The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method of fabricating a sealed storage system for environmentally sensitive aqueous materials with liquid flow control and on-demand distribution. The present invention features a sealed storage apparatus capable of compactly containing a liquid reagent with liquid control capabilities. The apparatus may comprise a liquid-impermeable, air-impermeable, resistant to force-induced tearing pouch body capable of being penetrated through the application of a laser. The apparatus may further comprise a pouch cavity disposed within the pouch body for holding the liquid reagent. The apparatus may further comprise a liquid-impermeable, air-impermeable, and resistant to force-induced tearing sealing adhesive disposed over the pouch cavity to seal the liquid reagent within the pouch body capable of being penetrated through the application of the laser. Thus, the apparatus may allow liquid to flow from any point on the said apparatus by simply directing the laser to the point.

This disclosure relates to an apparatus for simultaneously filling a plurality of sample chambers. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a common fluid source and a plurality of independent, continuous fluidic pathways. Each independent, continuous fluidic pathway comprises a sample chamber and a pneumatic compartment. The sample chamber is connected to the common fluid source, and the pneumatic compartment is connected to the sample chamber. The sample chamber comprises, in part, an assay chamber. The assay chamber comprises a monolithic substrate and a plug having optically transmissive properties. In some embodiments, the assay chamber contains a magnetic mixing element. In some embodiments, the assay chamber is a double tapered chamber. In some embodiments, a ratio of a volume of the sample chamber to a volume of the pneumatic compartment is substantially equivalent for each fluidic pathway of the plurality of fluidic pathways.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel flow analysis method and a novel flow analyzer each of which makes it possible to improve accuracy of an analysis. A flow analysis method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention attains the above object by including: a sample introducing step of introducing a sample into a tube (100); a reagent adding step of adding a reagent to the sample which is transferred through the tube (100); and an analyzing step of quantitatively or qualitatively analyzing the sample to which the reagent has been added and further including, after the reagent adding step and before the analyzing step, a gas-liquid separating step of sequentially removing gas which is present in the tube (100).

A microfluidic apparatus includes a substrate defining a microchannel having inlet and an outlet defining a length of the microchannel. The microchannel has a main channel extending from the inlet to the outlet, and a plurality of side cavities extending from the main channel. The cavities are in fluid communication with the main channel. A method includes introducing a sample into the microchannel through the inlet to fill the entire microchannel, and then introducing a solvent into the microchannel through the inlet at a controlled flow rate and inlet pressure. A developed solvent front then moves along the main channel from the inlet to the outlet while displacing the sample in the main channel. Images of the microchannel are acquired as the front moves, and a miscibility condition is determined based on the images.

Methods described herein provide a way to reduce or eliminate drag and adhesion of a substance flowing over a surface by creating a vapor cushion via evaporation of a phase-changing material of or on the surface or encapsulated within textures of the surface. The vapor cushion causes the flowing substance to be suspended over the surface, greatly reducing friction, drag, and adhesion between the flowing substance and the surface. The temperature of the flowing substance is above the sublimation point and/or melting point of the phase-changing material. The phase-changing material undergoes a phase change (evaporation or sublimation) upon contact with the flowing substance due to local heat transfer from the flowing substance to the material, generating a vapor cushion between the solid or liquid material and the flowing substance.

The present invention relates to the use of surfaces that exhibit different surface energies wherein the difference in surface energies is configured to disrupt capillary laminar flow of a fluid travelling between the two surfaces. The invention further relates to the use of such surfaces in assay methods including a device utilising same.

There are provided a detector and a detection method capable of detecting a biological sample with high sensitivity. A detector is provided with a microchamber array including a plurality of storage sections to be filled with a hydrophilic solvent containing a biological sample; and an image sensor in which picture elements are disposed corresponding to the storage sections, wherein the microchamber array includes a flow channel in communication with openings of the storage sections; a hydrophobic solvent supply unit arranged in continuity with the flow channel; and a through-hole which allows the hydrophilic solvent to enter and exit the flow channel, and the hydrophobic solvent supply unit flows a hydrophobic solvent into the flow channel by an externally-applied force.

A microfluid device for producing diffusively built gradients comprising a bottom plate and a cover plate, wherein the cover plate has recesses and is connected to the bottom plate in a liquid-tight manner so that the recesses form at least two reservoirs and one observation chamber, which connects the reservoir, a reservoir can be filled particularly through an inlet/outlet through the cover plate, and the cross-sectional surface of the observation chamber is at least 5 times, preferably at least 200 times smaller at the aperture of the observation chamber into one of the reservoirs than the maximum cross-sectional surface of the reservoir in parallel to this cross-sectional surface of the observation chamber.

The assay device (10) comprises a micro flow path (76); a porous medium provided near the distal end portion (80) of the micro flow path (76); and a space (82) provided between the micro flow path (76) and the porous medium for controlling the flow rate of a fluid moving from the micro flow path (76) to the space (82). After a fluid moved along the micro flow path (76) based on a lateral flow is brought into contact with the porous medium beyond the space (82) and is absorbed to the porous medium, the fluid is divided by the space (82) so that the fluid stays in the micro flow path (76). With this structure, it is possible to perform solution exchange in the micro flow path without using an external device such as a pump.

A microfluidic device is for processing and aliquoting a sample liquid. The microfluidic device has a dividing chamber for receiving a starting volume of the sample liquid. The dividing chamber has a plurality of cavities for receiving sub-volumes of the sample liquid, the sub-volumes being usable for analytical reactions. The microfluidic device also has a microfluidic network for using the dividing chamber in a fluid-mechanical manner and at least one pump device for pumping fluids within the device. The at least one pump device and the microfluidic network are configured to pump the sample liquid, as a first phase, and a sealing liquid, as a second phase, through the microfluidic network and into the dividing chamber in order to seal the sub-volumes of the sample liquid in the cavities using the sealing liquid.