Patent 7435381 was granted and assigned to Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. on October, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A microfluidic device containing liquid reagents having an extended shelf life contains the liquid reagents in micro-reservoirs that limit the escape of moisture to less than 10% over the shelf life of the device. The micro-reservoir preferably is made of polypropylene and covered with a metallized plastic film.