Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080235948 | ELECTROSPRAY APPARATUS WITH AN INTEGRATED ELECTRODE - The invention provides related apparatus and methods of making an integrated electrospray tip by depositing ionic and/or electronic conductor materials onto a planar substrate. The invention also features methods of forming an electrospray apparatus comprising coupling a first planar substrate to the surface of a second planar substrate, wherein a surface on at least one of the substrates includes one or more microfluidic channels and/or reservoirs which are at least partially or totally enclosed therebetween. The conductive regions of the apparatus do not intersect the microfluidic channels within other portions of the apparatus provided preferably. The invention further provides related apparatus and methods for manufacturing and using microfluidic devices with integrated electrodes for electrospray ionization. The electrospray apparatus in some embodiments may include an electronic conductor electrode or an ionic conductor electrode formed from a microfluidic channel containing a conductive material selected from a variety of solutions and gels. | 10-02-2008 |
20100117666 | Method and System for Internal Standardization of Assays - Internal standard concentration is normalized as an independent parameter through measuring a buffer conductance in a system with characterized reagents and in a defined assay device. The conductivity of a fresh internal standard solution is measured whether in isolation or as part of a system that is subject to a uniform variation such as evaporation or condensation. Collected conductance measurements may be used to normalize assay signals that are dependent upon fluidic channel dimensions, such as fluorescence assay signal measurement. | 05-13-2010 |
20100159590 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ACTIVE MICROFLUIDIC CELL HANDLING - A method and system for providing a cell support system are described. The method and system include providing a first block, a second block coupled to the first block, and a plurality of microfluidic channels. The first block includes a plurality of cell wells therein. The second block includes a plurality of through holes therethrough. The plurality of holes are in fluid communication with at least one corresponding cell well of the plurality of cell wells. The plurality of microfluidic channels are in fluid combination with at least a portion of the plurality of cell wells and are configured to provide an active fluid flow with the portion of the plurality of cell wells. | 06-24-2010 |
20100173310 | MICROCHIP LARGE-VOLUME PCR WITH INTEGRATED REAL-TIME CE DETECTION - A microfluidic device is provided with appropriate integrated structures to conduct large volume PCR and end-point or real-time capillary electrophoresis detection The microfluidic device includes a substrate having an amplification chamber of a volume of nucleic acid, wells disposed on the substrate, flow channels connecting the wells and the chamber in the substrate to allow for solution flow through the chamber, and one or more separation channels provided in the substrate and connected to the chamber for separating and detecting a fraction of the amplified nucleic acid The chamber, the flow channels, and the one or more separation channels are configured such that the hydrodynamic flow resistance of the chambers and the flow channels combined is at least 10Λ3 times smaller than the hydrodynamic flow resistance in the one or more separation channels The microfluidic device can achieve a very high sensitivity in detection while being highly cost effective | 07-08-2010 |
20130269452 | SAMPLE HOLDER WITH A WELL HAVING A WICKING PROMOTER - Sample holding system, including methods and apparatus, including a holder defining a well having a wicking promoter that encourages flow of a sample to the bottom of the well. Methods of making and using the holder are also disclosed. | 10-17-2013 |
20140024023 | DROPLET GENERATION SYSTEM WITH FEATURES FOR SAMPLE POSITIONING - System, including methods and apparatus, for forming droplets of an emulsion. The system may include a channel junction at which a stream of sample fluid is divided into droplets by a dividing flow of carrier fluid. The system also may include one or more features configured to position sample fluid for reduced contact between the sample fluid and one or more surface regions of the channel junction, which may improve the consistency of droplet formation. In exemplary embodiments, sample fluid may be positioned by a step member produced by an increase in channel depth, and/or by directing flow of carrier fluid to form a barrier layer between sample fluid and a wall region, such as a ceiling region or floor region, of a channel network. | 01-23-2014 |
20140378348 | MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEM WITH FLUID PICKUPS - Microfluidic system, including methods and apparatus, for processing fluid, such as by droplet generation. In some embodiments, the system may include a well and a channel component attached to the well. The channel component may include (a) a body, (b) an input tube (a “fluid pickup”) projecting from a bottom surface of the body and having an open bottom end disposed in the input well, (c) a microchannel, and (d) a passage extending through the input tube and the body and connecting the well to the microchannel. The system may be configured to receive a sample-containing fluid in the well and retain the sample-containing fluid below a top end of the passage, until a pressure differential is created that drives at least a portion of the sample-containing fluid from the well via the passage and through the microchannel. | 12-25-2014 |