Microfluidic Device Using Self-Adhesive Film for Channel Connections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Microfluidic devices face challenges in achieving low manufacturing costs while maintaining design flexibility, as existing methods like injection molding result in high initial costs and limited flexibility for design changes.
Innovation Solution
A microfluidic device is created using a self-adhesive film with openings that connect channel structures on a common component surface, allowing for various combinations of channel connections without altering the underlying component, enabling the production of different devices from identical components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If injection molding is used to manufacture microfluidic devices, then large quantities can be manufactured at low cost, but design flexibility is lost and design changes become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a fixed injection-molded component and a separate film component with channel structures. This segmentation allows the film to be customized for different applications while the base component remains standardized for efficient manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The film component provides localized customization of channel structures, sensor positions, and reservoir configurations without requiring changes to the entire device or the injection-molded base component.
2Adaptability or versatility
If design flexibility is improved by allowing custom channel structures, then adaptability increases, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The film component is combined with the standardized injection-molded component through lamination or adhesive bonding. This merging allows custom channel designs to be achieved using simple, low-cost film materials rather than expensive custom injection molding for each variant.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating new injection-molded parts for each design variant, the patent uses film copies or replicas that can be easily manufactured and applied to the standardized base component, significantly reducing tooling and manufacturing costs.
3Ease of manufacture
If channel structures are made fixed in the injection molded part, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but flexibility for different sensor combinations and liquid sources is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The channel structure configuration is made dynamic and reconfigurable through the separate film component. Different film variants can be applied to the same base component to create different channel configurations, sensor arrangements, and liquid source connections as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized injection-molded base component serves as a universal platform that can support multiple different film configurations, enabling the same base part to be used across various applications with different sensor combinations and liquid source requirements.
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
This approach reduces manufacturing costs by using identical components and allows for flexible design configurations, enabling the creation of diverse microfluidic devices with customizable channel connections, while maintaining cost-effectiveness and precision in liquid flow management.
Implementation Method 1
A microfluidic device is created using a self-adhesive film with openings that connect channel structures on a common component surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
The device (20) has component (22) in which several channel structures (24a) are formed, which is opened with respect to respective component surface (26) to individualize to a respective one of channel structure combinations. A self adhesive film (28) has an opening through which channel structures (24a-24c) are connected to each other. One of the channel structures is closed partially, so that channel structures are connected with opening. An independent claim is included for method for manufacturing microfluidic device.