A manufacturing method of micro fluid actuator includes: providing a substrate; depositing a first protection layer on a first surface of the substrate; depositing an actuation region on the first protection layer; applying lithography dry etching to a portion of the first protection layer to produce at least one first protection layer flow channel; applying wet etching to a portion of a main structure of the substrate to produce a chamber body and a first polycrystalline silicon flow channel region, while a region of an oxidation layer middle section of the main structure is not etched; applying reactive-ion etching to a portion of a second surface of the substrate to produce at least one substrate silicon flow channel; and applying dry etching to a portion of a silicon dioxide layer to produce at least one silicon dioxide flow channel.

A microstructured fluid flow control device includes a substrate with a piezo-actuated first membrane arranged on a first substrate side, and a fluid channel that extends through the substrate between the first substrate side and an opposite second substrate side. In addition, the microstructured fluid flow control device includes a microvalve that extends through the fluid channel and is configured to close the fluid channel in an unactuated state, and a second membrane arranged on the first substrate side and spaced apart from the membrane and arranged between the fluid channel and the first piezo-actuated membrane. The second membrane is joined to the microvalve and is mechanically biased towards the first membrane so that a biasing force is applied to the microvalve, wherein the biasing force is part of a restoring force that causes the microvalve to close the fluid channel in an unactuated state.

The valve plate (1) with free micro-balls allows a fluid (2) to flow from an upstream volume (3) to a downstream volume (4) and not in the reverse direction, and comprises a circulation plate (5) crossed through by a circulation orifice (6) terminated by a micro-ball seat (7), a permeable guide plate (9) parallel to said plate (5) being crossed through by a guide cylindrical orifice (10) which houses a micro-ball (8) which rests on said seat (7) so as to close said orifice (6) or rests on a permeable micro-ball stop abutment (11), a spacer (12) being interposed between said plate (9) and said plate (5), a discharge passageway (13) crossing through said plate (9) to allow the fluid (2) to flow when the micro-ball (8) does not rest on said seat (7).

Methods and systems for processing polynucleotides (e.g., DNA) are disclosed. A processing region includes one or more surfaces (e.g., particle surfaces) modified with ligands that retain polynucleotides under a first set of conditions (e.g., temperature and pH) and release the polynucleotides under a second set of conditions (e.g., higher temperature and/or more basic pH). The processing region can be used to, for example, concentrate polynucleotides of a sample and/or separate inhibitors of amplification reactions from the polynucleotides. Microfluidic devices with a processing region are disclosed.

Systems and methods for conducting designated reactions utilizing a base instrument and a removable cartridge. The removable cartridge includes a fluidic network that receives and fluidically directs a biological sample to conduct the designated reactions. The removable cartridge also includes a flow-control valve that is operably coupled to the fluidic network and is movable relative to the fluidic network to control flow of the biological sample therethrough. The removable cartridge is configured to separably engage a base instrument. The base instrument includes a valve actuator that engages the flow-control valve of the removable cartridge. A detection assembly held by at least one of the removable cartridge or the base instrument may be used to detect the designated reactions.

A system and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a set of biological samples, comprising: a molecular diagnostic module configured to receive nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads, isolate nucleic acids, and analyze nucleic acids, comprising a cartridge receiving module, a heating/cooling subsystem and a magnet configured to facilitate isolation of nucleic acids, a valve actuation subsystem including an actuation substrate, and a set of pins interacting with the actuation substrate, and a spring plate configured to bias at least one pin in a configurations, the valve actuation subsystem configured to control fluid flow through a microfluidic cartridge for processing nucleic acids, and an optical subsystem for analysis of nucleic acids; and a fluid handling system configured to deliver samples and reagents to components of the system to facilitate molecular diagnostic protocols.

A nano-fluidic device includes: a first substrate that has a nanoscale groove on one surface; and a second substrate that is integrally provided with the first substrate by bonding one surface of the second substrate to the one surface of the first substrate and forms a nanochannel with the groove of the first substrate, in which either the first substrate or the second substrate includes at least a thin portion in a part of a position overlapping the nanochannel in plan view, and the thin portion is deformed by pressing to open and close the nanochannel.

A valve includes a set screw that is screwable into and out of a complementary female threaded opening in a valve part for changing a setting of the valve, for changing an adjustable flow restriction of the valve, in which the set screw includes a free outer end that projects outside the valve part, and a gripping part on its free outer end for a tool to be engageable thereupon. The free outer end of the set screw includes a male thread onto which a locking nut is screwed. A protective cap is provided for covering the free outer end, that includes a first cap portion with a rotation space for fitting freely rotatable over the locking nut, and a second cap portion with a complementary female thread that is screwed onto the male thread towards a locked position.

A valve system for driving fluid and a method for using the same are provided. The valve system includes a fluid unit far away from the rotation center, a fluid unit close to the rotation center, a fluid transferring unit and a gas path pipeline for communicating the fluid unit close to the rotation center with the fluid unit far away from the rotation center. A rotation radius of a fluid outlet of the fluid unit far away from the rotation center is greater than that of a fluid inlet of the fluid unit close to the rotation center. The fluid outlet of the fluid unit far away from the rotation center is located at an end thereof away from the rotation center, and the fluid inlet of the fluid unit close to the rotation center is located at an end thereof close to the rotation center.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, system and method for a microchannel valve. The valve is configured to control or switch the flow of gasses or liquids. The valve includes a first substrate with a microchannel interrupted by a rotational element having a matching microchannel. The rotational element is attached to a second substrate in contact with the first. Actuation of the valve is achieved by rotating the second substrate relative to the first. The valve may be configured for capillary input and output, and/or for high pressure operation by means of capillary retention features. The valve may be disposed within a subassembly for maintaining contact, axial alignment, and relative rotational alignment between the first and second substrates. The present disclosure also provides a method for fabricating the valve. The present disclosure also provides ways to eliminate gaps between the two substrates.