Patent · US Active

Micro chamber

US8911683B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

2References

26Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc. · US

Inventors

Mario Curcio · Sins, CH
Carlo Effenhauser · Weinheim, DE
Michael Glauser · Zug, CH

Key dates

Filing date	Jun 19, 2008
Grant date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Mar 30, 2030

Classification

Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
CPC primaryB01L2400/088
WIPO fieldChemical engineering
WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A microfluidic device is provided including at least one chamber accessible by microfluidic channels characterized in that the surface of the channels and the chambers are patterned and comprise hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas. The surface energy in correspondence of the areas, i.e., the capillary force, being such that a liquid can be guided along the hydrophilic path, enter the chamber from one side, wet part of one surface of the chamber as a thin layer without touching the opposite surface of the chamber, thus avoiding to fill the volume inside the chamber in correspondence of the hydrophilic pattern until a second liquid, either sequentially or in parallel, comes to wet part of the opposite surface of the chamber and eventually touches the first liquid layer, resulting in a sudden coalescence and efficient mixing between the liquids.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.