Microfluidic devices and microfluidic detection apparatus

Abstract

A microfluidic device and a microfluidic detection apparatus, comprising a main body (100) and a liquid flow path (201) provided in the main body (100), the main body (100) also being provided with a fluid input port (103) communicating with the liquid flow path (201), the position of the fluid input port (103) not including the sensing area (301), said microfluidic device and said microfluidic detection apparatus being easy to operate, and effectively solving the problem of air bubble introduction caused by directly opening a liquid injection hole on the sensing area (301).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of microfluidics, and in particular to microfluidic devices and microfluidic sensing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Microfluidic technology is the control, manipulation, and detection of complex fluids at minute dimensions. It is an emerging interdisciplinary field based on microelectronics, micromachines, bioengineering, and nanotechnology. Scientific experiments in biology, chemistry, and materials often require the manipulation of fluids, and operations such as sample DNA preparation, liquid chromatography, PCR reactions, and electrophoretic detection are all performed in a liquid-phase environment.

[0003] When steps such as sample preparation, biochemical reactions, and result detection are integrated on a biochip, the amount of fluid used in an experiment is usually reduced from the milliliter level to the microliter level, requiring specialized microfluidic devices to meet the operational needs. Microfluidic devices have the advantages of being lightweight, using less sample / reagent, and having fast reaction rates, and are widely used in biotechnology research.

[0004] However, prior art microfluidic devices usually require drilling a liquid injection hole (i.e., 33 in Figures 1a and 1b) on the sensing area to add a reagent or sample, which easily introduces air bubbles into the sensing area and makes it difficult to operate.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention provides a microfluidic device and a microfluidic detection apparatus to solve the problem of air bubble introduction caused by drilling liquid injection holes in the sensing area in prior art microfluidic devices.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, improve the integration of a biomolecule detection device, and reduce the size of the detection device, the present invention adopts the following solution. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The microfluidic device includes a body and a liquid flow path provided within the body; The body is provided with a sensing area; The body is also provided with a fluid input port in communication with the liquid flow path, the fluid input port being positioned away from the sensing area.

[0009] In this solution, the microfluidic device includes a main body and a liquid flow path provided within the main body, the main body is provided with a sensing area, and the liquid in the sensing area can be sensed as necessary. The main body also has a fluid input port communicating with the liquid flow path, and the sensing area is not included in the position of the fluid input port, i.e., the fluid input port is not provided directly on the sensing area, and the liquid to be detected enters the liquid flow path from the fluid input port and flows into the sensing area to be sensed, which makes the operation easy and effectively solves the problem of introducing air bubbles caused by opening a liquid injection hole directly on the sensing area.

[0010] In a further preferred solution, the body is also provided with an on-off device, which is used to control the flow and blocking of the liquid in the liquid flow path, and the on-off device is used to block the liquid in the liquid flow path to stop the flow of the liquid, thereby ensuring continuous and stable sensing of the liquid in the sensing area, and improving the sensing efficiency.

[0011] In a further preferred solution, a flow path capable of communicating with the liquid flow path is provided in the on-off device, and the on-off device controls whether or not the flow path is communicated with the liquid flow path by moving relative to the main body. When the on-off device is adjusted so that both ends of the flow path in the on-off device communicate with the liquid flow path, the liquid flows normally, and when both ends of the flow path in the on-off device do not communicate with the liquid flow path, the on-off device blocks the liquid in the liquid flow path.

[0012] In a further preferred solution, at least one hollow sealed chamber is also provided in the body, and a flow membrane is provided at the top of the at least one sealed chamber, and the sealed chamber and the liquid flow path share the flow membrane. The liquid in the sealed chamber and the liquid in the liquid flow path are independent of each other, and ion transmission or other forms of signal transmission between the two liquids can be realized through the flow membrane.

[0013] In a further preferred solution, the body is provided with at least one liquid passage port, which communicates with the sealed chamber, the sealed chamber can be filled with liquid via the liquid passage port, and the number of the liquid passage ports can be adjusted as required.

[0014] In a further preferred solution, a sealing member or a conductive member is provided at the bottom of the sealed chamber, the conductive member being used to transmit electrical signals, and the sealing member being mainly used to seal the bottom of the sealed chamber.

[0015] In a further preferred solution, the sealed chamber includes at least a cavity A and a cavity B communicating with each other, and at least one liquid passage port for supplying or discharging liquid is provided above the cavity A and the cavity B, respectively, and the two liquid passage ports cooperate with each other and do not interfere with each other.

[0016] In a further preferred solution, the bottom of the cavity A is provided with the conductive member for transmitting electrical signals to the outside.

