Patent ID: 8268262

Claim:
A microfluidic device having a microchannel structure in which there are two or more inlet ports, one or more outlet ports, and a structural unit in communication with at least one of said ports, wherein the structural unit comprises: a microcavity with an outlet opening; an inlet arrangement linked to the microcavity, wherein said microcavity has a volume sufficient to contain simultaneously the aliquots to be mixed; a mixing microconduit connected to the outlet opening, wherein the mixing microconduit is configured to enable mixing of the aliquots of liquid that are miscible with each other and comprises one of the following shapes: a) repeatedly curving in alternate directions and having substantially constant width, wherein the inlet arrangement is further defined as having at least two inlet ports; or b) at least one cavity in which the cross-sectional area increases from an inlet, reaches a maximum and then decreases towards the outlet, and a valve associated with the mixing microconduit close to its joint to the microcavity, wherein the valve is a surface hydrophobic break, wherein the inner surfaces of the mixing microconduit have a wettability permitting capillary force to draw liquid into the unit once the liquid has passed the entrance of the unit.