a contacted state there is at least one interstitial space between the contacted surfaces, applying an organic latent solvent to at least one of the opposing surfaces, wherein the latent solvent is in an inactive state, contacting the two opposing surfaces together, actively removing the latent solvent from the at least one interstitial space; and adjusting a latent solvency parameter to activate the latent solvent, wherein the opposing contacted surfaces become bonded. | 07-07-2011 |
20110214745 | MICROFLUIDIC CHIPS AND ASSAY SYSTEMS - The systems and methods described herein include a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfeatures interconnected to provide a configurable fluid transport system for processing at least one reagent. Inserts are provided to removably interfit into one or more of the microfeatures of the chip, wherein the inserts include sites for interactions with the reagent. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic chip and the inserts provide an efficient and accurate approach for conducting parallel assays. | 09-08-2011 |
20110272093 | LAMINATED MICROFLUIDIC STRUCTURES AND METHOD FOR MAKING - A method for making a polymeric microfluidic structure in which two or more components (layers) of the microfluidic structure are fixedly bonded or laminated with a weak solvent bonding agent, particularly acetonitrile or a mixture of acetonitrile and alcohol. In an aspect, acetonitrile can be used as a weak solvent bonding agent to enclose a microstructure fabricated in or on a non-elastomeric polymer such as polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic or other linear polymer to form a three-dimensional microfluidic network. The method involves the steps of wetting at least one of the opposing surfaces of the polymeric substrate components with the weak solvent bonding agent in a given, lower temperature range, adjacently contacting the opposing surfaces, and thermally activating the bonding agent at a higher temperature than the lower temperature range for a given period of time. The contacted polymeric substrates may also be aligned prior to thermal activation and compressed during thermal activation. A laminated, polymeric microfluidic structure is also disclosed. | 11-10-2011 |
20110275160 | MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS AND CONTROL METHODS - The systems and methods disclosed herein include a microfluidic system, comprising a pneumatic manifold having a plurality of apertures, and a chip manifold having channels disposed therein for routing pneumatic signals from respective ones of the apertures to a plurality of valves in a microfluidic chip, wherein the channels route the pneumatic signals in accordance with a configuration of the plurality of valves in the microfluidic chip. | 11-10-2011 |
20110293489 | MICROFLUIDIC CHIPS AND ASSAY SYSTEMS - The systems and methods described herein include a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfeatures interconnected to provide a configurable fluid transport system for processing at least one reagent. Inserts are provided to removably interfit into one or more of the microfeatures of the chip, wherein the inserts include sites for interactions with the reagent. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic chip and the inserts provide an efficient and accurate approach for conducting parallel assays. | 12-01-2011 |
20120045799 | THERMOCYCLER SEAL COMPOSITION, METHOD, AND APPLICATION - An immiscible mixture of wax and silicone oil is provided for application to the inner surface of a thermocycle reactor tube. The mixture is a solid at typical room temperatures and under typical product storage conditions, but at temperatures above the melting point of the mixture (e.g., >46° C. and therefore, at or above 90° C. (which is typical of the first stage of a PCR thermocycle)) the mixture melts and covers the exposed surface of the solution undergoing the thermocycle, thereby sealing the reaction against evaporation and/or condensation over the duration of the multiple thermocycles typical of a PCR reaction. Upon cooling of the reaction tube, the resulting amplicons can then extracted from below the sealing layer. | 02-23-2012 |
20120115738 | Integrated Microfluidic Device and Methods - A microfluidic device for analyzing a sample of interest is provided. The microfluidic device can comprise a microfluidic device body, wherein the microfluidic device body comprises a sample preparation area, a nucleic acid amplification area, a nucleic acid analysis area, and a network of fluid channels. Each of the sample preparation area, the nucleic acid amplification area and the nucleic acid analysis area are fluidly interconnected to at least one of the other two areas by at least one of the fluid channels. Using the microfluidic device, sample preparation can be combined with amplification of a biologically active molecule, and a suitable biological sample can be provided for analysis and/or detection of a molecule of interest. The small-scale apparatus and methods provided are easier, faster, less expensive, and equally efficacious compared to larger scale equipment for the preparation and analysis of a biological sample. | 05-10-2012 |
20120128549 | MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS AND CONTROL METHODS - The systems and methods disclosed herein include a microfluidic system, comprising a pneumatic manifold having a plurality of apertures, and a chip manifold having channels disposed therein for routing pneumatic signals from respective ones of the apertures to a plurality of valves in a microfluidic chip, wherein the channels route the pneumatic signals in accordance with a configuration of the plurality of valves in the microfluidic chip. | 05-24-2012 |
20120129714 | QUANTITATIVE MULTIPLEXED IDENTIFICATION OF NUCLEIC ACID TARGETS - Methods and systems for detecting a target nucleic acid using the quantitative capabilities of real-time nucleic acid amplification systems and the multiplexing capabilities of hybridization systems, comprising: identifying a conservative sequence and a distinctive sequence within each target nucleic acid sequence; simultaneously amplifying the conservative region and the distinctive region; monitoring the amplification of the conservative region in real-time; identifying the distinctive region amplicon via multiplexed identification; and performing quantitative multiplexing analysis of the target by combining the real-time monitoring information with the multiplexed identification of the target nucleic acid. | 05-24-2012 |
20120214168 | MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE-BASED NUCLEIC ACID PURIFICATION METHOD - A method is provided for purifying nucleic acid from a sample in a microfluidic device. The method can be used to purify nucleic acids from any source known in the art that comprises nucleic acids, such as prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms, viruses, cell, tissues, organs, etc. In a specific example, the tissue is whole blood. The method for purifying nucleic acid may run fully automated in the microfluidic device. | 08-23-2012 |
