Claims
- 1. A method for sealing reservoirs containing molecules or devices in a microchip device, the method comprising:
providing a microchip device having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side has a plurality of reservoir openings in need of sealing; positioning a gasket material over the reservoir openings; and securing one or more backplates over the gasket material to compress the gasket material to the back side of the microchip device so as to seal the reservoir openings.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more backplates are secured by mechanical means.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein a chemical adhesive is used to secure the one or more backplates, and the gasket material is interposed between the reservoir openings and the chemical adhesive.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the mechanical means comprises securing the microchip device and the gasket material between a front sealing frame and the backplate.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the gasket material is a flexible polymeric sheet.
- 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the front sealing frame is attached to the back sealing plate using fasteners, crimping, pins/holes, soldering, or welding.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fasteners are selected from the group consisting of bolts, rivets, screws, bending tabs, and spring clips.
- 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the welding is selected from the group consisting of laser welding, ultrasonic welding, and solvent welding.
- 9. The method of claim 4, wherein the front sealing frame comprises a slotted frame having a slot into which the microchip device, the gasket material, and the backplate are secured.
- 10. The method of claim 4, wherein a plurality of microchip devices are secured within a single front sealing frame.
- 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a liquid barrier material into the reservoirs which solidifies to form a barrier layer interposed between the molecules or devices and the gasket material.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the barrier layer comprises polyethylene glycol.
- 13. A method for sealing reservoirs containing molecules or devices in a microchip device, the method comprising:
providing a microchip device having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side has a plurality of reservoir openings in need of sealing; and securing to the backside of the microchip device one or more composite backplates which comprise one or more sealing plugs so as to seal the reservoir openings with the sealing plugs.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more composite backplates are secured by mechanical means.
- 15. The method of claim 13, wherein a chemical adhesive is used to secure the one or more composite backplates, and the sealing plugs are interposed between the reservoir openings and the chemical adhesive.
- 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the composite backplate comprises a rigid substrate having a plurality of sealing plugs extending therefrom, such that the sealing plugs are aligned with and project, at least partially, into the reservoir openings.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sealing plugs comprise a plurality of wells containing the molecules or devices for introduction into the reservoirs of the microchip during said securing of the composite backplates.
- 18. A microchip device for the release or exposure of molecules or devices, comprising:
a substrate having a front side, a back side, and at least two reservoirs which contain said molecules or devices, the reservoirs having reservoir openings on the back side of the substrate; a reservoir cap positioned on the front side of the substrate on each reservoir over the molecules or devices, wherein release or exposure of the molecules or devices from the reservoir is controlled by diffusion through or disintegration of the reservoir cap; a gasket material positioned over the reservoir openings; and one or more backplates secured over the gasket material to compress the gasket material to the back side of the microchip device to seal the reservoir openings.
- 19. The device of claim 18, wherein the one or more backplates are secured by mechanical means.
- 20. The device of claim 18, wherein the one or more backplates are secured with a chemical adhesive, and the gasket material is interposed between the reservoir openings and the chemical adhesive.
- 21. The device of claim 19, further comprising a front sealing frame secured to the backplate, wherein the substrate and the gasket material are secured between the front sealing frame and the backplate.
- 22. The device of claim 18, wherein the gasket material is a flexible polymeric sheet.
- 23. The device of claim 21, wherein the front sealing frame is attached to the back sealing plate with fasteners, crimping, pins/holes, soldering, or welding.
- 24. The device of claim 23, wherein the fasteners are selected from the group consisting of bolts, rivets, screws, bending tabs, and spring clips.
- 25. The device of claim 21, wherein the front sealing frame comprises a slotted frame having a slot into which the substrate, the gasket material, and the backplate are secured.
- 26. The device of claim 18, wherein a two or more substrates are secured between a front sealing frame and said one or more backplate.
- 27. The device of claim 18, further comprising a barrier layer interposed between the molecules or devices and the gasket material.
- 28. The device of claim 27, wherein the barrier layer comprises polyethylene glycol.
- 29. A microchip device for the release or exposure of molecules or devices, comprising:
a substrate having a front side, a back side, and at least two reservoirs which contain said molecules or devices, the reservoirs having reservoir openings on the back side of the substrate; a reservoir cap positioned on the front side of the substrate on each reservoir over the molecules or devices, wherein release or exposure of the molecules or devices from the reservoir is controlled by diffusion through or disintegration of the reservoir cap; and one or more composite backplates secured to the back side of the microchip device, wherein the composite backplates comprise one or more sealing plugs which seal the reservoir openings.
- 30. The device of claim 29, wherein the one or more composite backplates are secured by mechanical means.
- 31. The device of claim 29, wherein a chemical adhesive is used to secure the one or more composite backplates, and the sealing plugs are interposed between the reservoir openings and the chemical adhesive.
- 32. The device of claim 29, wherein the composite backplate comprises a rigid substrate having a plurality of sealing plugs extending therefrom, such that the sealing plugs are aligned with and project, at least partially, into the reservoir openings.
- 33. The device of claim 32, wherein the sealing plugs are photolithographically defined on the rigid substrate of the composite backplate.
- 34. The device of claim 32, wherein the sealing plugs comprise a plurality of wells containing said molecules or devices for exposure or release.
- 35. A microchip device for the release or exposure of molecules or devices, comprising:
a substrate having a front side, a back side, and at least two reservoirs which contain said molecules or devices, the reservoirs having reservoir openings on the back side of the substrate; a reservoir cap positioned on the front side of the substrate on each reservoir over the molecules or devices, wherein release or exposure of the molecules or devices from the reservoir is controlled by diffusion through or disintegration of the reservoir cap; one or more backplates secured to the back side of the microchip device; and a barrier layer positioned between the backplates and the molecules or devices, wherein the backplates and barrier layer cooperate to seal the reservoir openings.
- 36. A method for the release or exposure of molecules or devices, comprising:
providing at a site where the molecules or devices are to be delivered the microchip device of claim 18, and controlling the release or exposure of the molecules or devices from the reservoir by diffusion through or disintegration of the reservoir cap.
- 37. A method for the release or exposure of molecules or devices, comprising:
providing at a site where the molecules or devices are to be delivered the microchip device of claim 29, and controlling the release or exposure of the molecules or devices from the reservoir by diffusion through or disintegration of the reservoir cap.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/207,814, filed May 30, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60207814 |
May 2000 |
US |