Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
  • B01L3/52—Containers specially adapted for storing or dispensing a reagent
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
  • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
  • B01L3/502—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures
  • B01L3/5027—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip
  • B01L3/50273—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2200/00—Solutions for specific problems relating to chemical or physical laboratory apparatus
  • B01L2200/14—Process control and prevention of errors
  • B01L2200/143—Quality control, feedback systems
  • B01L2200/146—Employing pressure sensors
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2200/00—Solutions for specific problems relating to chemical or physical laboratory apparatus
  • B01L2200/16—Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/06—Auxiliary integrated devices, integrated components
  • B01L2300/0627—Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
  • B01L2300/0645—Electrodes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/06—Auxiliary integrated devices, integrated components
  • B01L2300/0627—Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
  • B01L2300/0654—Lenses; Optical fibres
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/08—Geometry, shape and general structure
  • B01L2300/0809—Geometry, shape and general structure rectangular shaped
  • B01L2300/0816—Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/12—Specific details about materials
  • B01L2300/123—Flexible; Elastomeric
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2400/00—Moving or stopping fluids
  • B01L2400/04—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means
  • B01L2400/0475—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific mechanical means and fluid pressure
  • B01L2400/0481—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific mechanical means and fluid pressure squeezing of channels or chambers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2400/00—Moving or stopping fluids
  • B01L2400/06—Valves, specific forms thereof
  • B01L2400/0633—Valves, specific forms thereof with moving parts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2400/00—Moving or stopping fluids
  • B01L2400/06—Valves, specific forms thereof
  • B01L2400/0677—Valves, specific forms thereof phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers
  • B01L2400/0683—Valves, specific forms thereof phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber

Definitions

• FLUID CARD COMPRISING A STORAGE TANK FOR A FLUID AND A
• the present invention relates to the field of fluidic cards, in particular microfluidic cards, provided for the storage of at least one fluid intended in particular to be delivered. It also relates to the field of real-time measurement techniques of the fluid storage volume in such fluidic boards.
• the invention has applications in many fields, such as among others medical research, biology and pharmaceuticals. More specifically, it can be applied for drug delivery and as part of the "lab on a chip” concept (also known as “Lab on a Chip”), ie an integrated device bringing together , on a miniaturized substrate, one or more laboratory functions.
• the invention thus proposes a fluidic card comprising a reservoir for storing at least one fluid and an associated hyper-elastic membrane, as well as a method for storing and delivering at least one fluid using such a card. fluidics. STATE OF THE PRIOR ART
• German companies microfluidic ChipShop GmbH and ThinXXS Microtechnology AG market a solution with a fluid reservoir in the form of blister pack (also called "blister" in English) intended to be actuated by the user.
• US patent application 2011/0303306 A1 describes an example of such a solution.
• the lid of the tank is stuck on the microfluidic card, and the user must press on the shell to put in motion the fluid.
• the generated overpressure then makes it possible to tear the lid so that the fluid can circulate in the microfluidic card.
• this solution has the disadvantage of not allowing to know precisely the injected volume of fluid in the microfluidic card because, when the user crushes the shell to release the fluid, a certain volume of this fluid remains in it.
• the reservoir elasticity made of polydimethylsiloxane is used to actuate the fluid.
• the solution is more particularly in the form of a cylindrical tank with an inlet valve and an outlet valve. When the outlet valve is closed and the inlet valve is open, it may be possible to inject the fluid into the reservoir and put it into overpressure by deformation of the PDMS during injection. Once the tank is overpressurized, the inlet valve is closed. Therefore, the volume of the tank is about twenty times larger than its initial volume. When the outlet valve is open, the resilience of the PDMS reservoir will cause the latter to return to its original shape, and the fluid will therefore be driven out of the reservoir and flow into the outlet channel.
• this solution also does not allow to control the volume variation of the reservoir and thus to know in real time the quantity of fluid injected into the outlet channel.
