Samples delivering device, method of manufacturing samples applicator, method of delivering samples, and base activation device

• US 20040037750A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PSS Bio Instruments, Inc. (Precision System Science Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Bio Strand, Inc.
• Inventors: Tajima, Hideji, Stimpson, Donald I.
• Granted Patent: US 7,273,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0244 using pins
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0255 characterized by the form or material of the pin tip
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/563 Joints or fittings in general F16L; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/547 for dispensing pins
• 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 436/110833 Utilizing a moving indicator strip or tape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/15 Inorganic acid or base [e.g. , hcl, sulfuric acid, etc. ]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a samples delivering device, a method of manufacturing a samples applicator, a method of delivering samples, and a base activation device which can handle a plurality of various samples, efficiently and promptly. The invention is constructed so as to have: one or more sets of vessels capable of accommodating fluids containing predetermined samples to be delivered to a base or one or more sets of vessels, a samples supply section having a samples applicator, wherein two or more retention tips capable of retaining a small quantity of fluids by being dipped in each of the fluids accommodated in the vessels are arranged according to the vessels, and a transfer means for relatively moving between the base and the one or more sets of vessels, and the applicator.

Claims

1. A samples delivering device comprising;

one or more sets of vessels capable of accommodating fluids containing predetermined samples to be delivered to a base or vessels, a samples supply section having a samples applicator wherein two or more retention tips capable of retaining a small quantity of fluids by being dipped in each of said fluid accommodated in said vessels are arranged according to an arrangement of said vessels, and transfer means for relatively moving between said base and said one or more sets of vessels, and said applicator.

2. The samples delivering device according to claim 1, wherein said samples applicator is dismountably fitted to said sample supply section.

3. The samples delivering device according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising, in the case that the base is shaped so as to be a long and slender thread shape or string;

base a feeder for arranging and tensioning the base along a path determined according to the arrangement of the retention tips in a manner that the base can run along the path and come in contact with the fluid retained in the retention tips, and said transfer means comprises a running driver for running the base along the path, and an applicator transferring device for transferring said retention tips relative to said base.

4. The samples delivering device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said samples applicator is a comb-like applicator, with said retention tips arranged at predetermined intervals so as to be come-like.

5. The samples delivering device according to claim 2, wherein said samples applicator is formed so as to be matrix-like, with said retention tips arranged at predetermined intervals so as to be matrix-like, the feeder tensions and arranges said base in a manner that said base threads its way through rows or columns of the matrix and can run in the row direction or column direction of the matrix.

6. The samples delivering device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said applicator comprises two or more applying components made of thin board or a sheet-like member, wherein each applying component comprises an arm section shaped so as to be vertically long or tapered downwardly, and said retention tip shaped in a manner that said sheet-like member is bent so as to be opened upwardly or transversely relative to said arm section.

7. The samples delivering device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said samples applicator comprises two or more applying components made of thin board or a sheet-like member, and each applying component comprises an arm section shaped so as to be vertically long or tapered downwardly, and said retention tip has a hole or a slit.

8. The samples delivering device according to claim 6, wherein said samples applicator comprises two or more applying components, and each applying component comprises a lid part capable of being fitted to an opening of said vessel in a manner that can close up said vessel, and a retention tip mounted under the lid part so that said retention tip is confined within said vessel when said vessel is closed up by said lid part.

9. The samples delivering device according to claim 3, wherein said feeder comprises gear-like rollers have a plurality of sharp cogs in a manner that each cog comes in contact with the base at positions between delivered samples in an interval equal to or an integer interval of the delivered samples on the base, and the base is routed and arranged through said rollers.

10. A method for manufacturing a samples applicator comprising the steps bending an edge of a rectangular thin board or sheet-like member in a manner that an opening defined by the bent edge and a surface thereof faces in a direction of the surface or in a direction perpendicular to the surface, and cutting the bent thin board or sheet-like member so that several retention tips and arm sections are obtained.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein at said cutting step, the bent thin board or sheet-like member is cut in a manner that retention tips are completely separated from one another or are arranged at predetermined intervals so as to be comb-like.

12. A method of delivering samples, comprising the steps of:

retaining a small quantity of fluid in two or more retention tips of a samples applicator arranged according to the arrangement of vessels, by relatively transferring the samples applicator to one or more sets of vessels accommodating fluids containing predetermined samples to be delivered to a base or vessels, and dipping said retention tips into the fluids, and

delivering the fluid retained in the retention tips to said base or one or more sets of vessels by relatively moving between said retention tips and said base or said vessels.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of rejuvenating the samples applicator by replacing the used samples applicator with a new one.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of delivering comprises, in the case where the base is shaped so as to be a long and slender thread shape or string shape, a step for running the base tensioned along a path determined according to the arrangement of said retention tips, in a manner that said base can come in contact with the fluids retained in said retention tips.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein in said running step, said base runs along a path disposed in the direction of arrangement of said retention tips of said comb-like samples applicator.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein in said running step, said base runs along a path disposed in the direction of rows or columns of a matrix corresponding to the arrangements of said retention tips of said matrix-like samples applicator, in a manner that said base threads its way through the rows or columns of the matrix.

17. The method according to claim 12, comprising;

a step of mixing, diluting or altering the fluids in the retention tips by relatively transferring relatively said retention tips to an other one or more sets of vessels and dipping said retention tips into fluids of said vessels after said step of retaining.

18. A base activation device comprising a tube capable of being threaded by a thread shaped or string shaped long and slender base, a feeder for disposing and tensioning said base along a path determined by a shape of said tube in a manner that said base can run along the path, and running driver for driving to run the base through said tube, wherein said tube is shaped so that the both ends of the tube are curved upwardly in a manner that a solution for activation can be accommodated within said tube.