DISPOSABLE PARAFFIN MICROVALVE FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

THE PRESENT INVENTION PROVIDES A MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE (100) COMPRISES AN ADAPTING UNIT; A MICROVALVE (120) ADAPTED TO REMOVABLY COUPLE WITH THE ADAPTING UNIT, THE MICROVALVE (120) HAVING A FLUID PATH (124) AND A HEAT SENSITIVE PLUG (126), THE HEAT SENSITIVE PLUG (126) IS DISPOSED TO BLOCK THE FLUID PATH (124), WHEREIN THE MICROVALVE (120) IS ADAPTED TO BE NORMALLY-CLOSED BY DEFAULT BY THE HEAT SENSITIVE PLUG (126); AND A HEATER (114) DISPOSED ON A POSITION HAVING A CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE HEAT SENSITIVE PLUG (126), WHEREIN THE HEATER (114) IS OPERABLE TO MELT THE HEAT SENSITIVE PLUG (126). ONCE THE HEAT SENSITIVE PLUG (126) IS MOLTEN TO OPEN THE FLUID PATH (124), THE FLUID PATH (124) IS NOT RE-CLOSABLE AND A REPLACEMENT MICROVALVE IS REQUIRED FOR A NEW USE. A MICROVALVE AND A METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME IS ALSO PROVIDED HEREWITH.