| abstract |
Microfluidic device (101,201,301) comprising: one or more cams (102,202,302) comprising a camshaft (103,203,303) and a cam lobe (104,204,304); one or more rocker arms (109,209,309); a microfluidic cartridge (105,205,305) comprising one or more fluidic channels (208,308), one or more reaction chambers (107,207,307), and one or more bursting bags (106,206,306) comprising fluid and a frangible membrane seal; and a cam mechanism configured to rotate the camshaft (103,203,303); where the one or more cams (102,202,302) are configured such that rotation of the camshaft (103,203,303) causes the cam lobes (104,204,304) to drive the one or more rocker arms (109,209,309), and where the one or more rocker arms (109,209,309) are configured such that actuation causes the one or more rocker arms (109,209,309) to move from an open position to a closed position in which pressure is exerted on the one or more bursting bags (106,206,306) so that the brittle membrane ruptures and the fluid is released into the one or more reaction chambers (107,207,307), characterized in that the one or more cam lobes (104,204,304) and the one or more rocker arms (109,209,309) are configured such that , after the frangible membrane seal of the one or more bursting bags (106,206,306) has been broken, the rocker arms (109,209,309) remain in the closed position. |