ONE-DIRECTIONAL MICROBALL VALVE FOR A MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE
(19)AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE(54) Title ONE-DIRECTIONAL MICROBALL VALVE FOR A MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE(21) Application No: (22) Application Date: 2003.07.17(87) WIPONo: WO04/011143 (30) Priority Data (31) Number (32) Date (33) Country 10/426,5872003.04.30 US 60/398,7772002.07.26 US 60/398,7782002.07.26us60/398,8522002.07.26us60/398,9462002.07.26us10/403,6402003.03.31us10/403,6522003.03.31us10/414,1792003.04.14us(43) Publication Date : 2004.02.16(43) Publication Journal Date : 2004.03.25(71) Applicant(s) APPLERA CORPORATION(72)Inventor(s)COX, David, M.; HARROLD, Michael, P.; MEAD, Dennis, E. (H) Application NoAU2003253998 A1(19)AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE(54) Title ONE-DIRECTIONAL MICROBALL VALVE FOR A MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE(21) Application No: (22) Application Date: 2003.07.17(87) WIPONo: WO04/011143 (30) Priority Data (31) Number (32) Date (33) Country 10/426,5872003.04.30 US 60/398,7772002.07.26 US 60/398,7782002.07.26us60/398,8522002.07.26us60/398,9462002.07.26us10/403,6402003.03.31us10/403,6522003.03.31us10/414,1792003.04.14us(43) Publication Date : 2004.02.16(43) Publication Journal Date : 2004.03.25(71) Applicant(s) APPLERA CORPORATION(72)Inventor(s)COX, David, M.; HARROLD, Michael, P.; MEAD, Dennis, E. A microfluidic device that includes a micro ball valve is provided. The microball valve is capable of preventing or interrupting fluid flow through the microfluidic device. The microfluidic device can include a substrate layer, and a microfluidic pathway that includes the microball valve. Methods are provided for manipulating fluids using the microfluidic device. 1. A microfluidic device comprising:
a substrate having a thickness; at least one microfluidic pathway formed in the substrate, the microfluidic pathway including a passageway, the passageway including an entrance opening having a first minimum dimension, and an exit opening having a second minimum dimension that is greater than the first minimum dimension, the passageway further including; a valve seat surface situated between the entrance opening and the exit opening; and a ball element in the passageway between the entrance opening and the exit opening. 2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the ball element is captured in the passageway. 3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the ball element has an outer peripheral surface that is complementary to the valve seat surface. 4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the pathway further comprises at least one microfluidic feature arranged downstream and in fluid communication with the exit opening. 5. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising a feature downstream of the exit opening, and a barrier formed between the downstream feature and the exit opening, and wherein the ball element has a minimum dimension and the pathway including the barrier has a minimum dimension that is less than the minimum dimension of the ball element. 6. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising at least one microfluidic feature arranged upstream and in fluid communication with the entrance opening. 7. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface is at least substantially parallel to the top surface, the passageway includes a longitudinal axis, and the longitudinal axis of the passageway is at least substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces. 8. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the passageway includes a through hole through the substrate.
WO 2004/011143 PCT7US2003/022470 9. The microfluidic device of claim 8, wherein the through hole is a tapered through hole. 10. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic device further includes a cover, the substrate includes a surface, the surface is in contact with the cover, and the pathway further includes at least one microfluidic feature formed in the surface of the substrate and covered by the cover. 11. The microfluidic device of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic feature includes at least one of a channel, a chamber, a reservoir, a port, a via, a recess, a divider, a flow splitter, a column, a purification column, and a combination thereof. 12. The microfluidic device of claim 10, wherein the microfluidic feature contains reagents for polymerase chain reaction. 13. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the valve seat surface is at least substantially circular. 14. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the ball element comprises a polycarbonate material. 15. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the passageway has a hollow cylindrical shape and the entrance opening is defined by a shoulder. 16. A method of manipulating a fluid in a microfluidic device, comprising:
providing the microfluidic device of claim 1; introducing a fluid into the microfluidic device and in fluid communication with the entrance opening; manipulating a fluid to unseat the ball valve element and flow from the entrance opening toward the exit opening; and causing the ball element to seat against the valve seat surface to at least partially prevent fluid from flowing in a direction from the exit opening toward the entrance opening. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein causing the ball element to seat comprises moving the ball element against the valve seat surface by forming a backpressure in the passageway. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein manipulating a fluid to unseat the ball element comprises spinning the microfluidic device.
WO 2004/011143 PCT7US2003/022470 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising heating at least a portion of the pathway downstream of the exit opening. 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising subjecting the fluid in the microfluidic device to a thermal cycling process. 21. A method of manipulating a fluid in a microfluidic device, comprising:
providing a passageway in the microfluidic device that includes a microball valve; causing the microball valve to open by flowing the fluid through the passageway; and causing the microball valve to close. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the microball valve includes a ball element and a valve seat, and causing the microball to close comprises allowing the force of gravity to move the ball element against the valve seat. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising heating fluid in the microfluidic device causing back pressure to force the ball element in a direction toward the valve seat.