• the invention thus aims to at least partially remedy the needs mentioned above and the disadvantages relating to the achievements of the prior art.
• the invention aims in particular to provide an alternative fluidic card solution for the storage and delivery of at least one fluid, including a reagent.
• the invention thus has, according to one of its aspects, a fluidic card comprising a rigid support in which is formed, in particular by machining, at least partially a storage tank of at least one fluid, in particular a reagent, the reservoir comprising an inlet orifice, formed, in particular by machining, at least partially in the rigid support, allowing fluid communication between the reservoir and a fluidic channel of the fluidic card,
• the reservoir comprises an opening opening on the surface of the rigid support
• the fluidic card further comprising a membrane of a hyper-elastic material forming a wall of said reservoir, the membrane being able to be reversibly deformed between a configuration storage of said at least one fluid, wherein the membrane is stretched by hyper-elastic deformation, and a rest configuration, that is to say its initial configuration before storage of said at least one fluid.
• the membrane of a hyper-elastic material comprises means for measuring the deformation of the membrane.
• These measuring means make it possible to determine, for example in real time, the volume of the reservoir when the membrane passes from its rest configuration to its storage configuration, or from its storage configuration to its rest configuration.
• hyper-elastic material is meant that the material has a surface capable of reversibly passing from a first area to a second area, the second area being equal to 5 times, even 10 times, or even 50 time, the first area.
• the invention it may be possible to store a large volume of fluid in the reservoir of the fluidic card, for example several hundred microliters, and also to store a large variety of different fluid volumes with the same reservoir.
• the measuring means of the membrane of the fluidic card can make it possible to know in real time the volume of the reservoir and the volume of fluid discharged during delivery, so as to allow precise monitoring during the delivery of the fluid.
• the movement of the fluid can also be carried out via the hyper-elastic membrane, and therefore without the use of a pump.
• the fluidic card according to the invention can also fulfill a mixer function, thanks to the tank forming a variable volume reaction chamber. It may thus be possible to add one or more fluids, in particular reagents, during a reaction within the reservoir.
• the principle of storage and delivery of the fluid according to the invention can also allow a saving of space on the fluidic card.
• the fluidic card according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics taken separately or in any possible technical combinations.
• the fluidic card may comprise a plurality of fluidic channels forming together a fluidic circuit of the card, of which at least one fluidic channel is in fluid communication with the reservoir through the inlet orifice of the reservoir.
• rest configuration designates the configuration of the membrane in its initial state, before filling the reservoir with a fluid. In its rest configuration, the membrane is not deformed.
• storage configuration should be understood in a broad sense. Thus, it designates any configuration in which fluid enters or is present in the reservoir through the inlet orifice.
• storage configuration may therefore correspond to different degrees of storage, and therefore not necessarily to a maximum storage configuration (resulting from maximum deformation of the membrane).
• the opening of the reservoir can extend parallel to the membrane.
• the opening of the reservoir may have any shape, for example a circular shape.
• the rigid support of the fluidic card can be made in one piece.
• the rigid support may for example be a plastic support, for example selected from: polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate, cycloolefin copolymer (COC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), among others.
• PMMA polymethyl methacrylate
• COC cycloolefin copolymer
• PET polyethylene terephthalate
• the fluidic card may have dimensions similar or similar to the dimensions of a credit card. Its thickness may be sufficient to contain at least one fluidic channel, and possibly a fluidic network (comprising several fluidic channels).
• the length and / or the width of the fluidic card may be between a few centimeters and a few decimetres, for example between 1 cm and 10 cm, or even 20 cm.
• the thickness of the fluidic card may be between a few millimeters and a few centimeters, for example between, on the one hand, 1 mm or 5 mm and, on the other hand, 1 cm or 2 cm.
• the reservoir may have a depth for example between 100 and 800 ⁇ , for example of the order of 500 ⁇ .
• depth refers to the thickness of material removed from the fluidic board to form the reservoir.
• the reservoir may be circular and have a diameter for example between 8 and 16 mm, for example of the order of 12 mm.
