公开(公告)号：US11541390B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-03

申请号：US16233584

申请日：2018-12-27

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Benjamin Jones

IPC: B01L3/00

Abstract: Described herein are sample loading systems for loading a sample into a processing and/or analysis system comprising: a sample reservoir for receiving a sample and a metering volume reservoir, the sample reservoir and a first side of the metering volume reservoir being interconnected through a first channel with a first flow resistance to allow filling of the metering volume reservoir with sample; a further reservoir for receiving a second fluid interconnected with the metering volume reservoir at the first side via a second channel having a smaller second flow resistance; a first valve for blocking flow of sample from the metering volume reservoir into the second channel; a second valve connected to a second side of the metering volume reservoir for controlling the blocking and flowing of sample; and a first timing circuitry for timing the opening of the second valve as a function of filling of the further reservoir.

公开(公告)号：US11110455B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-07

申请号：US16410622

申请日：2019-05-13

Applicant: IMEC VZW ,  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, KU LEUVEN R&D

Inventor： Ujjal Barman ,  Benjamin Jones ,  Paolo Fiorini ,  David Mikaelian

IPC: B01L3/00 ,  F16K99/00

Abstract: A microfluidic device for electrically activating a passive capillary stop valve, an apparatus and method are provided. The microfluidic device includes a first channel for containing a first fluid, and an output channel, wherein the first channel comprises a first interface with the output channel, and the first interface comprises a capillary stop valve characterised in that the microfluidic device also comprises a second channel for containing a second fluid, wherein the second channel comprises a second interface with the output channel, and the first channel and the second channel are electrically isolated from each other, and the first interface and the second interface are arranged relative to each other thereby being configured to activate fluid flow from the first channel into the output channel when a first fluid and a second fluid are present, and an electrical potential difference is applied between the first fluid and the second fluid.

公开(公告)号：US09174211B2

公开(公告)日：2015-11-03

申请号：US14597716

申请日：2015-01-15

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Benjamin Jones ,  Paolo Fiorini

IPC: F15C1/02 ,  B01L3/00

CPC classification number: B01L3/50273 ,  B01L3/502738 ,  B01L3/502746 ,  B01L2300/0838 ,  B01L2300/12 ,  B01L2400/0406 ,  B01L2400/0688 ,  Y10T137/87917

Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a micro-fluidic device comprising a substrate, a cavity in the substrate and a plurality of micro-pillar columns located inside the cavity. The micro-pillars columns are configured to create a capillary action when a fluid sample is provided in the cavity. A micro-fluidic channel is present between two 5 walls of any two adjacent micro-pillars in a same micro-pillar column. Each of the two walls comprises a sharp corner along the direction of a propagation path of the fluid sample in the micro-fluidic channel thereby forming a capillary stop valve. A notch provided in a sidewall of the cavity acts as a capillary stop valve.

Abstract translation: 本公开的实施例涉及一种微流体装置，其包括衬底，衬底中的腔和位于空腔内的多个微柱。 微柱柱配置成当在空腔中提供流体样品时产生毛细管作用。 在相同的微柱柱中的任何两个相邻微柱的两个5壁之间存在微流体通道。 两个壁中的每一个包括沿着微流体通道中的流体样品的传播路径的方向的尖角，从而形成毛细管截止阀。 设置在腔的侧壁中的凹口用作毛细管截止阀。

公开(公告)号：US12201976B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-21

申请号：US17127985

申请日：2020-12-18

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Ahmed Taher ,  Benjamin Jones

IPC: B01L3/00

Abstract: A microfluidic device (100) comprises: a reaction chamber (102); at least a first and a second supply channel (110a, 110b) for allowing transport of a first fluid and a second fluid, respectively, from a fluid supply source (112a, 112b) into the reaction chamber (102), wherein each of the first and the second supply channels (110a, 110b) comprises a side drain (114a, 114b) connected to the supply channel (110a, 110b) between the fluid supply source (112a, 112b) and the reaction chamber (102), wherein the side drain (114a, 114b) is configured to prevent undesired diffusion of the fluid in the supply channel (110a, 110b) into the reaction chamber (102); at least a first and a second outlet (120a, 120b) connected to the reaction chamber (102) for allowing transport of fluid from the reaction chamber (102), wherein the first and second outlets (120a, 120b) have different dimensions to provide different hydraulic resistance.

公开(公告)号：US12145123B2

公开(公告)日：2024-11-19

申请号：US17416465

申请日：2019-12-16

Applicant: IMEC VZW ,  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Inventor： Peter Peumans ,  Ahmed Taher ,  Nicolas Vergauwe ,  Benjamin Jones