[0017] In a further preferred solution, the upper part of the cavity B is provided with the flow membrane, and the bottom part of the cavity B is provided with the sealing member. The flow membrane is used to realize ion transmission or other forms of signal transmission between the liquid in the cavity B and the liquid in the liquid flow path, and the sealing member is used to seal the bottom part of the cavity B to prevent liquid from seeping out.

[0018] In a further preferred solution, the cavity A has a spindle-shaped structure and is disposed on one side of the liquid flow path, the cavity B is disposed below the liquid flow path, and the end of the cavity A on the opposite side to the liquid flow path communicates with the cavity B. The cavity B is disposed below the liquid flow path, and the cavity B can realize signal transmission with the liquid flow path through the flow membrane provided on its upper part, and the end of the cavity A communicates with the cavity B, forming a sealed area as a whole, and the liquid storage capacity of the sealed area can be expanded to a certain extent.

[0019] In a further preferred solution, the fluid input port is provided with a fluid reservoir in cooperation with and in communication with the fluid input port, the upper end of the fluid reservoir opens, and the lower end of the fluid reservoir communicates with the fluid input port. The fluid input port of a microfluidic device is usually small in size, so it is inconvenient to add liquid directly through the fluid input port, but in this solution, the fluid reservoir can be used as a liquid adding device with a larger upper end opening, so that adding liquid is easy.

[0020] In a further preferred solution, the fluid reservoir is detachably mounted on the main body, and the inside of the fluid reservoir has a funnel-shaped structure. The fluid reservoir is detachably mounted on the main body for easy installation, disassembly and replacement, and the inside of the fluid reservoir has a funnel-shaped structure with a wider top and a narrower bottom, which makes it easy to fill with liquid.

[0021] In a further preferred solution, the part of said body corresponding to the location of said sensing area is transparent, thus facilitating observation of the state of the liquid in said sensing area.

[0022] In a further preferred solution, the body is also provided with a collection area therein, the collection area communicates with the rear end of the liquid flow path, and a liquid discharge port opens above the collection area. After the liquid in the liquid flow path is sensed, it can be put into the collection area and collected, but if the volume of the liquid in the collection area is larger than the volume of the collection area, the liquid can be discharged from the collection area through the liquid discharge port to achieve the function of annular collection.

[0023] In a further preferred solution, the collection area has a spiral or serpentine structure, which can effectively increase the volume of the collection area, facilitating the collection of more liquid.

[0024] In a further preferred solution, said body comprises an upper plate and a lower plate connected to each other, said liquid flow path being a cavity formed between said upper plate and said lower plate.

[0025] The bottom of the liquid flow path is a part of the upper surface of the lower plate, and the top of the liquid flow path is a part of the lower surface of the upper plate. The liquid flow path is formed by the special structure of the upper plate and the lower plate with the best use of resources, and the structure of the upper plate and the lower plate also plays an important role in the whole microfluidic device.

[0026] In a further preferred solution, the portion of the upper plate corresponding to the position of the sensing area is recessed towards the lower plate, making it easier to observe the state of the liquid in the sensing area, and the portion of the lower plate corresponding to the position of the sensing area is hollowed out, and the hollowed out portion is used to make an external connection to a sensing device.

[0027] In a further preferred solution, an air vent is also provided above the collection area, where a negative pressure device can be connected externally to apply negative pressure, thereby drawing liquid in the fluid reservoir into the liquid flow path and into the sensing area.

[0028] In a further preferred solution, a control valve is provided between the fluid input port and the fluid reservoir, and the control valve is used to control whether the fluid input port communicates with the fluid reservoir. When the control valve is open, the fluid input port communicates with the fluid reservoir, and liquid can be directly filled through the fluid reservoir.

[0029] The solution also provides a microfluidic detection apparatus including the above microfluidic device, said microfluidic detection apparatus further including:

[0030] a sensing device connected to the body and corresponding to the sensing area, The sensing device has a portion that overlaps the liquid flow path, and the liquid in the liquid flow path can flow therethrough.

[0031] In this solution, the sensing device corresponds to the cut-out position of the sensing area, and the sensing device has an overlapping portion with the liquid flow path, so that the liquid located within the sensing area can be sensed by the sensing device.

[0032] In a further preferred solution, a sealing element is provided between the sensing device and the body, by disposing said sealing element, liquid leakage at the connection between the sensing device and the body can be effectively avoided.

[0033] In a further preferred solution, the sensing device is detachably connected to the lower plate, and the sealing element is detachably connected to the sensing device. By adopting a detachable connection method, the installation and disassembly of the sensing device is easy.

