Patent ID: 8017409

Claim:
A microflow analytical system comprising: a laminate pump assembly adapted to control parallel delivery of a plurality of fluids, the laminate pump assembly comprising a plurality of flow paths formed therewithin, each flow path comprising: a pump valve; an inlet valve connected to selectively provide fluid communication between an inlet connector and the pump valve, and an outlet valve connected to selectively provide fluid communication between the pump valve and an outlet channel, wherein the pump valve, inlet valve, and outlet valve each comprise a chamber formed at an interface of two layers of the laminate pump assembly having a pneumatically actuated membrane dividing the chamber into a fluid flow cavity and a pneumatic control cavity such that i) delivery of a pneumatic fluid to the pneumatic control cavity causes the fluid flow cavity to collapse, thereby blocking the flow path and forcing fluid within the fluid flow cavity out along the flow path, and ii) removal of pneumatic fluid from the pneumatic control cavity causes the fluid flow cavity to open, thereby drawing fluid within the flow path into the fluid flow cavity and permitting fluid flow through the flow path; a pneumatic control pump for controlling application or removal of pneumatic fluid to the inlet valve, pump valve, and outlet valve; a mixer connected in fluid communication with the outlet channels of the plurality of flow paths and adapted to mix fluid delivered from two or more of the flow paths; and a sensor, coupled with the mixer and configured to obtain response data indicative of a characteristic of the mixed fluids.