Patent ID: 7906074

Claim:
A microfluidic array chip for biological, chemical, or biochemical assessments having a plurality of layers, the microfluidic array chip comprising: a fluidic layer comprising a plurality of fluid flow channels for delivery of selected reagents or samples, the fluid flow channels coupled to a chamber array, the chamber array comprising a plurality of reaction chambers; and a control layer comprising a plurality of control channels, wherein the fluidic layer and the control layer are coupled together such that the plurality of control channels form a valve system for the plurality of the fluid flow channels, and further wherein the chamber array portion further includes: a pair of side valves configured to allow the reagents or samples into a pair of delivery chambers when the side valves are open, wherein the side valves are each one of the plurality of control channels; and a center valve configured to separate the pair of delivery chambers when the center valve is closed, wherein the center valve is one of the plurality of control channels, wherein the reagents or samples are delivered to the pair of delivery chambers by a pair of delivery channels, further wherein the delivery channels are each one of the plurality of fluid flow channels, and further wherein the reagents or samples in each of the pair of delivery chambers are mixed when the pair of side valves are closed and the center valve is opened.