[0034] In a further preferred solution, the sensing device comprises a carrier plate, The sensing device also includes a sensing chip disposed above the carrier plate, the sensing chip corresponding to the liquid flow path in the sensing area, during use, liquid in the liquid flow path flows through the upper surface of the sensing chip to be sensed by the sensing chip, the carrier plate mainly serves to support and fix the sensing chip, and the carrier plate and the sensing chip are combined to form the entire sensing device.

[0035] In a further preferred solution, the sealing element is a sealing sheet, a through hole is opened in the sealing sheet, the liquid flow path and the sensing chip communicate with each other through the through hole, the sealing sheet is opened with a through hole, the liquid flows into the through hole, reaches the surface of the sensing chip and is sensed, and the sensing area can be effectively sealed by the sealing sheet.

[0036] In a further preferred solution, the cross-sectional area of ​​the through-hole is smaller than the top surface area of ​​the sensing chip, and the edge of the through-hole is located above the sensing chip, ensuring that the through-hole is completely located above the sensing chip, i.e. ensuring that the liquid in the through-hole only contacts the top surface of the sensing chip and is completely detected. Effect of the Invention

[0037] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0038] The microfluidic device provided by the present invention includes a main body and a liquid flow path provided within the main body, the main body is provided with a sensing area, and the fluid input port is not provided directly on the sensing area, so that the liquid in the sensing area can be sensed as needed. The liquid to be detected enters the liquid flow path from the fluid input port and flows into the sensing area to be sensed, making it easy to operate and effectively solving the problem of introducing air bubbles caused by opening a liquid injection hole directly on the sensing area.

[0039] The present invention also provides a microfluidic detection apparatus including the above-mentioned microfluidic device, which is capable of directly detecting a liquid to be detected, is easy to operate, and is highly practical.

[0040] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following briefly describes the drawings necessary to describe the embodiments or the prior art. It is obvious that the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings from these drawings without creative efforts. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0041] [Figure 1] 1a and 1b are schematic structural diagrams of an existing microfluidic device described in the Background Art. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a specific structure of the microfluidic device of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a specific structure of the microfluidic detection device of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a structural exploded view of the microfluidic detection device of the present invention seen from another angle. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing another specific structure of the microfluidic device of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of the flow paths and liquid flow paths of the on-off device of the present invention in a blocking state. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic view of the on / off device of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of the flow passages and liquid flow passages of the on / off device of the present invention in a communicating state. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an enlarged schematic view of the on / off device of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of the collection region of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is another schematic structural diagram of the collection region of the present invention.

[0042] In the above drawings, the components represented by the respective symbols are as follows.

[0043] 100: main body, 101: upper plate, 102: lower plate, 103: fluid input port, 104: on / off device, 105: fluid storage device, 106: collection area. 201: Liquid flow path. 301: Sensing area. 400: Sealed chamber, 4001: Cavity A, 4002: Cavity B, 401: Liquid passage port, 402: Flow membrane, 403: Sealing member, 404: Conductive member. 500: sensing device, 501: carrier plate, 502: sensing chip, 503: sealing element. 601: liquid discharge port, 602: air vent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0044] In order to make the above and other features and advantages of the present invention more clear, the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for the purpose of explaining to those skilled in the art, and are merely illustrative and not restrictive.

[0045] In describing the present invention, orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," and the like, are orientations or positional relationships indicated with reference to the drawings, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the referenced devices or elements must be in a particular orientation or constructed and operated in a particular orientation, but are merely for the convenience of describing and simplifying the description of the present invention, and therefore such orientations or positional relationships should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0046] Additionally, the terms "first" and "second" are employed for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply the relative importance of the indicated technical features or to imply the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature qualified by "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the present description, unless expressly and specifically limited otherwise, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, e.g., two, three, etc.

[0047] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly and specifically limited, the terms "attach", "connect", "connection" and "fix" should be broadly understood, for example, unless otherwise expressly and specifically limited, they may be fixed connection, detachable connection, or integral, mechanical connection, electrical connection, direct connection, or indirect connection via an intermediate, internal communication between two elements, or interactive relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to the actual conditions.

[0048] Unless otherwise expressly and specifically limited in the present invention, a first feature may be "above" or "below" a second feature, and the first and second features may be in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate body. A first feature being "above," "above," or "on" a second feature may only mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than the horizontal height of the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," or "below" a second feature may only mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than the horizontal height of the second feature.

[0049] In the description of this specification, the description related to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. Note that in this specification, the exemplary description of the above terms does not necessarily relate to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be appropriately combined in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art can combine or incorporate different embodiments / examples or features of different embodiments / examples described in this specification as long as they are not inconsistent with each other.