• the storage volume of the reservoir may for example be greater than or equal to 500 ⁇ .
• the membrane may for example be made of a hyper-elastic bicomponent polymer material, for example a silicone type Ecoflex ® Supersoft 0050 or Dragon skin ® FX Pro material.
• the thickness of the membrane may for example be between 100 and 500 ⁇ , for example of the order of 300 ⁇ .
• the means for measuring the deformation of the membrane can be used to determine the configuration of the membrane (storage configuration or rest configuration). They can also make it possible to evaluate the volume of the tank, because the membrane constitutes one of the walls of the tank. It is therefore possible to connect the volume of the reservoir to the shape of the membrane.
• the means for measuring the deformation of the membrane may comprise electrical measurement means integrated into the membrane.
• These electrical measuring means can especially include a strain gauge integrated in the membrane, including an electrical resistance.
• the presence of a deformable electrical resistance in the membrane may make it possible to form a means for heating the volume of the tank. Such heating can thus allow, for example, the temperature rise of a reagent or the heating of a reaction taking place within the reservoir.
• the means for measuring the deformation of the membrane may also comprise optical measuring means associated with the membrane.
• optical measuring means may especially comprise the measurement of an angle formed between the membrane and the plane of the rigid support, during the deformation of the membrane.
• optical measuring means may also comprise the measurement of the height, in particular the maximum height, of the membrane during its deformation.
• optical measuring means may further include measuring the variation in the dimensioning of one or more patterns formed on the membrane during its deformation.
• the membrane may also include, especially in integration inside thereof, magnetic means, in particular a magnetic deformable coil, allowing for example the manipulation of one or more magnetic objects present in the tank.
• the membrane may also comprise particles sensitive to magnetic and / or electric fields, so that the deformation of the membrane may be achieved by the application of a magnetic and / or electric field at the level thereof, for example the bringing together a magnet.
• the deformed membrane can also serve as an optical lens, with a focus at a different height depending on the height of the membrane during deformation.
• the fluidic card may further comprise an enclosure superimposed on the reservoir and the membrane and defining a chamber between the membrane and the enclosure.
• the fluidic card may likewise include means for controlling the internal pressure in the chamber making it possible to regulate the rate of deformation of the membrane.
• the inlet orifice of the reservoir may also be in fluid communication with a fluidic channel of the fluidic card, comprising an inlet valve and an outlet valve, the control of the inlet and outlet valves associated with the means of control of the internal pressure in the chamber for forming a pumping system of said at least one fluid.
• the inlet port may also be closed by a septum to be pierced during the transition from the storage configuration to the rest configuration of the membrane.
• the subject of the invention is also a method for storing and delivering at least one fluid by means of a fluidic card as defined above, characterized in that it comprises the steps of at :
• the method may further comprise the following steps: a) establishing a set value of the volume of said at least one fluid to be kept in storage in the tank or the volume of said at least one fluid to be delivered from the tank,
• the fluidic card and the method of storage and delivery according to the invention may comprise any of the features set forth in the description, taken alone or in any technically possible combination with other characteristics.
• FIGS. 1A to 1E illustrate, in section and in part, different steps in the operation of an example of a fluidic card according to the invention
• FIG. 2 represents, in section and partly, an example of a fluidic card according to the invention, comprising means for measuring the volume of fluid in real time,
• FIG. 3A represents, in perspective, another example of a fluidic card according to the invention
• FIG. 3B is a partial sectional view along III-III of the example of the fluidic card of FIG. 3A
• FIG. 4 represents, in section and partly, another example of a fluidic card according to the invention comprising a fluidic channel provided with inlet and outlet valves,
• FIG. 5 illustrates, in block diagram form, an aspect of the implementation of a storage and delivery method according to the invention
• FIG. 6 shows, in section and partially, another embodiment of an exemplary fluidic card according to the invention.
