Device for archiving and analyzing of materials

• US 20040121432A1
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTE Aktiengesellschaft The High Throughput Experimentation Company
• Original Assignee: HTE Aktiengesellschaft The High Throughput Experimentation Company
• Inventors: Hoenicke, Diter, Zech, Torsten, Schunk, Stephan Andreas, Demuth, Dirk, Klein, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 7,384,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/69.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00286 Reactor vessels with top and bottom openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00319 the blocks being mounted in stacked arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00423 using filtration, e.g. through porous frits
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00477 Means for pressurising the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/005 Beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0054 Means for coding or tagging the apparatus or the reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00547 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00549 2-dimensional
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00563 Magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00565 Electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00574 radioactive
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00702 Processes involving means for analysing and characterising the products
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 : for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 : by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (10) for analyzing and archiving at least one combinatorial library of materials, comprising at least:

a. an area for analyzing and holding materials, consisting at least of two sections (12) capable of holding at least two building blocks (20),

b. means for feeding and/or discharging fluid media to and/or from at least one section (12),

c. means for identifying the device (10) or the combinatorial library of materials or for identifying the device (10) and the combinatorial library of materials.

Claims

1. Device (10) for analyzing and archiving at least one combinatorial library of materials, including at least:

(a) an area for analysis and uptake, comprising at least two sections (12) for holding at least two building blocks (20),

(b) means for feeding and/or discharging fluid media to/from at least one section (12),

(c) means for identifying the device (10) or the combinatorial library of materials or for identifying the device (10) and the combinatorial library of materials.

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the means according to (c) provide means for identifying the position of the device (10).

3. Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least two sections (12) are separated with respect to material transport or thermal transport or with respect to material transport and thermal transport.

4. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for feeding and/or discharging fluid media involve at least one membrane (22).

5. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the membrane (22) is a porous membrane.

6. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the porous membrane displays pores of defined texture enabling pressure equipartition with respect to the fluid media.

7. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the diameter of the pores ranges from 1 to 500 μ

m, in particular from 5 to 30 μ

m, preferably for handling fluid reactants.

8. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length of the pores ranges from 1 to 1000 μ

m, in particular from 50 to 200 μ

m, preferably for handling fluid reactants.

9. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, displaying a number of pores ranging from 1 to 1000, in particular from 3 to 20 pores per feed and/or discharge.

10. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains means for sealing and opening.

11. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains at least one fitting for working under reduced and/or increased pressure.

12. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of materials selected from the following group:

silicon, glass, metal, alloys, ceramics, polymers, mixed materials or composite materials.

13. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for identifying the device is a code.

14. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the code is selected from the following means of encoding:

mechanical encoding, optical encoding, magnetic encoding, radioactive encoding or radio frequency encoding.

15. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for identifying the device (10) are suitable for simultaneously identifying the position of the device (10).

16. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains means for stacking the device (10).

17. Device (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a Bodenstein number larger than 2, preferably larger than 5, more preferred larger than 10, particularly preferred larger than 50 and furthermore preferred larger than 100.

18. Device (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that the Bodenstein number refers to flow velocities of less than 10 m/s, more preferred between 0.1 and 5 m/s and particularly preferred between 0.3 and 3 m/s.

19. Means for the automated handling of device (10) according to any of the claims 1 to 18.

20. Computer program comprising programm code means for controlling/regulating the means according to claim 19.

21. Data carrier with computer program according to claim 20.

25. Device (10) according to any of the claims 1 to 18, characterized in that at least two sections (12) comprise at least one spout (24,24′

,24″

) according to one of the claims 22 to 24.

22. Spouts (24, 24′

,24″

), characterized in that they are tapered and that the tapering is of truncated pyramidal shape, truncated conical shape or truncated spheroidal shape.

23. Spouts (24, 24′

,24″

) according to claim 22, characterized in that the spout diameter ranges from 35 to 95%, and in particular from 45 to 85%, of the reactor diameter.

24. Spouts (24, 24′

,24″

) according to claim 22, characterized in that the tapering of the spout amounts to a value ranging from 70 to 10% of the base width.