[0050] Please refer to Figures 2 to 7. The present invention provides a microfluidic device, the microfluidic device including a main body 100 and a liquid flow path 201 provided in the main body 100, the main body 100 is provided with a sensing area 301, the main body 100 is also provided with a fluid input port 103 communicating with the liquid flow path 201, and the sensing area 301 is not included in the arrangement position of the fluid input port 103.

[0051] In this solution, the microfluidic device includes a main body 100 and a liquid flow path 201 arranged inside the main body 100, the main body 100 is provided with a sensing area 301, the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 can flow through the sensing area 301, and the liquid in the sensing area 301 can be sensed as necessary, the main body 100 is also provided with a fluid input port 103 communicating with the liquid flow path 201, and the arrangement position of the fluid input port 103 does not include the sensing area 301, i.e., the fluid input port 103 is not directly arranged on the sensing area 301, which can effectively solve the problem of introducing air bubbles caused by opening a liquid injection hole directly on the sensing area.

[0052] Furthermore, the main body 100 is also provided with an on-off device 104, which is used to control the flow and blocking of the liquid in the liquid flow path 201. By using the on-off device 104 to block the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 and stop the flow of the liquid, the liquid in the sensing area 301 can be reliably sensed continuously and stably, and the sensing efficiency is improved.

[0053] It should be noted that the on-off device 104 is mainly used to control the flow and blocking of liquid in the liquid flow path 201, and its specific structure and operation principle are not limited here.

[0054] Furthermore, a flow path capable of communicating with the liquid flow path 201 is provided within the on-off device 104, and the on-off device 104 controls whether or not the flow path is communicated with the liquid flow path 201 by moving relative to the main body 100. When the on-off device 104 is adjusted so that both ends of the flow path within the on-off device 104 communicate with the liquid flow path 201, the liquid flows normally, and when both ends of the flow path within the on-off device 104 do not communicate with the liquid flow path 201, the on-off device 104 blocks the flow of liquid within the liquid flow path 201. In this solution, the manner in which the on-off device 104 moves relative to the main body 100 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a translational motion or a rotational motion.

[0055] In another preferred embodiment, the on / off device 104 is a rotary valve, and a flow path capable of communicating with the liquid flow path 201 is provided in the rotary valve, and whether or not the flow path is communicated with the liquid flow path 201 is controlled by rotating the rotary valve. As shown in Figs. 8 to 10, when the rotary valve is in the "off" state, the flow path and the liquid flow path 201 are in a disconnected state, and at this time, the liquid in the sensing area 301 can be sensed continuously and stably, and as shown in Figs. 11 to 13, when the rotary valve is in the "on" state, the flow path and the liquid flow path 201 are in a communicated state, and at this time, the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 can flow smoothly through the flow path and enter the collection area 106.

[0056] 6 and 7, at least one hollow sealed chamber 400 is also provided in the main body 100, and a flow membrane 402 is provided on the upper part of the at least one sealed chamber 400, and the sealed chamber 400 and the liquid flow path 201 share the flow membrane 402, that is, the sealed chamber 400 and the liquid flow path 201 are separated into two independent spaces by the flow membrane 402. The liquid in the sealed chamber 400 and the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 are independent of each other, and ion transmission or other forms of signal transmission between the liquid in the sealed chamber 400 and the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 can be realized through the flow membrane 402. The specific structure and material of the flow membrane 402 are not limited here, and the flow membrane 402 can be made according to actual functional needs. For example, in some cases, the flow membrane 402 can adopt a semipermeable membrane.

[0057] It should be understood that the sealed chamber 400 in this solution only needs to be located between the on-off device 104 and the fluid input port 103 and can be located upstream or downstream of the sensing area 301 .

[0058] The body 100 is also provided with at least one liquid passage port 401, which communicates with the sealing chamber 400. The sealing chamber 400 can be filled with liquid through the liquid passage port 401, and the number of the liquid passage ports 401 can be adjusted according to needs. The liquid passage port 401 in this solution can be used to fill the sealing chamber 400 with liquid, and can also be used as an exhaust channel for the liquid in the sealing chamber 400.

[0059] Also, as shown in FIG. 7, a sealing member 403 or a conductive member 404 is provided at the bottom of the sealed chamber 400, and the conductive member 404 is used to transmit electrical signals. In this embodiment, the specific shape and position of the conductive member 404 are not limited, and the sealing member 403 is mainly used to seal the bottom of the sealed chamber 400 to prevent leakage of liquid.

