Method of manufacturing a self-sealing chamber

• US 20030170882A1
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dave Smith, Eric Waltzer, Greg Liang, Mike Smith, Roger Tatum, Thomas J. Foley
• Original Assignee: Dave Smith, Eric Waltzer, Greg Liang, Mike Smith, Roger Tatum, Thomas J. Foley
• Inventors: Liang, Greg, Smith, Dave, Smith, Mike, Waltzer, Eric, Tatum, Roger, Foley, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US10/310,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20030170882A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/287.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0051 for taking saliva or sputum samples devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/23 Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/452 using independent floating stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/81 Combinations of similar mixers, e.g. with rotary stirring devices in two or more receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/812 in two or more alternative mixing receptacles, e.g. mixing in one receptacle and dispensing from another receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/713 comprising breaking packages or parts thereof, e.g. piercing or opening sealing elements between compartments or cartridges containers or packages per se B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7137 Piercing, perforating or melting membranes or closures which seal the compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7161 the containers being connected coaxially before contacting the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7163 the containers being connected in a mouth-to-mouth, end-to-end disposition, i.e. the openings are juxtaposed before contacting the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7174 using pistons, plungers or syringes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/754251 reciprocating in the mixing receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/041 Connecting closures to device or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0622 distribution valves, valves having multiple inlets and/or outlets, e.g. metering valves, multi-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0644 rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5023 : with a sample being transported to, and subsequently stored in an absorbent for analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/02 : Devices for withdrawing samples sampling of foundation soil E02D1/04; collecting or conveying radioactive samples G01T7/00, e.g. G01T7/02, G01T7/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 : Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48714 : for determining substances foreign to the organism, e.g. drugs or heavy metals drugs by chemical analysis G01N33/94
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54313 : the carrier being characterised by its particulate form
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 : Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 : involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/98 : involving alcohol, e.g. ethanol in breath
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7036 : Jacketed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1002 : with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Methods for manufacturing self sealing chambers by interference fitting barriers within the chambers are provided. A method of substantially sealing a chamber includes providing a die plate through which a channel extends and a compression plate through which a tapered channel extends. The tapered channel includes a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening. The second opening is equal to or smaller than the chamber opening. The method further includes providing a chamber adapter that has a female portion and a passage extending therethrough, mating the chamber adapter female portion with a compression plate male portion, and associating the chamber with the chamber adapter passage, e.g., by disposing the chamber within the chamber adapter passage. The method further includes disposing a compressible material on the die plate and forming the barrier by pushing a pin through the compressible material into the die plate passage, and pushing the barrier into the first tapered channel opening, through the tapered channel and into the chamber adapter passage via the second tapered channel opening. Lastly, the method further includes pushing the barrier through the chamber adapter passage into the chamber opening.

Claims

1. A method of substantially sealing a chamber, the method comprising:

providing a die plate through which a shearing passage extends;

providing a compression plate including a mating portion and a tapered passage that extends through said compression plate, said tapered passage including a first opening and a second opening opposite said first opening, said first tapered passage opening having a size equal to or larger than said die plate shearing passage, said second tapered passage opening having a size equal to or smaller than said chamber opening size;

providing a chamber adapter including a mating portion and a passage that extends through said chamber adapter;

mating said chamber adapter mating portion with said compression plate mating portion;

associating said chamber opening with said chamber adapter passage;

disposing a compressible material on said die plate;

forming said barrier by pushing a pin through said compressible material into said die plate shearing passage;

pushing said barrier into said first tapered passage opening, through said tapered passage and into said chamber adapter passage via said second tapered passage opening; and

pushing said barrier through said chamber adapter passage into said chamber opening.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said barrier is pushed through said tapered passage and said chamber adapter passage using said pin.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said barrier expands into an interference fit within said chamber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said second tapered passage opening is smaller than said chamber adapter passage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said barrier is porous.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said barrier is composed of a polymer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cross-sections of said chamber opening, said tapered passage, said chamber adapter passage, and said barrier are circular.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cross-sections of said chamber opening, said tapered passage, said chamber adapter passage, and said barrier are circular.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said chamber opening is associated with said chamber adapter passage by disposing said chamber within said chamber adapter passage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said chamber adapter mating portion is a female portion, and said compression plate mating portion is a male portion.

