A pneumatic system for a medical fluid machine operating a medical fluid cassette, the pneumatic system including an interface for supplying positive pneumatic pressure and negative pneumatic pressure to the medical fluid cassette; a source of positive pneumatic pressure; a source of negative pneumatic pressure; and a pneumatic pump including a first head and a second head, wherein the first head is dedicated to supplying positive pneumatic pressure to the positive pneumatic pressure source and the second head is dedicated to supplying negative pneumatic pressure to the negative pneumatic pressure source.

A microreactor array platform and method for sealing a reagent in microreactors of an array of microreactors are provided. The microreactor array platform includes an array of microreactors, and a sealing film having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the sealing film configured to movably seal the array of microreactors. The microreactor array platform also includes an injector for delivering a reagent into the array of microreactors via a fluid path between the array and the second surface of the sealing film, and an applicator for directing a sealing liquid against the first surface of the sealing film. The microreactor array platform further includes a system for creating a pressure differential between the reagent in the injector and a space between the array of microreactors and the second surface of the sealing film.

A microreactor array platform and method for sealing a reagent in microreactors of an array of microreactors are provided. The microreactor array platform includes an array of microreactors, and a sealing film having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the sealing film configured to movably seal the array of microreactors. The microreactor array platform also includes an injector for delivering a reagent into the array of microreactors via a fluid path between the array and the second surface of the sealing film, and an applicator for directing a sealing liquid against the first surface of the sealing film. The microreactor array platform further includes a system for creating a pressure differential between the reagent in the injector and a space between the array of microreactors and the second surface of the sealing film.

A pneumatic system for a medical fluid machine operating a medical fluid cassette, the pneumatic system including an interface for supplying positive pneumatic pressure and negative pneumatic pressure to the medical fluid cassette; a source of positive pneumatic pressure; a source of negative pneumatic pressure; and a pneumatic pump including a first head and a second head, wherein the first head is dedicated to supplying positive pneumatic pressure to the positive pneumatic pressure source and the second head is dedicated to supplying negative pneumatic pressure to the negative pneumatic pressure source.

A medical fluid pneumatic manifold system includes a first plate including a plurality of apertures, a second plate attached to the first plate so as to form a plurality of pneumatic flowpaths sealed between the first plate and the second plate, a plurality of tubing connections and a plurality of pneumatic tubes connected to the plurality of tubing connections, the plurality of tubing connections placing the plurality of pneumatic tubes in pneumatic communication with the plurality of pneumatic flowpaths via the plurality of apertures of the first plate, and a pneumatic reservoir in pneumatic communication with the plurality of pneumatic flowpaths, the pneumatic reservoir configured to provide pneumatic pressure to the plurality of pneumatic tubes.

A method of fabricating an elastomeric structure, comprising: forming a first elastomeric layer on top of a first micromachined mold, the first micromachined mold having a first raised protrusion which forms a first recess extending along a bottom surface of the first elastomeric layer; forming a second elastomeric layer on top of a second micromachined mold, the second micromachined mold having a second raised protrusion which forms a second recess extending along a bottom surface of the second elastomeric layer; bonding the bottom surface of the second elastomeric layer onto a top surface of the first elastomeric layer such that a control channel forms in the second recess between the first and second elastomeric layers; and positioning the first elastomeric layer on top of a planar substrate such that a flow channel forms in the first recess between the first elastomeric layer and the planar substrate.

A medical fluid pneumatic manifold system includes a first plate including a plurality of apertures, a second plate attached to the first plate so as to form a plurality of pneumatic flowpaths sealed between the first plate and the second plate, a plurality of tubing connections and a plurality of pneumatic tubes connected to the plurality of tubing connections, the plurality of tubing connections placing the plurality of pneumatic tubes in pneumatic communication with the plurality of pneumatic flowpaths via the plurality of apertures of the first plate, and a pneumatic reservoir in pneumatic communication with the plurality of pneumatic flowpaths, the pneumatic reservoir configured to provide pneumatic pressure to the plurality of pneumatic tubes.

A static fluid and a second fluid are placed into contact along a microfluidic free interface and allowed to mix by diffusion without convective flow across the interface. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the fluids are static and initially positioned on either side of a closed valve structure in a microfluidic channel having a width that is tightly constrained in at least one dimension. The valve is then opened, and no-slip layers at the sides of the microfluidic channel suppress convective mixing between the two fluids along the resulting interface. Applications for microfluidic free interfaces in accordance with embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, protein crystallization studies, protein solubility studies, determination of properties of fluidics systems, and a variety of biological assays such as diffusive immunoassays, substrate turnover assays, and competitive binding assays.

A medical fluid pneumatic manifold system includes a plurality of pump and valve chambers for controlling a flow of medical fluid, a header including a plurality of pneumatic passageways, each passageway in pneumatic communication with one of the pump or valve chambers, a plurality of electrically actuated pneumatic valves, and a plate defining a plurality of pneumatic apertures, wherein the header and the plurality of electrically actuated pneumatic valves are separately attached to the plate, such that each pneumatic aperture in the plate is placed in pneumatic communication with one of the plurality of pneumatic passageways of the header and one of the electrically actuated pneumatic valves.

A method of fabricating an elastomeric structure, comprising: forming a first elastomeric layer on top of a first micromachined mold, the first micromachined mold having a first raised protrusion which forms a first recess extending along a bottom surface of the first elastomeric layer; forming a second elastomeric layer on top of a second micromachined mold, the second micromachined mold having a second raised protrusion which forms a second recess extending along a bottom surface of the second elastomeric layer; bonding the bottom surface of the second elastomeric layer onto a top surface of the first elastomeric layer such that a control channel forms in the second recess between the first and second elastomeric layers; and positioning the first elastomeric layer on top of a planar substrate such that a flow channel forms in the first recess between the first elastomeric layer and the planar substrate.