[0060] 4, the sealed chamber 400 includes at least a cavity A 4001 and a cavity B 4002 that communicate with each other, and at least one liquid passage port 401 for supplying or discharging liquid is provided above the cavity A 4001 and the cavity B 4002. When the liquid passage port 401 above the cavity A 4001 is used to supply liquid, the liquid passage port 401 above the cavity B 4002 is used to discharge liquid, and similarly, when the liquid passage port 401 above the cavity B 4002 is used to supply liquid, the liquid passage port 401 above the cavity A 4001 is used to discharge liquid, and the two liquid passage ports 401 do not interfere with each other. The positions and shapes of the cavity A 4001 and the cavity B 4002 can be adjusted and provided according to the needs of detection.

[0061] In addition, a conductive member 404 for transmitting an electrical signal to the outside is provided at the bottom of the cavity A 4001. In another embodiment, the conductive member 404 can adopt a metal sheet or an electrode.

[0062] Also, a flow membrane 402 is provided on the top of cavity B 4002, and a sealing member 403 is provided on the bottom of cavity B 4002. The flow membrane 402 is used to realize ion transmission or other forms of signal transmission between the liquid in cavity B 4002 and the liquid in the liquid flow channel 201, and the sealing member 403 is used to seal the bottom of cavity B 4002 to prevent the liquid from seeping out. In another embodiment, the sealing member 403 can adopt a sheet-like object.

[0063] Cavity A 4001 and cavity B 4002 are connected to each other and have a narrow gap between them. A conductive member 404 is provided at the bottom of cavity A 4001 and a flow membrane 402 is provided at the top of cavity B 4002, so that the conductive member 404 and the flow membrane 402 can be wetted with liquid at the same location.

[0064] In addition, the cavity A 4001 has a spindle-shaped structure and is located on one side of the liquid flow path 201, the cavity B 4002 is disposed below the liquid flow path 201, and the tip of the cavity A 4001 on the opposite side to the liquid flow path 201 communicates with the cavity B 4002. The cavity B 4002 is disposed below the liquid flow path 201, and the cavity B 4002 can realize signal transmission with the liquid flow path 201 through the flow membrane 402 provided on its upper part, that is, ion transmission or other forms of signal transmission between the liquid in the cavity B 4002 and the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 can be realized through the flow membrane 402, and the cavity A 4001 communicates with the cavity B 4002 to form a sealed area as a whole.

[0065] It should be understood that the structure of the cavity A 4001 and the cavity B 4002 can be adjusted as required. In this solution, the cavity A 4001 provided as a spindle-shaped structure is only one embodiment, in other embodiments, the cavity A 4001 may be elliptical or other shapes. The cavity A 4001 and the cavity B 4002 are removably arranged in the body 100, and whether to install the cavity A 4001 and the cavity B 4002 or to consider installing only one of them can be selected as required.

[0066] In addition, the fluid input port 103 is provided with a fluid reservoir 105 to cooperate and communicate with it, with the upper end of the fluid reservoir 105 opening, and the lower end of the fluid reservoir 105 communicating with the fluid input port 103. The fluid input port 103 of the microfluidic device is usually small in size, so it is inconvenient to add liquid directly through the fluid input port 103, but in this solution, the fluid reservoir 105 can be used as a liquid adding device with a larger upper end opening, so that it is easier to add liquid and the liquid is not easily spilled out.

[0067] In addition, the fluid reservoir 105 is detachably mounted on the main body 100, and the inside of the fluid reservoir 105 has a funnel-shaped structure. The fluid reservoir 105 is detachably mounted on the main body 100 for easy installation, disassembly and replacement, and in order to facilitate the liquid to fully enter the liquid flow path 201, in this solution, the inside of the fluid reservoir 105 has a funnel-shaped structure with a wider top and a narrower bottom, which makes it easier to fill with liquid and can avoid liquid residue on the inner wall of the fluid reservoir 105 as much as possible.

[0068] It should be noted that the fluid reservoir 105 can be in different shapes as required, and the above-mentioned funnel-shaped structure is just one of the preferred embodiments. The shape of the fluid input port 103 can also be adjusted according to actual needs, such as a round port, a square port, or a trumpet port.