20120279638 | MICROFLUIDIC PUMP AND VALVE STRUCTURES AND FABRICATION METHODS - Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps. | 11-08-2012 |
20130105017 | MICROFLUIDIC PUMP AND VALVE STRUCTURES AND FABRICATION METHODS | 05-02-2013 |
20130164826 | MICROFLUIDIC APPARATUS, METHOD, AND APPLICATIONS - A microfluidic apparatus, method, and associated applications utilize and apply to a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample and performing a liquid-liquid extraction to remove the paraffin from the tissue sample prior to a nucleic acid purification step. A microfluidic device includes a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, and a nucleic acid amplification reactor. A liquid-liquid extraction and nucleic acid purification kit includes a microfluidic device capable of performing both a liquid-liquid extraction process and a nucleic acid purification process, including a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, an immiscible liquid or a precursor phase thereof disposed in the vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, a nucleic acid amplification reactor fluidically, and a supply of reagents suitable to enable the liquid-liquid extraction process and the nucleic acid purification process. | 06-27-2013 |
20140065598 | SELF-CONTAINED BIOLOGICAL ASSAY APPARATUS, METHODS, AND APPLICATIONS - A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing. | 03-06-2014 |
20140073517 | SELF-CONTAINED BIOLOGICAL ASSAY APPARATUS, METHODS, AND APPLICATIONS - A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing. | 03-13-2014 |
20140093431 | MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The systems and methods disclosed herein include a microfluidic system, comprising a pneumatic manifold having a plurality of apertures, and a chip manifold having channels disposed therein for routing pneumatic signals from respective ones of the apertures to a plurality of valves in a microfluidic chip, wherein the channels route the pneumatic signals in accordance with a configuration of the plurality of valves in the microfluidic chip. | 04-03-2014 |
20140206009 | MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE-BASED NUCLEIC ACID PURIFICATION METHOD - A method is provided for purifying nucleic acid from a sample in a microfluidic device. The method can be used to purify nucleic acids from any source known in the art that comprises nucleic acids, such as prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms, viruses, cell, tissues, organs, etc. In a specific example, the tissue is whole blood. The method for purifying nucleic acid may run fully automated in the microfluidic device. | 07-24-2014 |
20140238599 | LAMINATED MICROFLUIDIC STRUCTURES AND METHOD FOR MAKING - A method for making a polymeric microfluidic structure in which two or more components (layers) of the microfluidic structure are fixedly bonded or laminated with a weak solvent bonding agent, particularly acetonitrile or a mixture of acetonitrile and alcohol. In an aspect, acetonitrile can be used as a weak solvent bonding agent to enclose a microstructure fabricated in or on a non-elastomeric polymer such as polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic or other linear polymer to form a three-dimensional microfluidic network. The method involves the steps of wetting at least one of the opposing surfaces of the polymeric substrate components with the weak solvent bonding agent in a given, lower temperature range, adjacently contacting the opposing surfaces, and thermally activating the bonding agent at a higher temperature than the lower temperature range for a given period of time. The contacted polymeric substrates may also be aligned prior to thermal activation and compressed during thermal activation. A laminated, polymeric microfluidic structure is also disclosed. | 08-28-2014 |
20140246618 | MICROFLUIDIC PUMP AND VALVE STRUCTURES AND FABRICATION METHODS - Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps. | 09-04-2014 |
20140322099 | MICROFLUIDIC CHIPS AND ASSAY SYSTEMS - The systems and methods described herein include a microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfeatures interconnected to provide a configurable fluid transport system for processing at least one reagent. Inserts are provided to removably interfit into one or more of the microfeatures of the chip, wherein the inserts include sites for interactions with the reagent. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic chip and the inserts provide an efficient and accurate approach for conducting parallel assays. | 10-30-2014 |
20140377854 | MICROFLUIDIC APPARATUS, METHOD, AND APPLICATIONS - A microfluidic apparatus, method, and associated applications utilize and apply to a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample and performing a liquid-liquid extraction to remove the paraffin from the tissue sample prior to a nucleic acid purification step. A microfluidic device includes a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, and a nucleic acid amplification reactor. A liquid-liquid extraction and nucleic acid purification kit includes a microfluidic device capable of performing both a liquid-liquid extraction process and a nucleic acid purification process, including a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, an immiscible liquid or a precursor phase thereof disposed in the vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, a nucleic acid amplification reactor fluidically, and a supply of reagents suitable to enable the liquid-liquid extraction process and the nucleic acid purification process. | 12-25-2014 |
20150056650 | MICROFLUIDIC APPARATUS, METHOD, AND APPLICATIONS - A microfluidic apparatus, method, and associated applications utilize and apply to a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample and performing a liquid-liquid extraction to remove the paraffin from the tissue sample prior to a nucleic acid purification step. A microfluidic device includes a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, and a nucleic acid amplification reactor. A liquid-liquid extraction and nucleic acid purification kit includes a microfluidic device capable of performing both a liquid-liquid extraction process and a nucleic acid purification process, including a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, an immiscible liquid or a precursor phase thereof disposed in the vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, a nucleic acid amplification reactor fluidically, and a supply of reagents suitable to enable the liquid-liquid extraction process and the nucleic acid purification process. | 02-26-2015 |