Fluidics devices

Abstract

The invention relates to fluidics as used in medical and diagnostic equipment and relates further to means for purifying, abstracting, filtering, detecting and/or measuring analytes in liquid samples.

1 . A fluidics device comprising:
 a body, said body comprising;
 a flow channel for transporting a fluid sample, said flow channel comprising a situs where an operation is performed on one or more components in said fluid sample; 
 an inlet port for receiving said fluid sample, said inlet port in fluid communication with said flow channel and also in communication with an enclosed gaseous environment; and 
 an outlet port in fluid communication with said inlet port and configured such that upon operation of said device said fluid sample is recirculated through said flow channel to release gaseous bubbles into said enclosed gaseous environment while simultaneously allowing for facilitated diffusion and performance of said operation on said one or more components in said fluid sample. 
   
     
     
         2 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  further comprising at least one working electrode in said flow channel. 
     
     
         3 . The fluidics device of  claim 2  further comprising one or more auxiliary electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  further comprising connectors for interface with a detection device. 
     
     
         5 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  further comprising an EEPROM. 
     
     
         6 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 one or more check valves in fluid communication with said flow channel for regulating the flow of said fluid sample therethrough; and   a diaphragm for interface with a pump, said diaphragm opearationally coupled to said flow channel and said one or more check valves.   
     
     
         7 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  comprising one or more immobilized biological binding partners or ligands in said flow channel. 
     
     
         8 . The fluidics device of  claim 7  wherein said one or more biological binding partners or ligands is immobilized using a self assembling monolayer affixed to one or more electrode surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  comprising an array of electrodes bound to one or more biological binding partners or ligands. 
     
     
         10 . The fluidics device of  claim 9  wherein said array is located in a serpentine channel. 
     
     
         11 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  wherein said channel comprises a cross-sectional dimension comprising a greater width than height. 
     
     
         12 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  wherein said device has a sample capacity of from about 50 ul to about 200 ul. 
     
     
         13 . A diagnostics kit comprising the device of fluidics device of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method of determining analyte binding, comprising:
 providing a fluidics device according to  claim 9 ;   adding to said device a liquid sample suspected of containing one or more analytes specific for said one or more biological binding partners or ligands;   circulating and recirculating said sample across said array; and   detecting binding of said one or more analytes to said one or more biological binding partners or ligands.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said circulating and recirculating comprises flowing said liquid sample at a rate of from about uL/sec to about 40 uL/sec. 
     
     
         16 . The fluidics device of  claim 1  wherein said device has a single fluid sample capacity of no more than about 200 uL in said flow channel and said flow channel has a length of from about 100 mm to about 200 mm, a cross-sectional dimension ranging from about 0.75 mm to about 2.0 mm in width, and a height of from about 0.125 mm to about 0.40 mm.