[0069] In addition, the part of the body 100 corresponding to the position of the sensing area 301 is transparent, which facilitates observation of the state of the liquid in the sensing area 301. The circle in Fig. 2 only indicates the approximate range of the sensing area 301, and this part of the body 100 can be made of a transparent material, so as to visually observe the state of the liquid in the sensing area 301 and improve the sensing efficiency, and the shape of the sensing area 301 is not limited and can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0070] In addition, the main body 100 is also provided with a collection area 106 therein, the collection area 106 communicates with the rear end of the liquid flow path 201, and a liquid discharge port 601 opens above the collection area 106. After sensing the liquid in the liquid flow path 201, the on-off device 104 can be opened to allow the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 to enter and be collected in the collection area 106, but if the volume of the liquid in the collection area 106 is greater than the volume of the collection area 106, the liquid can be discharged from the collection area 106 through the liquid discharge port 601 by using a syringe to suck the liquid out of the liquid discharge port 601, so that the collection area 106 can continue to collect the liquid and achieve the function of annular collection.

[0071] 14 and 15, the collection area 106 has a spiral or serpentine structure, which can effectively increase the volume of the collection area 106, facilitating the collection of more liquid.

[0072] It should be noted that the liquid collection area 106 can take a variety of forms and can be a liquid storage pool or other storage medium such as cotton wool, etc. The collection area 106 is not limited to a cavity structure.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 100 includes an upper plate 101 and a lower plate 102 connected to each other, and the liquid flow path 201 is a cavity formed between the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102.

[0074] The bottom of the liquid flow path 201 is a part of the upper surface of the lower plate 102, and the top of the liquid flow path 201 is a part of the lower surface of the upper plate 101. During a specific use, the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 are permanently joined together by welding, gluing, bonding, etc., and the liquid flow path 201 is formed by the special structure of the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102, making full use of resources, and the structure of the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 also plays an important role in the whole microfluidic device.

[0075] It should be appreciated that in this solution, the part of the top plate 101 within the sensing area 301 is made of a transparent material.

[0076] Furthermore, the portion of the upper plate 101 corresponding to the position of the sensing area 301 is recessed toward the lower plate 102, i.e., the thickness of the upper plate 101 at the sensing area 301 is thin, which makes it easy to observe the state of the liquid in the sensing area 301. The portion of the lower plate 102 corresponding to the position of the sensing area 301 is hollowed out, and the shape and size of the hollowed out part can be adjusted as needed, and the hollowed out part is used to make an external connection with the sensing device 500.

[0077] Furthermore, an air vent 602 is also provided above the collection area 106. A negative pressure device can be connected from the outside to the air vent 602 to apply negative pressure, thereby drawing the liquid in the fluid reservoir 105 into the liquid flow path 201 and the sensing area 301.

[0078] The method of introducing liquid into the liquid flow path 201 from the fluid input port 103 may be a method of sucking in the liquid by applying negative pressure to the downstream side, a method of sucking in the liquid by applying external pressure, or a method of self-sucking the liquid by evacuating the air in the liquid flow path 201 in advance to form a vacuum chamber.

[0079] In addition, a control valve is provided between the fluid input port 103 and the fluid storage device 105, and the control valve is used to control whether the fluid input port 103 communicates with the fluid storage device 105. When the control valve is open, the fluid input port 103 communicates with the fluid storage device 105, and liquid can be directly charged through the fluid storage device 105; when the control valve is closed, the fluid input port 103 is isolated from the fluid storage device 105, and liquid cannot flow into the fluid input port 103.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 5, the present invention also provides a microfluidic detection apparatus, including a microfluidic device, and the microfluidic detection apparatus further includes: The sensing device 500 is connected to the main body 100 and corresponds to the sensing area 301. The sensing device 500 has a portion that overlaps with the liquid flow path 201 and allows the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 to flow therethrough.

[0081] In this solution, the sensing device 500 corresponds to the cut-out position of the sensing area 301, and the sensing device 500 has an overlapping portion with the liquid flow path 201, so that the liquid located within the sensing area 301 can be sensed by the sensing device 500.

[0082] In use, by sealing and placing the sensing device 500 in the cut-out position of the sensing area 301, the liquid flow path 201 is sealed and the sensing device 500 functions as part of the liquid flow path 201, effectively sensing liquid as it flows through the surface of the sensing device 500.

[0083] In addition, a sealing element 503 is provided between the sensing device 500 and the body 100. By disposing the sealing element 503, the sensing area 301 can maintain a sealed state, which not only effectively avoids liquid leakage at the connection between the sensing device 500 and the body 100, but also avoids the introduction of air bubbles, and improves the sensing efficiency.

[0084] Furthermore, the sensing device 500 is detachably connected to the lower plate 102, and the sealing element 503 is detachably connected to the sensing device 500. By adopting a detachable connection method such as by screws or buckles, the sensing device 500 can be easily installed and disassembled.

[0085] In a specific installation, the sealing element 503 and the sensing device 500 may be first connected together and then installed on the lower plate 102 as a whole, or the sealing element 503 and the lower plate 102 may be first connected together and then the sensing device 500 may be connected to the sealing element 503.

