US 12,440,836 B2
Manifolds for microfluidic chips, microfluidic chips, and related methods and assemblies
Thomas De Haas, Edmonton (CA); Zahraa Elshabasy, Mississauga (CA); Zahra Barikbin, Edmonton (CA); and Dylan Vaclavik, Victoria (CA)
Assigned to INTERFACE FLUIDICS LTD., Calgary (CA)
Appl. No. 18/559,595
Filed by INTERFACE FLUIDICS LTD., Calgary (CA)
PCT Filed May 27, 2022, PCT No. PCT/CA2022/050860
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 8, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/251951, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 8, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/195,746, filed on Jun. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0253034 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502715 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502707 (2013.01); B01L 2200/027 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0487 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microfluidic assembly comprising:
a microfluidic chip having at least a first microfluidic inlet, at least a first microfluidic outlet, and at least a first microfluidic channel that is in fluid communication with the first microfluidic inlet and the first microfluidic outlet;
a base against which the microfluidic chip is seated, wherein the base comprises a base block and at least a first seal, wherein the base block has at least a first fluid channel extending therethrough for delivering fluid to the microfluidic chip, and the first fluid channel has a first end that is positioned to receive fluid from a fluid source and a second end that is positioned to deliver the fluid to the first microfluidic inlet of the microfluidic chip, and wherein the first seal is positioned to seal the second end to the first microfluidic inlet;
a cover positioned over the microfluidic chip and configured for bearing against the microfluidic chip, wherein at least one of the base and the cover has a viewing window that is alignable with the microfluidic chip and configured for allowing optical access to the first microfluidic channel;
a jack configured to force the base and the cover together to sandwich the microfluidic chip between the base and the cover with the base and the cover bearing against the microfluidic chip in order to apply a confining pressure to the microfluidic chip, and with the first seal compressed between the microfluidic chip and the base block in order to seal the first fluid channel in fluid communication with the first microfluidic inlet; and
a rounded knob fixed to the base and extending towards the jack, wherein the rounded knob is configured such that motion generated by actuating the jack is transferred from the jack to the base via the rounded knob in order to compensate for angle misalignment between the base and the jack.