Patent ID: 9347440
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: B01L,F04B,G01N,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A flow cell for use in a microfluidic detection system, comprising: a flow cell body having a channel extending along the flow cell body, the flow cell body comprising a substrate material that extends along the channel and that is transparent to at least one of excitation light or light emissions, the channel having a functionalized channel surface that includes reactive groups immobilized thereto that are configured to attach to molecules for biochemical analysis; fluidic inlet and fluidic outlet ports provided on the flow cell body, the inlet and outlet ports being in fluid communication through the channel; and an electroosmotic (EO) pump held within the flow cell body in fluid communication with the channel, the EO pump being operable to induce flow of a solution from the inlet port to the outlet port and along the functionalized channel surface, wherein the EO pump includes a porous membrane core and a vapor permeable membrane that separate the fluidic inlet and outlet ports, the EO pump inducing flow of the solution through the porous membrane core and through the channel between the fluidic inlet and outlet ports, the vapor permeable membrane permitting gases generated during operation of the EO pump to pass through the vapor permeable membrane and bypass the porous membrane core; and wherein a pump cavity provided in the flow cell body comprises first and second reservoirs that are separated by the vapor permeable membrane and the porous membrane core, the vapor permeable membrane being positioned with respect to the first reservoir and a gravitational force direction so that the gases generated in the first reservoir during operation of the EO pump float toward the vapor permeable membrane, the gases passing through the vapor permeable membrane into the second reservoir thereby bypassing the porous membrane core; wherein the porous membrane core has a core edge that defines a hole of the porous membrane core, the vapor permeable membrane being positioned within the hole, the EO pump configured to be oriented with respect to the gravitational force direction such that the gases generated in the first reservoir float to the vapor permeable membrane and thereby bypass the porous membrane core through the hole.