[0086] Further, the sensing device 500 includes a carrier plate 501 and a sensing chip 502 disposed above the carrier plate 501, the sensing chip 502 corresponding to the liquid flow path 201 in the sensing region 301. During use, the liquid in the liquid flow path 201 flows through the upper surface of the sensing chip 502 and is sensed by the sensing chip 502. The sensing chip 502 is provided with a metal probe, which is electrically connected to the conductive member 404, and the conductive member 404 transmits the signal sensed by the sensing chip 502 to the outside. The metal probe may be in various forms, for example, an electrode, as long as it can be electrically connected to the conductive member 404. The carrier plate 501 mainly plays a role of protecting and fixing the sensing chip 502, and the carrier plate 501 may adopt a PCB plate, and the carrier plate 501 and the sensing chip 502 are combined to form the entire sensing device 500.

[0087] In addition, the sealing element 503 is a sealing sheet, and a through hole is opened in the sealing sheet, and the liquid flow path 201 and the sensing chip 502 communicate with each other through the through hole. The sealing sheet has a through hole, and the liquid can flow into the through hole and reach the surface of the sensing chip 502 to be sensed, and the sensing area 301 is effectively sealed by the sealing sheet to prevent leakage or introduction of air bubbles.

[0088] In addition, the cross-sectional area of ​​the through-hole is smaller than the top surface area of ​​the sensing chip 502, and the edge of the through-hole is located above the sensing chip 502. The through-hole is ensured to be completely located above the sensing chip 502, that is, the liquid in the through-hole is ensured to only contact the top surface of the sensing chip 502 and be completely detected.

[0089] In another preferred embodiment, the sealing sheet and the sensing device 500 are first installed on the lower plate 102 at the hollowed-out position of the sealing area using the bolts 1041, the rotary valve is adjusted so that the liquid flow path 201 and the flow path are in a blocked state, and then the control valve is opened at the fluid input port 103, the liquid is filled through the fluid storage device 105 to enter the liquid flow path 201, the liquid in the sensing area 301 is continuously and stably sensed by the sensing chip 502 of the sensing device 500, and after the sensing is completed, the rotary valve is adjusted so that the liquid flow path 201 and the flow path are in a connected state, so that the sensed liquid immediately flows into the collection area 106, and if there is too much liquid in the collection area 106, it can be timely discharged through the liquid discharge port 601.

[0090] As shown in Fig. 5, in yet another preferred embodiment, the fluid storage device 105 has a cylindrical structure, and the on-off device 500 adopts a rotary valve, which is provided on the upper surface of the upper plate 101 so as to be located on one side of the liquid flow path near the inlet of the collection area 106, and the collection area 106 is a serpentine flow path. A part of the upper plate 101 in the sensing area 301 is recessed inward to form a spindle-shaped groove or a rectangular groove. The sealing element 503 is a butterfly-shaped sealing sheet, and the two wings of the sealing sheet are connected to the carrier plate 501 by a bolt, and the material of the sealing sheet is not particularly limited here, and when selecting the material of the sealing sheet, its sealing performance should be mainly considered. The sensing chip 502 and the carrier plate 501 are both rectangular sheet plate-like structures, the carrier plate 501 is fixed at the center of the carrier plate 501, and three pairs of screw holes are symmetrically arranged around the edge of the sensing chip 502 on the carrier plate 501, a central pair of screw holes is used to fix the sealing element 503, and the remaining screw holes are used to bolt to the lower plate 102 to fix the carrier plate 501.

[0091] The upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 have screw holes at positions corresponding to the remaining two pairs of screw holes. In a specific installation, the bolts pass through the screw holes of the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 in sequence, and then are tightly screwed into the remaining two pairs of screw holes on the carrier plate 501, so that the installation and fixing of the sensing device 500 is completed.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 8-FIG. 13, in another preferred embodiment, the rotary valve has a rectangular structure and is fixed to the upper surface of the upper plate 101 by a bolt, and two opening holes are provided through the upper plate 101 below the rotary valve, and the opening of the flow path is located on the surface of the rotary valve that contacts the upper plate 101, and the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure is the direction of liquid flow. When the rotary valve is in the "off" state, the bottom of the rotary valve closes the two opening holes, thereby blocking the liquid flow path 201 from the flow path, i.e., the liquid flow path 201 does not communicate with the collection area 106, and at this time, continuous and stable sensing can be performed. When the rotary valve is in the "on" state, the flow path at the bottom of the rotary valve communicates with the two opening holes correspondingly, thereby the liquid flow path 201 communicates with the flow path, i.e., the liquid flow path 201 communicates with the collection area 106, and at this time, the liquid can enter the collection area 106 and be collected.

