Boehringer Ingelheim Microparts Gmbh

Dirk Kurowski

Gert Blankenstein

Dirk Klaus Osterloh

Ying Yu

Christian Schoen

Oliver Paul

Tobias Rodenfels

Mario Hempel

Ralf-Peter Peters

Holger Bartos

Berthold Lange

Christian Schön

Thorsten Joedicke

Thanh Tu Hellmich-Duong

Dirk Osterloh

A process and a laminating device for producing a microfluidic device are proposed, wherein a film is pressed onto a carrier under the effect of heat and thereby attached to it. During the attachment the film is lifted by the blowing in of gas on the carrier side to prevent it adhering in a non-attachment region and is vented on the remote side. The device is compressed between a holder and a thermode of the laminating device during the lamination. An elastic intermediate layer is arranged in each case between the device and the holder and between the device and the thermode, for evening out the contact pressure and obtaining uniform attachment of the film to the carrier.

Process for producing a microfluidic apparatus and related laminating devices

The invention relates to a microfluidic structure (), comprising at least one cavity () having at least one inlet opening () and at least one outlet opening (), wherein the cavity () can be filled with a liquid or a liquid can flow through the cavity and at least one element () is provided inside the cavity (), which element stops the flow of the liquid at least temporarily and/or diverts the flow of the liquid at least in some regions within the cavity (). According to the invention, the at least one element () is formed by a recess () introduced into a wall of the cavity (), which recess () has at least one first region () at which the liquid stops at least temporarily and/or is diverted at least in some regions and at least one second region () at which the liquid preferably flows into the recess (). Such a microfluidic structure makes it possible to fill the cavity () without air inclusions. Thereby, the useful volume of the cavity () is not limited, and the production costs of a microfluidic component () having such a microfluidic structure () can be kept low.

Microfluidic structure having recesses

The invention relates to a device for sample separation, particularly for blood separation, in which the sample liquid is introduced into a feed device. The sample flows vertically through a separating device such as a filter or a membrane, so that sample particles are retained and separated off. The sample liquid thus separated, particularly blood plasma, is received by an inlet chamber underneath the separating device and conveyed by means of a channel in the lateral direction out of the inlet chamber. Particularly advantageously, the channel extends into the inlet chamber, the channel being formed by a recess in the base of the inlet chamber.

Device for plasma separation by means of a central channel structure

A cartridge includes a fluidically conductive floor element, a cover, and a film disposed between the elements. The cover or the floor element and the film include a filling opening for filling microfluidic channels in one of the elements having sample fluid. Pins engage in corresponding holes in the film and the associated element. By way of deforming a pin, a friction fit is produced with the wall of a hole, and a head contacting the associated substrate in a form-fitting manner is formed. A press tool is placed on a head end of a pin at a predetermined pressure, and heat transfer into the pin takes place during a weld time. The pin material is brought to above the glass transition temperature and/or the melting point, and a friction fit between the pin and the wall of the hole is formed by flowing the pin material in the hole.

Joining method and joint for microfluidic components

The invention relates to a device and a method for filtering a liquid sample, wherein first capillary-driven filtration occurs and, after initial filling, pressure-operated filtration is performed by applying a vacuum or a positive pressure.

Device and method for filtering blood

The invention relates to a container () for a fluid for metering a reagent into a microfluidic system. The container comprises a chamber () and a first film () which seals off the chamber () so that the fluid is encapsulated in the chamber. Advantageously, the first film () is an aluminum sealing film. A second film () is sealingly arranged on the first film, for example by adhesive bonding of the film layers. The films differ in their tear strength such that when pressure is applied simultaneously to both films the first film tears while the second film deforms elastically and/or plastically. By tearing the first film a connection is produced between the container chamber and an inlet channel so that a fluid contained in the chamber flows into the microfluidic system.

Fluid metering container

A microfluidic device meters liquids into a network of channels or chambers partly formed by a film partly attached to and above a substrate, the network permitting flow of fluid above the substrate. To form a channel or chamber, the edge zone between unattached and attached portions of the film forms a wedge of material by viscous flow of film material as the film is laminated to the substrate, this wedge forming a transition between the chamber wall and the substrate, raising the wall above the plane of the substrate. Film is laminated with a mask having an opening, the mask pressed onto the film under pressure and/or with heat. The film is brought to a temperature to produce a viscous flow of film and/or substrate medium into the region of the opening, forming a wedge of material as the film bulges up at the opening to form a chamber.

Microfluidic foil structure for metering of fluids

A device for the intake or manipulation of a fluid, in particular, a liquid, and a method for the production of a device of this type in which a flat, non-preformed covering film is laminated onto a carrier, a three-dimensionally shaped or convex chamber wall being formed solely by means of the laminating process. The chamber wall which forms a boundary of a chamber for the fluid is partially deformable. The device is simple to produce and can be used universally.

Process for producing a device for the intake or manipulation of a liquid

A process and a device for determining the viscosity of a fluid are proposed. Very simple and accurate determination is enabled in that the magnetic particles in the fluid are set into vibration by a magnetic field which varies over time. A measurement of the amplitude and/or phase of particle vibration is used to determine the viscosity or an associated quantity, such as the coagulation of blood or the glucose content.

Growing community of inventors

Gevelsberg, Germany

Dirk Kurowski