• FIGS. 1A to 1E various steps of the operation of an exemplary fluidic card 1 according to the invention have been illustrated in section and in part. It should be noted, however, that the measuring means 8 of the membrane 7 are not shown in FIGS. 1A to 1E, but are described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 2.
• the fluidic card 1 is in particular a microfluidic card that can be applied for the delivery of reagents or drugs, and serve for example as a laboratory-on-a-chip.
• It comprises a rigid support 2 made of plastic and in a single block, and a reservoir 3 for storing at least one fluid F, formed by machining in the thickness of the rigid support 2.
• the reservoir 3 comprises an inlet orifice 4, formed in the rigid support 2, allowing fluid communication between the reservoir 3 and the outside of the reservoir 3, for example with a fluidic channel 5 of the fluidic card 1, as shown on FIG. Figures 3B, 4 or 6 for example.
• the reservoir 3 further includes an opening 6 formed on the surface S of the rigid support 2, and the fluidic card 1 further comprises a membrane 7 made of a hyper-elastic material disposed on the surface S of the rigid support 2.
• the membrane 7 may extend over the entire surface S of the rigid support 2, or only partially. In any case, the membrane 7 extends at least over the opening 6 of the reservoir 3. The membrane 7 thus allows the tank 3 to be closed from above. In other words, the membrane 7 constitutes a deformable wall of the tank 3.
• the opening 6 of the reservoir 3 has for example a round shape and extends along its largest dimension corresponding to its width L substantially parallel to the membrane 7.
• the membrane 7 is able to be deformed in a reversible manner between a storage configuration of the fluid F, in which the membrane 7 is stretched by hyper-elastic deformation, and a rest configuration, in which the membrane 7 is retracted in its rest configuration.
• the reservoir 3 is empty and the hyper-elastic membrane 7 is in its rest configuration.
• the reservoir 3 is filled and the reservoir 3 is put under overpressure. More specifically, the fluid F is injected into the reservoir 3 through the inlet orifice 4. Then, the internal pressure of the reservoir 3 increases, and the membrane 7 is stretched by reversible deformation according to the arrows D1. This stretching of the membrane 7 has the effect of forming a very large deformation thereof dome-shaped, or spherical cap or blister. This deformation can be measured as described below.
• the fluid F is delivered by virtue of the elasticity of the membrane 7. More specifically, the inlet orifice 4 is open so that the fluid F is overpressurized inside. of the tank 3 is set in motion by the return to the original state (ie the idle configuration) of the membrane 7 shown schematically by the arrows D2.
• the reservoir 3 In the configuration of FIG. 1E, the reservoir 3 is in its final state of use after delivery of the fluid F, and the membrane 7 has returned to its undeformed equilibrium configuration.
• FIG. 2 there is shown, in section and in part, an exemplary fluidic card 1 according to the invention, in particular similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1E, with the presence of measuring means 8 of FIG. volume of fluid F occupying the reservoir, these means being able to operate in real time.
• the membrane 7 made of a hyper-elastic material comprises measurement means 8 making it possible to determine, in particular in real time, the volume of the fluid F injected through the inlet orifice 4 during the transition from the idle configuration to the membrane storage configuration 7 and the determination of the volume of the fluid F discharged through the inlet orifice 4 during the transition from the storage configuration to the rest configuration of the membrane 7.
• the deformation of the membrane 7 can be measured in different ways to know the volume of fluid F present in the reservoir.
• the membrane 7 may comprise electrical measurement means integrated into the membrane 7, in the form of a strain gauge comprising an electrical resistance 8.
• an electrical resistance 8 being linked to the membrane 7, is deformed at the same time as the membrane 7, and generates a signal depending on this deformation, in particular during the filling and emptying of the tank 3. It may then be possible to follow the evolution of the deforming the membrane 7 and back up by calculation to the volume of fluid 7 contained in the tank 3 by real-time measurement of the signal produced by the strain gauge.
• the strain gauge is formed from a piezoelectric material, for example a PVDF film. In this case, too, the strain gauge is able to deliver an electrical signal depending on the deformation of the membrane 7.
