Microchannel Chip Guide Groove Bubble Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing microchannel chips with deep grooves for uniform liquid flow is challenging due to low moldability and difficulty in preventing bubble formation, especially when the channel width varies significantly across its width direction.
Innovation Solution
A microchannel chip design featuring a substrate with a main channel and a guide channel, where the guide channel is shallower and narrower than the main channel, and bonded to the substrate with a film that covers the groove openings, ensuring uniform liquid flow and preventing bubbles by using a capillary phenomenon.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If deep grooves are formed at both width-direction end parts of the channel to increase liquid movement speed and prevent bubbles, then uniform liquid flow is achieved, but moldability deteriorates and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different groove depths at different locations within the channel. Specifically, grooves are formed only at the width-direction end parts of the channel rather than uniformly across the entire channel width. This local differentiation increases liquid movement speed at the end parts where bubbles tend to form, while avoiding the manufacturing difficulties associated with deep grooves across the entire channel structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of forming grooves across the entire channel width, the invention applies grooves only partially at the width-direction end parts. This partial action is sufficient to prevent bubble formation at these critical locations without requiring excessive groove depth or width that would compromise moldability and manufacturing ease.
2Quantity of substance
If the channel width is wide to some extent to accommodate liquid flow, then liquid handling capacity increases, but liquid movement speed becomes non-uniform and bubbles remain in the channel
Solution Approach 1:
The invention addresses the bubble formation issue in wide channels by introducing grooves specifically at the width-direction end parts of the channel. These localized grooves create regions of enhanced liquid movement speed at the channel edges, counteracting the tendency for bubbles to form and remain in wide channels, while preserving the overall wide channel structure for adequate liquid handling capacity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design facilitates easy manufacturing of molds with high moldability and prevents bubble formation in the channel, ensuring uniform liquid movement and efficient liquid handling.
Implementation Method 1
a groove which is a channel through which a liquid can be moved on the basis of a capillary phenomenon
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid handling apparatus includes a substrate that includes a groove which is a channel through which a liquid can be moved on the basis of a capillary phenomenon, and a film that is bonded to the substrate to cover the opening of the groove, in which the channel has a main channel and a guide channel, the groove has a main groove that is the main channel by the film being bonded to the substrate, and a guide groove that is the guide channel by the film being bonded to the substrate, opens on a lateral surface of the main groove, and has a width narrower than the width of the main groove, and the guide groove is placed in an area on a film side of the lateral surface of the main groove and shallower than the main groove.