Patent ID: 8609039

Claim:
A microfluidic system, comprising: a modular microfluidic chip having a given configuration of microfeatures including a plurality of diaphragm valves, each of which is actuated by a pneumatic signal disposed in relation to only a single surface of the chip, wherein the microfluidic chip comprises only a single polymeric substrate having the plurality of microfeatures disposed in a surface thereof and a single polymeric membrane attached to the surface of the substrate; a separate, modular replaceable chip manifold having a plurality of only pneumatic ports on an underside thereof and a plurality of only pneumatic channels disposed therein in fluid connection with both the plurality of valves and the plurality of pneumatic ports, wherein said plurality of pneumatic ports have a fixed configuration, and said plurality of pneumatic channels have a given configuration specifically corresponding to the given configuration of the plurality of valves, removably connected to the microfluidic chip; and a separate, modular pneumatic manifold having a plurality of apertures that provide a passage of the pneumatic signal therethrough, in fluid connection with said plurality of pneumatic ports, wherein said plurality of apertures have a fixed configuration specifically corresponding to the fixed configuration of the plurality of pneumatic ports of the chip manifold, removably connected to the chip manifold, wherein the modular replaceable chip manifold is disposed in between and in direct contact with the modular microfluidic chip and the modular pneumatic manifold, and the microfluidic system is a reconfigurable system due to the modular microfluidic chip, the separate, modular replaceable chip manifold, and the separate, modular pneumatic manifold.