Microfluidic connector group, microfluidic device and manufacturing process thereof, in particular for a cartridge for sample preparation and molecule analysis

Abstract

A microfluidic group includes a female connector and a male needle connector. The female connector has a connector chamber in a containment body; a duct extending in the containment body to a duct opening on a first face of the connector chamber; a needle entry hole extending from a lateral face of the containment body to a second face, not facing the first face of the connector chamber; and a gasket arranged in the connector chamber. The gasket has a side wall internally delimiting a cavity and extending in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber. The cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber.

1 . A female connector configured to be coupled, in use, to a male needle connector of a microfluidic system, comprising:
 a containment body;   a connector chamber in the containment body, the connector chamber being delimited by a first face and a second face, not facing each other;   a duct extending in the containment body to a duct opening on the first face of the connector chamber;   a needle entry hole extending from a lateral face of the containment body as far as the second face of the connector chamber; and   a gasket arranged in the connector chamber, the gasket having a side wall internally delimiting a cavity,   wherein the side wall of the gasket extends in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber, and the cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector chamber has a parallelepipedal shape, and the first and second faces and are adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the gasket is cup-shaped, with a bottom wall extending transversely to the side wall and arranged contiguous to a third face of the connector chamber, opposite to the first face. 
     
     
         4 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the gasket is of a material chosen among rubber, fluorosilicone, and neoprene. 
     
     
         5 . The female microfluidic connector according to  claim 3 , wherein the gasket has a hardness of 15 to 90 Shore A. 
     
     
         6 . The female connector according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the side wall of the gasket facing the first face of the connector chamber has a projecting profile surrounding the cavity. 
     
     
         7 . A male connector configured to be coupled to a female connector, comprising a needle having a supporting end and a closed tip, the needle being hollow and having an injection channel extending longitudinally with respect to the needle from the supporting end to a lateral opening near the tip. 
     
     
         8 . The male connector according to  claim 7 , comprising a microfluidic valve coupled to the injection channel of the needle. 
     
     
         9 . A microfluidic group, comprising:
 a female connector that includes:
 a containment body; 
 a connector chamber in the containment body, the connector chamber being delimited by a first face and a second face, not facing each other; 
 a duct extending in the containment body to a duct opening on the first face of the connector chamber; 
 a needle entry hole extending from a lateral face of the containment body as far as the second face of the connector chamber; and 
 a gasket arranged in the connector chamber, the gasket having a side wall internally delimiting a cavity, wherein the side wall of the gasket extends in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber, and the cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber; and 
   a male connector configured to be coupled to the female connector, the male connector including a needle having a supporting end and a closed tip, the needle being hollow and having an injection channel extending longitudinally with respect to the needle from the supporting end to a lateral opening near the tip.   
     
     
         10 . The microfluidic group according to  claim 9 , wherein the gasket is cup-shaped, with a bottom wall extending transversely to the side wall and arranged contiguous to a third face of the connector chamber, opposite to the first face. 
     
     
         11 . The microfluidic group according to  claim 9 , wherein the male connector includes a microfluidic valve coupled to the injection channel of the needle. 
     
     
         12 . A sample treatment machine for extracting molecules and configured to operate with a cartridge, the sample treatment machine comprising:
 a support configured to receive the cartridge;   a first male needle connector configured to be coupled to a first female connector of a fluidic inlet of the cartridge, the first male needle connector including a first needle having a first supporting end and a first closed tip, the first needle being hollow and having a first injection channel extending longitudinally with respect to the first needle from the first supporting end to a first lateral opening near the first tip;   a second male needle connector configured to be coupled to a second female connector of a fluidic outlet of the cartridge, the second male needle connector including a second needle having a second supporting end and a second closed tip, the second needle being hollow and having a second injection channel extending longitudinally with respect to the second needle from the second supporting end to a second lateral opening near the second tip; and   a suction pump connected to the second male needle connector.   
     
     
         13 . The sample treatment machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the first sample treatment machine includes a microfluidic valve coupled to the first injection channel of the first needle. 
     
     
         14 . A process for manufacturing a female connector, comprising:
 forming a housing portion having an connector cavity open and delimited by a first face and a second face not facing each other, wherein the connector cavity has a first height, a duct extends in the housing portion to the first face of the connector cavity, and a needle entry hole extends from a lateral face of the housing portion to the second face of the connector cavity;   forming a gasket having a side wall internally delimiting a gasket cavity, wherein at least one portion of the side wall surrounding the gasket cavity has a second height greater than the first height;   inserting the gasket in the connector cavity so that part of the side wall of the gasket extends adjacent to the second face of the connector cavity; and   bonding a lid to the housing portion, thus compressing the side wall of the gasket and forming a connector chamber surrounding the gasket.   
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 forming the gasket includes forming the gasket with a bottom wall delimiting the connector cavity, and   inserting the gasket includes arranging the gasket so that the gasket cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber, and the bottom wall is remote from the first face of the connector chamber.   
     
     
         16 . A sample treatment cartridge for extracting molecules, comprising:
 a casing having an exterior and having a parallelpipedal shape;   a sample inlet opening accessible at the exterior of the casing;   a fluidic outlet accessible at the exterior of the casing;   a female connector including:
 a connector chamber within the casing, the connector chamber being delimited by a first internal face of the casing, a second internal face of the casing opposite to the first internal face, a first internal side wall of the casing, and a second internal side wall opposite to the first internal side wall; 
 a needle entry hole extending into the exterior of the casing to the second internal side wall; 
 a U-shaped gasket within the connector chamber and covering the needle entry hole, the U-shaped gasket including:
 a first portion extending from the first face to the second face; 
 a second portion spaced apart from the first portion and extending from the first face to the second face; and 
 a third portion extending from the first face and extending between the first portion and the second portion; 
 
   a cavity between the first portion and the second portion of the U-shaped gasket and between the second face and the third portion of the gasket.   
     
     
         17 . The sample treatment cartridge according to  claim 16 , wherein the gasket includes a material of at least one of a rubber, a fluorosiilcone, and a neoprene. 
     
     
         18 . The sample treatment cartridge of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first portion of the gasket includes a first thickness extending in a first direction extending away from the first face towards the second face;   the second portion of the gasket includes the first thickness; and   the third portion of the gasket includes a second thickness extending in the first direction, the second thickness is less than the first thickness.   
     
     
         19 . The sample treatment cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein a first volume of the connector chamber is greater than a second volume of the cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The sample treatment cartridge of  claim 18 , further comprising a fluidic pathway within the casing in fluid communication with the cavity.