87 results about "Microfluidic Analysis" patented technology

Methods and apparatus for implementing microfluidic analysis devices are provided. A monolithic elastomer membrane associated with an integrated pneumatic manifold allows the placement and actuation of a variety of fluid control structures, such as structures for pumping, isolating, mixing, routing, merging, splitting, preparing, and storing volumes of fluid. The fluid control structures can be used to implement a variety of sample introduction, preparation, processing, and storage techniques.

The present invention provides an on-chip packed reactor bed design that allows for an effective exchange of packing materials such as beads at a miniaturized level. The present invention extends the function of microfluidic analysis systems to new applications including on-chip solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-chip capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design can be further extended to include integrated packed bed immuno- or enzyme reactors.

An on-chip packed reactor bed design is disclosed that allows for an effective exchange of packing materials such as beads at a miniaturized level. Also disclosed is a method of treating a sample within a microfluidic analysis system, comprising: providing a main channel having a trapping zone; providing a slurry of a reagent treated packing material; inducing a flow of said packing material into said trapping zone through a flow channel connected to said trapping zone to load said trapping zone and form a packed bed of said packing material; and flowing a sample containing analytes through said packed bed, said reagent treating the sample. The present invention extends the function of microfluidic analysis systems to new applications including on-chip solid phase extraction (SPE) and on-chip capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design can be further extended to include integrated packed bed immuno- or enzyme reactors.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for storing a particle-containing liquid. The storage apparatus comprises a microfluidic convoluted flow channel having a plurality of particle capture regions. The storage channel is preferably an isotropic spatially periodic channel. Sedimented particles can be resuspended following storage. This invention further provides a microfluidic analysis cartridge having a convoluted storage channel therein. The sample analysis can use optical, electrical, pressure sensitive, or flow sensitive detection. A plurality of analysis channels can be included in a single cartridge. The analysis channels can be joined to reagent inlets for diluents, indicators or lysing agents. A mixing channel can be positioned between the reagent inlet and the analysis region to allow mixing and reaction of the reagent. The cartridge can include additional valves and pumps for flow management. The analysis cartridge can be a self-contained disposable cartridge having an integral waste storage container. This invention further provides a sheath flow assembly. The sheath flow assembly includes a sample channel and first and second sheath fluid channels positioned on either side of and converging with the sample channel. The assembly also includes upper and lower sheath fluid chambers positioned above and below and converging with the sample channel. The flow cartridges of this invention can be formed by molding, machining or etching. In a preferred embodiment they are laminated. This invention further provides a method of fabricating a laminated microfluidic flow device. In the method, flow elements are formed in rigid sheets and abutting surfaces of the sheets are bonded together.

The present invention provides an integrated microfluidic analysis system. The system contains at least a first (pre-reaction treatment) domain for treating a sample prior to subjecting the sample to a chemical reaction. The following domains are optionally added to the first domain: a second (reaction) domain for reacting the chemical of interest in the sample; and a third (post-reaction separation) domain for separating products and reactants coming out of the reaction domain. The integrated microfluidic analysis system of the present invention is most applicable to PCR analysis.

A fluid analyzing system comprises an electronic control module and a telematics device. The electronic control module is coupled with an asset. The electronic control module is configured for initiating acquisition of a sample of a fluid of the asset and initiating a microfluidic analysis of the sample in response to occurrence of an analysis trigger. The analysis trigger comprises an operating characteristic of the asset. The telematics device coupled is coupled with both the asset and the electronic control module. The telematics device is configured for wirelessly transmitting results of the microfluidic analysis to an asset management system located remotely from the asset and the telematics device.

A fluid analyzing system wherein an electronic control module is coupled with an asset and a telematics device. The electronic control module initiates the acquisition of a sample of an asset's fluid and analyzes the sample in response to an analysis trigger. An asset management system located remotely from the asset and telematics device receives the results of the fluid analysis wirelessly via the telematics device.

Methods are presented for realizing zero-dispersion segmented flow for transfer of small microfluidic samples onto or within microfluidic analysis or processing devices. Where fluidic systems are in whole or in part made of materials favorable to the zero-dispersion conditions for an indicated solvent / carrier fluid system, the system may be covalently coated to impart the necessary surface properties. This invention is demonstrated in an embodiment where 1 microliter samples (6) are robotically prepared and transferred through 3 meters of capillary tubing (4) to a microcoil NMR probe.

The present invention is a flow cell and method for use in microfluidic analyses that presents highly discrete and small volumes of fluid to isolated locations on a two-dimensional surface contained within an open fluidic chamber defined by the flow cell that has physical dimensions such that laminar style flow occurs for fluids flowing through the chamber. This process of location specific fluid addressing within the flow cell is facilitated by combining components of hydrodynamic focusing with site specific cell evacuation. The process does not require the use of physical barriers within the flow cell or mechanical valves to control the paths of fluid movement.

Rapid and specific detection of biological cells and biomolecules is important to biological assays across diverse fields including genomics, proteomics, diagnoses, and pathological studies. Microarrays and microfluidics increasingly dominate such detection techniques due to the ability to perform significant numbers of tests with limited sample volumes. A snap chip assembly is provided for the transfer of a microarray of reagents within semi-spherical liquid droplets on a transfer chip to a target assay microarray on an assay chip following assembly of the two chips and physical contact of the droplets with the target array. Reagents in nanoliter quantities are spotted on both chips and selectively transferred as liquid droplets between transfer chip and assay chip within the contact areas. Using the snap chip structure the inventors performed immunoassays with colocalization of capture and detection antibodies with 10 targets and bead-in-gel droplet microarrays with 9 targets in the low pg / ml regime.