[0093] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the above embodiments are merely illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. The main body, a liquid flow path provided within the body; The body is provided with a sensing area; The microfluidic device further comprises a fluid input port provided in the main body that communicates with the liquid flow path, the fluid input port being positioned so as not to include the sensing region.

2. The microfluidic device according to claim 1 , further comprising an on-off device provided on the main body, the on-off device being used to control flow and blocking of liquid in the liquid flow path.

3. The microfluidic device according to claim 2, wherein a flow path capable of communicating with the liquid flow path is provided within the on / off device, and the on / off device controls whether or not the flow path and the liquid flow path are connected to each other by moving relative to the main body.

4. The microfluidic device according to claim 3 , further comprising at least one hollow sealed chamber provided within the body, a flow membrane provided on an upper portion of the at least one sealed chamber, and the sealed chamber and the liquid flow path share the flow membrane.

5. The microfluidic device according to claim 4 , wherein the body is provided with at least one liquid passage port, the liquid passage port communicating with the sealed chamber.

6. The microfluidic device according to claim 5 , wherein a sealing member or a conductive member is provided at a bottom of the sealed chamber, and the conductive member is used to transmit an electrical signal.

7. The microfluidic device according to claim 6, wherein the sealed chamber includes at least a cavity A and a cavity B that communicate with each other, and at least one liquid passage port for supplying or discharging liquid is provided above the cavity A and the cavity B, respectively.

8. The microfluidic device according to claim 7 , wherein the conductive member is provided at a bottom of the cavity A.

9. The microfluidic device according to claim 8 , wherein the flow membrane is provided at an upper portion of the cavity B, and the sealing member is provided at a bottom portion of the cavity B.

10. The microfluidic device according to claim 7, wherein the cavity A has a spindle-shaped structure and is arranged on one side of the liquid flow path, the cavity B is arranged below the liquid flow path, and the tip of the cavity A on the opposite side to the liquid flow path is connected to the cavity B.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein a fluid reservoir is provided in cooperation with and in communication with the fluid input port, the upper end of the fluid reservoir having an opening, and the lower end of the fluid reservoir communicating with the fluid input port.

12. The microfluidic device according to claim 11 , wherein the fluid reservoir is detachably provided on the main body, and the inside of the fluid reservoir has a funnel-shaped structure.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the body corresponding to the location of the sensing area is transparent.

14. The microfluidic device according to claim 13 , wherein the main body also has a collection area therein, the collection area communicating with a rear end of the liquid flow path, and a liquid ejection port opening above the collection area.

15. The microfluidic device of claim 14 , wherein the collection region has a spiral or serpentine structure.

16. the body includes an upper plate and a lower plate connected to each other, the liquid flow path is a cavity formed between the upper plate and the lower plate, and a bottom of the liquid flow path is a part of an upper surface of the lower plate; The microfluidic device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein an upper portion of the liquid flow path is a part of a lower surface of the upper plate.

17. 17. The microfluidic device of claim 16, wherein a portion of the upper plate corresponding to the location of the sensing area is recessed towards the lower plate and a portion of the lower plate corresponding to the location of the sensing area is hollowed out.

18. The microfluidic device of claim 16 , further comprising an air vent above the collection area.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 17, further comprising a control valve provided between the fluid input port and the fluid reservoir, the control valve being used to control whether or not the fluid input port is communicated with the fluid reservoir.

20. A microfluidic device according to any one of claims 1 to 19, a sensing device connected to the body and corresponding to the sensing area; A microfluidic detection device, wherein the sensing device has a portion that overlaps the liquid flow path, and the liquid in the liquid flow path can flow therethrough.

21. The microfluidic detection device of claim 20 , further comprising a sealing element disposed between the sensing device and the body.

22. 21. The microfluidic detection device of claim 20, wherein the sensing device is removably connected to the bottom plate and the sealing element is removably connected to the sensing device.

23. A microfluidic detection device according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the sensing device comprises a carrier plate and a sensing chip disposed above the carrier plate, the sensing chip corresponding to the liquid flow path within the sensing region.

24. The microfluidic detection device according to claim 23 , wherein the sealing element is a sealing sheet having a through hole formed therein, and the liquid flow path and the sensing chip communicate with each other via the through hole.

25. The microfluidic detection device of claim 24 , wherein a cross-sectional area of ​​the through-hole is smaller than a top surface area of ​​the sensing chip, and an edge of the through-hole is located above the sensing chip.

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