• the presence of a deformable electrical resistance 8 in the membrane 7 can make it possible to form a means of heating the volume of fluid F of the tank 3.
• optical measurement means associated with the membrane 7 to enable the volume of the tank 3 to be determined.
• It may for example be the measurement of an angle formed between the membrane 7 and the plane P of the rigid support 2, during the deformation of the membrane 7. It may also be the measurement of the height h, in particular the maximum height, of the membrane 7 during its deformation.
• This optical profilometry technique is for example used when measuring contact angles of drops on a surface.
• FIG. 3A also shows in perspective another example of a fluidic card 1 according to the invention, and in FIG. 3B, in partial section according to FIG. 1-III, the example of fluidic card 1 of FIG. 3A.
• fluidic card 1 In order to produce such a fluidic card 1, three fluidic sub-cards 14, 15 and 16 made of cyclic olefin copolymer (also called COC for "Cyclic Olefin Copolymer" in English) with a thickness of about 1 mm each are produced. in a credit card format.
• cyclic olefin copolymer also called COC for "Cyclic Olefin Copolymer" in English
• a fluid channel 5 of about 500 ⁇ in depth and about 800 ⁇ in width is etched on the first sub-card 16.
• This fluidic channel 5 extends between an inlet port 12 and an outlet port 13 (visible in FIG. 3A).
• This fluidic channel 5, open on top of the first sub-card 16, is obtained by etching on the material comprising the card.
• the second sub-card 15 comprises a reservoir 3 in the form of a disk about 500 ⁇ deep and about 12 mm in diameter, and three orifices or vias of about 800 ⁇ in diameter, the first orifice 4 to connect the tank 3 to the fluidic channel 5 of the first sub-card 16 and the other two to form the inlet 12 and the outlet 13 of the fluidic channel 5.
• the two sub-cards 15 and 16 are then sealed using a heat press.
• the fluidic channel 5 is then closed by the lower face of the second sub-card 15.
• the first orifice 4 allows a fluid connection between the fluidic channel 5 and the tank 3.
• the third sub-card 14 has a hole 17, about 12 mm in diameter, above the tank 3.
• the third sub-card 14 is used to hold the membrane 7 sandwiched between itself and the two sub-cards 15 and 16 sealed together.
• the membrane 7 is placed between the set composed of the two sub-cards 15 and 16 and the third sub-card 14, facing the tank 3 and at the edge thereof.
• the third sub-card 14 is then assembled to said set. In this way, the membrane 7 constitutes the upper wall of the tank 3.
• the membrane 7 is for example made of a bi-component polymer of the Ecoflex ® Supersoft 0050 type, which has undergone a spin coating (also called "spin coating" in English) on a flat surface to obtain a membrane with a thickness of about 300 ⁇ .
• a spin coating also called "spin coating” in English
• This fluidic card 1 was then used as follows.
• the fluidic card 1 was placed on a support for supplying fluid F and observe the fluidic card 1 by means of a camera.
• the fluid was brought to the reservoir 3 by suction through a syringe placed at the outlet 13 of the fluidic channel 5, in order to evacuate the air and fill the reservoir 3 with fluid.
• the outlet orifice 13 was then closed with the aid of an outlet valve, and the reservoir 3 was filled until the membrane 7 formed a half-sphere, the fluid being injected through the orifice 12. It should be noted that the hyper-elasticity of the membrane 7 makes it possible to pass from a disk to a half-sphere of the same radius.
• the volume of fluid F then stored in the tank 3 was about 500 ⁇ .
• the inlet port 12 was then closed with an inlet valve so that the tank 3 can remain filled and keep its shape. Then, as soon as the outlet valve has been reopened, the fluid F has flowed under the pressure exerted by the membrane 7 outside the reservoir 3. The volume of fluid F injected into the reservoir 3 to put it in overpressure was fully recovered when the membrane 7 was able to return to its original state.
