Apparatus for liquid sample handling

• US 20030228241A1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Coulton Heath Legge
• Original Assignee: Coulton Heath Legge
• Inventors: Legge, Coulton Heath
• Application Number:
  US10/394,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20030228241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00315 Microtiter plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00369 in multiple or parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00414 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00418 using pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00587 High throughput processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00677 Ex-situ synthesis followed by deposition on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00686 Automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1037 Using surface tension, e.g. pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1074 arranged in a two-dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

There is provided according to the invention an apparatus for liquid sample handling which comprises:

(a) a plurality of hollow capillaries, each being open at both ends and of defined internal volume, wherein on contact of an open end of a capillary with a sample, said defined volume of sample is drawn up into the capillary by capillary action;

(b) a housing which retains the capillaries in their desired orientation; and

(c) means to effect sample removal from the capillaries;

and processes employing said apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for liquid sample handling which comprises:

(a) a plurality of hollow capillaries, each being open at both ends and of defined internal volume, wherein on contact of an open end of a capillary with a sample, said defined volume of sample is drawn up into the capillary by capillary action;

(b) a housing which retains the capillaries in their desired orientation; and

(c) means to effect sample removal from the capillaries.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the capillaries are arranged in a regular orientation within the housing.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the capillaries are arranged in a row.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the capillaries are arranged in a 2-dimentional array.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means to effect sample removal is means to apply differential pressure between the ends of the capillaries.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the means to apply differential pressure between the ends of the capillaries is means to apply pressure to one end of the capillaries.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means to effect sample removal is means to simultaneously remove sample from a plurality of capillaries.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the means to apply pressure to one end of the capillaries comprises means to supply pressurised gas into an enclosed cavity formed around one end of a plurality of capillaries.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the enclosed cavity is formed by the housing.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cavity formed by the housing is formed from two pressure sealed separable portions:

one portion retaining the capillaries and one portion provided with means to supply pressurised gas to the cavity.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the enclosed cavity formed around one end of the capillaries also acts as a reservoir for a liquid.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the capillaries are made of glass or quartz.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the capillaries are made of synthetically fused silica.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the capillaries are coated or surface treated.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the capillaries are coated or surface treated on their outer surface.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the coating or surface treatment involves coating or treating with a non-wetting agent.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the non-wetting agent is a coating of polyimide.

18. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the capillaries are modified such that one of their ends is sharp and pointed or otherwise adapted to enable the capillaries to perform a piercing function when they make contact with a surface, prior to sample removal.

19. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the internal volume of each capillary is between 50 nl and 1 μ

l.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the internal volume of each capillary is between 50 nl and 250 nl.

21. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the capillaries within the housing are not all of the same length.

22. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one or more capillaries may be moved along a vertical axis within the housing.

23. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one or more capillaries may be reformatted within the plurality by altering the position of the capillaries within the housing, once filled with sample.

25. A process for liquid sample transfer using an apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises:

(a) contacting the lower open end of the capillaries with the liquid to be transferred;

(b) uptake of liquid into the capillaries by capillary action; and

(c) effective removal of the liquid sample in each capillary into the receptacle to which it is to be transferred.

26. A process according to claim 25 wherein the effective removal of the sample is achieved by application of a pressure to the end of the capillaries.

27. A process for multiple liquid sample transfer using an apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises:

(a) contacting the lower open end of the capillaries with the first liquid to be transferred;

(b) uptake of liquid into the capillaries by capillary action;

(c) effective removal of the liquid sample in each capillary into the receptacle to which it is to be transferred;

(d) contacting lower open end of capillaries with rinsing liquid;

(e) uptake of rinsing liquid into the capillaries by capillary action;

(f) effective removal of the rinsing liquid in each capillary into a suitable waste receptacle;

(g) if desired, repetition of steps (d) to (f) one or more times;

(h) contacting the lower open end of the capillaries with a further liquid to be transferred;

(i) uptake of the further liquid sample into the capillaries by capillary action; and

(j) effective removal of the further liquid sample in each capillary into the receptacle to which it is to be transferred.

28. A process according to claim 27 which further comprises the step (k) of repeating steps (d) to (j) one or more times.

24. An apparatus for liquid sample handling which comprises

(a) a plurality of hollow translucent capillaries, each being open at both ends and of defined internal volume, wherein on contact of an open end of a capillary with a sample, said defined volume of sample is drawn up into the capillary by capillary action;

(e) a housing which retains the capillaries in their desired orientation;

(f) means to provide each capillary with photonic isolation from a neighbouring capillary;

(g) optical instrumentation and circuitry adapted to read a photonic response or event in each capillary; and

(e) means to effect sample removal from the capillaries.

29. An apparatus for liquid sample handling which comprises:

(a) a plurality of hollow capillaries, each being open at both ends and of defined internal volume, wherein on contact of an open end of a capillary with a sample, said defined volume of sample is drawn up into the capillary by capillary action; and

(b) a housing which retains the capillaries in their desired orientation.