11. A method of substantially sealing a chamber, the method comprising:

providing a barrier having an uncompressed size larger than an opening at one end of said chamber;

providing a tool through which a tapered passage extends, said tapered passage including a first opening and a second opening opposite said first opening, said second tapered passage opening being equal to or smaller than said chamber opening;

associating said chamber opening with said second tapered passage opening;

introducing said barrier into said first tapered passage opening;

passing said barrier through said tapered passage and into said chamber opening via said second tapered passage opening.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said barrier expands into an interference fit within said chamber.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said second tapered passage opening is smaller than said chamber opening.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said tool comprises a plate through which said tapered passage extends.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said barrier is composed of frit material.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said barrier is composed of polymer.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the cross-sections of said chamber opening, said tapered passage, and said barrier are geometrically similar.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the cross-sections of said chamber opening, said tapered passage, and said barrier is circular.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said barrier is moved by pushing said barrier with a pin.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said first tapered passage opening is equal to or larger than said uncompressed barrier size.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

disposing a compressible material on a die plate through which a shearing passage extends; and

forming said barrier by pushing a pin through said compressible material into said die plate shearing passage.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein said die plate shearing passage is substantially equal to said uncompressed size of said barrier.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein said tool comprises a mating portion adjacent said second tapered passage opening, the method further comprising:

providing a chamber adapter including a mating portion and a passage extending through said chamber adapter;

mating said chamber adapter mating portion with said tool mating portion;

disposing said chamber into said chamber adapter passage; and

passing said barrier through said chamber adapter passage into said chamber opening.

24. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing another barrier having an uncompressed size larger than said another chamber opening, wherein said chamber comprises another opening at another end of said chamber opposite said chamber end, said first tapered passage opening size is equal to or larger than said another uncompressed barrier size, and said second tapered passage opening size is equal to or smaller than said chamber opening;

associating said another chamber opening with said second tapered passage opening;

introducing said another barrier into said first tapered passage opening;

passing said another barrier through said tapered passage; and

passing said another barrier out of said second tapered passage opening into said chamber opening.

25. A method of manufacturing an immunoassay reaction chamber, comprising:

providing a hollow column with a channel;

interference fitting a first porous frit within said column channel;

disposing reagent within said column channel; and

interference fitting a second porous frit within said column channel, wherein said reagent is contained between said first and second frits.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said column channel is cylindrical, and said first and second frits are circular-shaped.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein each of said first and second frits is composed of polymer.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said reagent comprises lyophilized antibody-antigen complexes.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein each of said first and second frits has an uncompressed size greater than said column channel, and said each frit is interference fit within said column channel by disposing said each frit within said column channel in a compressed state, and allowing said each frit to expand to generate a compressive force between said each frit and said column channel.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said compressive force generated by said each frit and said column channel is sufficient to hold said each frit in place when fluid is flowed through said column channel.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said each frit is disposed within said column channel in a compressed state by:

associating said column channel with a tapered passage having a first opening and a second opening, said second tapered passage opening being equal to or smaller than said column channel; and

pushing said each frit into said first tapered passage opening, through said tapered passage and into said column channel via said second tapered passage opening.

32. An immunoassay reaction chamber, comprising:

a hollow column with a channel;

a first porous frit interference fit within said column channel;

a second porous frit interference fit within said column channel; and

reagent contained within said column channel between said first and second frits.

33. The immunoassay reaction chamber of claim 32, wherein said column channel is cylindrical, and said first and second frits are circular-shaped.

34. The immunoassay reaction chamber of claim 32, wherein each of said first and second frits is composed of polymer.

35. The immunoassay reaction chamber of claim 32, wherein said reagent comprises lyophilized antibody-antigen complexes.

36. The immunoassay reaction chamber of claim 32, wherein each of said first and second frits has an uncompressed size larger than said column channel, and said each frit is interference fit within said column channel by a compressive force between said each frit and said column channel.