• FIG. 4 also shows, in section and in part, another example of a fluidic card 1 according to the invention comprising a fluidic channel 5 provided with valves at the inlet orifice 12 and at the outlet orifice. 13.
• the fluidic card 1 may be similar to that described above with reference to Figures 3A and 3B.
• a strain gauge 8 is integrated in the membrane 7.
• This fluidic card 1 can for example be used as follows: the knowledge of the volume contained in the tank 3 in real time can deliver precise volumes of fluid or reagent. By controlling the valves of the inlet orifice 12 and / or outlet 13, in particular by opening the valve of the outlet orifice 13, it is possible to allow a flow of fluid thanks to the elasticity of the membrane 7. The measuring means 8 then make it possible to detect the volume variation of the tank 3, and when this variation corresponds to the expected volume (or setpoint), the outlet valve 13 can be closed.
• FIG. 5 illustrates, in block diagram form, an aspect of implementation of the storage and delivery method according to the invention.
• the method may thus comprise the following steps: a) establishing a set value of the volume of the fluid F intended to be kept in storage in the reservoir 3 or of the volume of the fluid F intended to be delivered from the reservoir 3,
• step d) obtaining a volume variation of the fluid F in the tank 3, d) measuring a signal from the measuring means 8 of the deformation of the membrane 7, e) determining the volume change of step c) from the signal measured in step d),
• This step h) can be followed by a step i) defined as follows: i) open the valve of the outlet orifice 13, so that the fluid contained in the reservoir 3 flows through this orifice, then closing the outlet port 13.
• FIG. 6 shows, in section and partly, another variant embodiment of an exemplary fluidic card 1 according to the invention.
• the fluidic card 1 comprises an enclosure 9 superimposed on the tank 3 and on the membrane 7, and defining a chamber 11 between the membrane 7 and the enclosure 9.
• the enclosure 9 comprises means 10 for controlling the pressure internal in the chamber 11 for regulating the rate of deformation of the membrane 7.
• the enclosure 9 is glued over the tank 3 and allows, through the control means 10, to control the rate of return to equilibrium of the membrane 7. Indeed, when the membrane 7 is deformed, the pressure inside the chamber 11 increases. Then, through the control means 10 connected to the enclosure 9, it may be possible to increase this internal pressure or to reduce it so that the membrane 7 returns more or less quickly to its original configuration.
• the assembly thus formed by the tank 3 hooded enclosure 9 can also serve as a pump.
• the successive application of overpressures and depressions at the level of the membrane 7 combined with the control of the inlet valves 12 and the outlet valve 13 may allow the fluid F to be pumped.
• the invention therefore allows a large storage of fluid F in the tank 3 of the fluidic card 1, as well as ease of measurement and calculation of the internal volume of the tank 3, thanks to the use of a hyper-elastic material of great deformability to produce the membrane 7.
• Continuous monitoring of the volume of fluid F present in the reservoir 3 may allow precise delivery of the fluid F, for example in the context of assays or chemical reactions, among others.
• the fluid F contained in the tank 3 can be protected from the ambient air by means of the membrane 7.
• the inlet port 4 can be closed by a septum.
• the reservoir 3 is for example placed above a fluidic card having an inlet provided for this purpose, the connector of the card then piercing the septum to release the fluid.
• the fluidic card 1 may be possible to further reduce the dead volume present on the fluidic card 1 by decreasing the size of the reservoir 3 located under the membrane 7 hyper - elastic. Indeed, by reducing the height of the reservoir 3 to a minimum, it may be possible to reduce the dead volume to the only volume contained in the fluid channel or channels of the card.
• the dead volume corresponds to the volume of fluid contained in the card when the membrane is in its rest configuration.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)

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Publications (2)

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• 2014
  • 2014-05-27 FR FR1454789A patent/FR3021559B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2015
  • 2015-05-26 EP EP15728778.0A patent/EP3148696B1/de active Active
  • 2015-05-26 WO PCT/EP2015/061591 patent/WO2015181170A1/fr active Application Filing

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