IPC: B01J19/00 ,  B01L3/00

Abstract: The present invention provides a micro-reactor (1) adapted to host chemical reactions having at least one microfluidic layer, said micro-reactor (1) comprising a fluid inlet (2) and a fluid outlet (3); a plurality of micro-reaction chambers (10) arranged in rows (7) and columns (6), each micro-reaction chamber comprising a chamber inlet (10a) and a chamber outlet (10b); a plurality of supply channels (4) for supplying fluid to from said fluid inlet (2) to said micro-reaction chambers (10) and further arranged for draining said micro-reaction chambers (10) to said fluid outlet (3), said supply channels (10) extending in a first direction (D1) along the columns (6) of micro-reaction chambers (10) and arranged such that there is one supply channel (4) between adjacent columns (6). The micro-reaction chambers (10) in the columns (6) are arranged such that the chamber inlets (10a) of a column are in fluid contact with the same supply channel (4) and the chamber outlets (10b) are in fluid contact with the supply channel (4) adjacent to the supply channel (4) arranged in fluidic contact with the chamber inlets (10a). Further, the plurality of supply channels (4) comprises a first end supply channel (4a) arranged for supplying fluid to a first end column (6a) of the micro-reaction chambers (10) and a second end supply channel (4b) arranged for draining fluid from the second, opposite, end column (6b) of said micro-reaction chambers (10); and wherein the micro-reactor (1) further comprises at least one reagent inlet (8) in fluid contact with the first end supply channel 4a and a reagent outlet (9) in fluid contact with the second end supply channel such that reagents introduced to the at least one reagent inlet (8) fill the plurality of micro-reaction chambers (10) in a second direction (D2) along the rows (7) of micro-reaction chambers (10) to the reagent outlet (9).

公开(公告)号：US11471887B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-18

申请号：US16693750

申请日：2019-11-25

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Peter Peumans ,  Benjamin Jones ,  Nicolas Vergauwe

IPC: B01L3/00

Abstract: A microfluidic device comprising a plurality of microreactors is provided. Each microreactor includes at least a first inlet and a second inlet for supplying a first fluid and a second fluid, respectively, to said microreactor and at least one waste channel for draining fluid from said microreactor. The device further comprises a shared first microfluidic supply system for supplying a first fluid to the first inlets of the plurality of microreactors, a shared second microfluidic supply system for supplying a second fluid to the second inlets of the plurality of microreactors. At least one of said inlets to each microreactor comprises at least one valve-less fluidic resistance element having a fluidic resistance that is substantially larger than the fluidic resistance of the corresponding shared microfluidic supply system. A chemical reaction sequencer apparatus including the microfluidic device and a method for supplying reagents to a plurality of microreactors are also provided.

公开(公告)号：US20220008917A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-13

申请号：US17475807

申请日：2021-09-15

Applicant: Imec vzw

Inventor： Benjamin Jones ,  Tim Stakenborg ,  Paolo Fiorini

IPC: B01L3/00 ,  F16K99/00

Abstract: A fluidic device (100) is described for locally coating an inner surface of a fluidic channel. The fluidic device (100) comprises a first (101), a second (102) and a third (103) fluidic channel intersecting at a common junction (105). The first fluidic channel is connectable to a coating fluid reservoir and the third fluidic channel is connectable to a sample fluid reservoir. The fluidic device (100) further comprises a fluid control means (111) configured for creating a fluidic flow path for a coating fluid at the common junction (105) such that, when coating, a coating fluid propagates from the first (101) to the second (102) fluidic channel via the common junction (105) without propagating into the third (103) fluidic channel. A corresponding method for coating and for sensing also has been disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20210300752A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-30

申请号：US17203026

申请日：2021-03-16

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Giuseppe Fiorentino ,  Aurelie Humbert ,  Simone Severi ,  Benjamin Jones

IPC: B81C1/00

Abstract: A method for fabricating a microfluidic device includes providing an assembly that includes a first silicon substrate having a hydrophilic silicon oxide top surface that includes a microfluidic channel and a second silicon substrate having a hydrophilic silicon oxide bottom surface directly bonded on the top surface of the first silicon substrate, the second silicon substrate including fluidic access holes giving fluidic access to the microfluidic channel. The method also includes exposing the assembly to oxidative species including one or more oxygen atoms and to heat so as to form silicon oxide at a surface of the access holes and of the microfluidic channel.

公开(公告)号：US20220193674A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-23

申请号：US17548119

申请日：2021-12-10

Applicant: Imec vzw

Inventor： Benjamin Jones ,  Young Jae Choe

IPC: B01L3/00 ,  C12Q1/6876

Abstract: A microfluidic device unit is provided. The microfluidic device unit includes: (a) a unit inlet and a unit outlet; (b) a cavity including a fluidic channel; (c) a fluidic resistor; and (d) a filter, wherein the unit inlet, the unit outlet, the fluidic channel, and the fluidic resistor are fluidically coupled to one another, wherein the cavity, the fluidic resistor, and the filter are between the unit inlet and the unit outlet, wherein the cavity is upstream of the fluidic resistor, and wherein the filter is positioned so as to filter fluid after it enters the fluidic channel and before it enters the fluidic resistor. A microfluidic device array comprising the microfluidic device unit, a diagnostic apparatus comprising the microfluidic device array, a process for making the array and a method for using the array for sensing an analyte are also provided.

公开(公告)号：US11123728B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-21

申请号：US16217459

申请日：2018-12-12

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： Benjamin Jones

IPC: B01L3/00

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to fast sample loading microfluidic reactors and systems. One embodiment includes a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device includes a reaction chamber allowing reacting of at least one fluid material. The microfluidic device also includes at least two fluidic channels coupled to the reaction chamber for providing a fluid to and exiting a fluid from, respectively, the reaction chamber. Each fluidic channel includes an inlet and an outlet. Each fluidic channel is configured such that when a first fluid is provided in the reaction chamber via that fluidic channel, the first fluid exits the reaction chamber via the outlet of at least one other fluidic channel when the reaction chamber is filled, thereby preventing a second fluid from the at least one other fluidic channel, when present in the inlet, from diffusing into the reaction chamber.