Patent ID: 8163254

Claim:
A fluid connector assembly coupling at least one fluid source to at least one port of a microfluidic device comprising: at least one fluid source comprising a chamber, a fluid contained within the chamber and an opening aperture covered by a septum; a manifold having one or more channels extending therethrough and a hollow needle bonded into each of the one or more channels with each needle having a distal end projecting beyond a bottom surface of the manifold; a microfluidic device comprising an integrated network of microchannels and one or more inlet and outlet ports formed into a top surface of a substrate that is positioned adjacent to the manifold bottom surface, wherein each of the one or more inlet and outlet ports is in fluid communication with at least one of the one or more microchannels, wherein the one or more inlet and outlet ports are each aligned with the distal end of one of the one or more hollow needles in the manifold, wherein the so aligned inlet and outlet ports and distal ends are in fluid communication; and means for securing the top surface of the microfluidic device to the bottom surface of the manifold to form a fluid tight seal therebetween, wherein the proximal end of at least one of the hollow needles pierces the septum of the at least one fluid source so that fluid contained within is brought into fluid communication with at least one of the inlet and outlet ports.