Method of performing PCR reaction in continuously flowing microfluidic plugs

The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology-Features relative to the processes being carried out-Parallel processes

CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS

Chemical processes in general for reacting liquids with liquids; Apparatus specially adapted therefor 

BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING

Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms ; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions-involving nucleic acids-Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay 

MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS ; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES

Crystallisation -Crystallisation in microfluidic devices

SEPARATION 

Hydrolases acting on glycosyl compounds, i.e. glycosylases (3.2)-Glycosidases, i.e. enzymes hydrolysing O- and S-glycosyl compounds (3.2.1)-Lysozyme (3.2.1.17)

ENZYMES

NANOTECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites

SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES

Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers-Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes -with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures -by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip -characterised by multiphase flow arrangements-specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics 

CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology-Type of compounds synthesised-Compositions, e.g. coatings, crystals, formulations

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Control aspects-Sensing operations-Type of sensors-Optical sensors-Infrared light

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology-Apparatus-Features relating to reactor vessels-Individual reactor vessels-Reactor vessels with top and bottom openings

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Feeding or evacuation

Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof ; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes -Hydrolases (3)-acting on glycosyl compounds (3.2)-hydrolysing O- and S- glycosyl compounds (3.2.1)-Lysozyme (3.2.1.17)

MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA 

TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC

Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing-Heterocyclic carbon compound [i.e. , O, S, N, Se, Te, as only ring hetero atom]-Hetero-O [e.g., ascorbic acid, etc.]-Saccharide [e.g., DNA, etc.]

TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles -Static mixers -in which the mixing is affected by moving the components jointly in changing directions, e.g. in tubes provided with baffles or obstructions-Mixing tubes, e.g. wherein the material is moved in a radial or partly reversed direction-Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles

MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING 

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology-Apparatus-Means for coding or tagging the apparatus or the reagents-Chemical means-fluorophore

Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles -Static mixers -in which the mixing is affected by moving the components jointly in changing directions, e.g. in tubes provided with baffles or obstructions-Mixing tubes, e.g. wherein the material is moved in a radial or partly reversed direction-Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles-Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow

Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers-Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes -with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures -by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip -characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces

Additional constructional details-Geometry, shape and general structure-Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices-Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution

MEASURING; TESTING

Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor-using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis

INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES 

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Feeding or evacuation-More than two inlets

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology-Type of compounds synthesised-Organic compounds-Nucleotides

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology-Features relative to the processes being carried out-Solution-phase processes

Single-crystal, oriented-crystal, and epitaxy growth processes; non-coating apparatus therefor-Apparatus

Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing-Automated chemical analysis-with a continuously flowing sample or carrier stream

Solutions for specific problems relating to chemical or physical laboratory apparatus-Fluid handling related problems-Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid

CRYSTAL GROWTH

Single crystals or homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure characterised by the material or by their shape-Organic compounds-Macromolecular compounds

SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH ; UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL ; PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE ; SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE ; APPARATUS THEREFOR

Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation-Preparing specimens for investigation ; including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q

Moving or stopping fluids-Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means-specific mechanical means and fluid pressure-fluid pressure, pneumatics

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof-from plants-Sweetening agents, e.g.;  thaumatin, ; monellin

PEPTIDES 

Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers-Micromixers-the materials to be mixed flowing in the form of droplets-the components to be mixed being combined in a single independent droplet, e.g. these droplets being divided by a non-miscible fluid or consisting of independent droplets

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology-Type of compounds synthesised-Organic compounds-Peptides

Single-crystal growth from solutions using solvents which are liquid at normal temperature, e.g. aqueous solutions -the crystallising materials being formed by chemical reactions in the solution

Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing-including sample preparation

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays 

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Additional features-Aspects relating to the size of the reactor-Dimensions of the flow channels

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors 

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Control aspects-Sensing operations-Type of sensors-Optical sensors-Ultraviolet light

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology-Type of compounds synthesised-Organic compounds-Non-biologic macromolecules, e.g. polymeric compounds

Solutions for specific problems relating to chemical or physical laboratory apparatus-Specific details about manufacturing devices

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Mixing

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Feeding or evacuation-Segmented flow

Single crystals or homogeneous polycrystalline material with defined structure characterised by the material or by their shape-Organic compounds

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Additional features-Microreactors placed in parallel, on the same or on different supports

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Materials of construction-comprising coatings other than catalytically active coatings

Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus-Aspects relating to microreactors-Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates

Crystallisation -Processes or apparatus therefor

Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers-Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes -with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures -by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip -characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids 

Fluid handling-Processes

Prosecution History analysis

Examiner Search analysis

Invalidity Framework analysis

General

Analytics

Cases

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