Microfluidic Device Deformable Membrane Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microfluidic devices face challenges in assembly due to the need for precise cutting and positioning of layers, glue thickness variations, and air-permeable silicone membranes, which complicates fluid handling and limits their application in pumping and reinjecting liquid samples.
Innovation Solution
A microfluidic device with deformable material elements in liquid form are added to cavities to create chambers of non-zero volume, allowing for modular volume adjustment and fluid control through elastic materials like PDMS or polyurethane, eliminating the need for precise cutting and glue, and enabling fluid pumping and reinjection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a deformable membrane is used to control fluid flow between channels, then fluid transfer control is improved, but assembly complexity increases due to precise cutting and positioning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the deformable membrane with the chamber structure by forming the membrane as an integral part of the chamber walls rather than as a separate component. This integration eliminates the need for separate cutting and positioning of the membrane, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining fluid transfer control functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a deformable membrane made of elastic material that forms the walls of the chamber. This flexible shell structure allows the chamber to deform between expanded and collapsed states, enabling fluid flow control without requiring complex mechanical assemblies or precise positioning mechanisms
2Manufacturing precision
If glue is used to fix the deformable membrane between layers, then membrane positioning is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to uncontrolled glue thickness variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the membrane fixation with the chamber structure itself, where the membrane forms an integral part of the chamber walls. This eliminates the need for separate adhesive application steps and the associated thickness control problems, as the membrane is structurally integrated rather than bonded with variable-thickness glue layers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the adhesive layer entirely from the construction process by forming the deformable membrane as a self-supporting structure that defines the chamber geometry. This extraction of the glue step eliminates manufacturing precision issues related to adhesive thickness while maintaining proper membrane positioning through structural integration
3Strength
If a thin silicone membrane is used for the deformable element, then flexibility is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to air permeability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an elastic material to form the chamber walls that can deform between expanded and collapsed states. The material is selected to provide both the necessary flexibility for deformation and the required impermeability to gases and liquids, eliminating the air permeability issue while maintaining mechanical flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs elastic materials with specific properties that combine flexibility and impermeability. The material composition is selected to provide both the mechanical compliance needed for deformation-driven fluid control and the barrier properties required to prevent gas and liquid permeation, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and air tightness
4Strength
If adhesive layers are used to assemble microfluidic layers, then structural integrity is improved, but device complexity increases due to extra thickness and interaction with liquids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the structural bonding function into the chamber wall structure itself, where the elastic material forming the chamber provides both structural integrity and fluid containment. This merging eliminates the need for separate adhesive layers, thereby reducing the number of components and the complexity associated with controlling layer thicknesses
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes adhesive layers from the microfluidic device construction by forming self-supporting elastic chamber structures that provide both structural integrity and fluid containment. This extraction eliminates the complications associated with adhesive thickness variations and potential interactions between adhesives and liquid samples
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 solution simplifies manufacturing, reduces assembly complexity, and allows for versatile applications, including medical analyses, by enabling efficient fluid transfer and control without the limitations of air-permeable membranes, while using conventional and inexpensive materials.
Implementation Method 1
The deformable element is made of elastic material and is deformable between at least two states to vary the internal volume of the chamber
Implementation Method 2
the liquid component reaches the edge 70 of the cavity, giving the element made of deformable material, after solidification, a determined shape on its surface
Data Source
Figure 1A~2B
Figure 3~5B
Figure 6~7B
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a microfluidic device (1) comprising a microfluidic network comprising several microfluidic capsules (3), each microfluidic capsule (3) being made by the following steps: - Making a cavity (7) through a support plate; - Filling at least partially said cavity (7) with an element (31) of deformable material in an initial liquid state; - Solidifying said element (31) of deformable material inside the cavity (7) so as to delimit a chamber of volume which can be modulated by deformation of said element.