Patent ID: 8720036

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a biochip, said method comprising: injection molding a macrofluidic block, said block comprising: (i) a means for receiving at least one unprocessed sample, (ii) a fluid transfer means positioned and configured so that in the fully manufactured biochip said fluid transfer means is in fluid communication with a fluidic plate, and (iii) at least one molded feature therein, said feature having a top end and a bottom end; bonding a first foil seal to either said top end or said bottom end to form at least one reagent storage chamber having an open end; filling said at least one reagent storage chamber with a liquid reagent; bonding a second foil seal to said open top end to form at least one filled reagent storage chamber in said macrofluidic block; injection molding said fluidic plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, each of said top and bottom surfaces comprising a plurality of microfluidic features, and at least one through hole extending from said top surface to said bottom surface to connect the fluidic top surface to the bottom surface; injection molding a pneumatic plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, each of said top and bottom surfaces comprising a plurality of microfluidic features and at least one through hole extending from said top surface to said bottom surface to connect the pneumatic top surface to the bottom surface; aligning said macrofluidic block and said fluidic plate so that in the fully manufactured biochip sample processed in said macrofluidic block is transferred to said fluidic plate by the fluid transfer means; aligning the pneumatic and fluidic plates using said at least one through hole; wherein said reagent storage chamber may be filled prior or subsequent to the first or second aligning steps and said microfluidic block, fluidic and pneumatic plates may be injected molded in any order or sequence.