Bio-safety features for optical analysis disc and disc system including same

• US 20050023765A1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nagaoka & Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nagaoka & Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Coombs, James Howard
• Application Number:
  US10/351,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20050023765A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 277/345
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/082 Handling hazardous material
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/041 Connecting closures to device or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0806 Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00069 whereby the sample substrate is of the bio-disk type, i.e. having the format of an optical disk

Abstract

Bio-optical disc assays and bio-safety features for bio-optical drives to be applied on bio-optical discs and discs including same. Disc assays and means for performing disc assays while avoiding leakage of liquids loaded into discs. Related disc drive systems and methods include covering the disc ports with a sealant.

Claims

1. A sealant for use in optical disc assays for liquids, said sealant being adapted to an optical disc drive for preventing leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc by covering the disc region including ports in fluid communication with an environment external to the disc.

2. A sealant for use in optical disc assays for liquids, said sealant being adapted to an optical disc drive and preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc, wherein said sealant is a modified optical drive clamp extended in size to cover the disc region having open ports.

3. A sealant for use in optical disc assays of liquids, said sealant being adapted to an optical disc drive and preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc, wherein said sealant is an externally applied element covering the disc region surrounding open ports, said element fitting a modified clamp internal to said drive to ensure sufficient sealing.

39. The sealant according to claim 3 wherein said externally applied element is optionally disposable.

4. A sealant for use in optical disc assays of liquids, said sealant being adapted to an optical disc drive and preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc, wherein said sealant consists of at least one externally applied, disposable, thin elements covering the disc region surrounding any inlet ports and vent ports, said elements connecting to the clamp internal to said drive to ensure sufficient sealing.

5. The sealant according to claim 40 wherein the elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given disc channel should be read by the drive or has been read.

40. The sealant according to claim 4 wherein said sealant contains additional elements indicating channel identity.

41. The sealant according to claim 5 wherein said tabs are provided with an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of the thin sealant.

6. A sealant assembly for use in optical disc assays for liquids, preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc comprising a modified optical drive clamp, said clamp being extended in size such that it covers the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports and further comprising, between said modified clamp and said optical disc, at least one disposable thin sealant.

7. The sealant assembly according to claim 42 wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given channel should be read by the drive or has been read.

42. The sealant assembly according to claim 6 wherein said at least one disposable thin sealant contains elements indicating channel identity.

43. The sealant assembly according to claim 7 wherein said tabs are provided with an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of the thin sealant.

8. A sealant assembly for use in optical disc assays for liquids, preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc comprising an externally applied element covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports, said element fitting a modified clamp internal to the drive and further comprising at least one disposable thin sealant positioned between said element and the disc.

9. The sealant assembly according to claim 45 wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given channel should be read by the drive or has been read.

38. The sealant assembly according to claim 9 wherein said tabs are provided with an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of the thin sealant.

44. The sealant assembly according to claim 8 wherein said externally applied element is disposable.

45. The sealant assembly according to claim 8 wherein said at least one disposable thin sealant contains elements indicating channel identity.

10. An optical disc drive for use with optical assay discs adapted for liquid samples, said drive comprising a sealant preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc, said sealant including a modified drive clamp extended in size to cover a disc region including open ports.

14. The optical disc drive according to claim 10 further comprising at least one disposable thin sealant interposed between said modified drive clamp and said optical disc.

15. The optical disc drive according to claim 49 wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given channel should be read by the drive or has been read.

49. The optical disc drive according to claim 14 wherein said at least one thin sealant contains elements indicating channel identity.

50. The optical disc drive according to claim 15 wherein said tabs include an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of said thin sealant.

11. An optical disc drive for use with optical assay discs adapted for liquid sample, said drive comprising a sealant preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc, said sealant including an externally applied element covering a disc region including open ports, said element fitting a modified clamp internal to the drive to ensure sufficient sealing.

16. The optical disc drive according to claim 11 further comprising at least one disposable thin sealant positioned between said externally applied element and said optical disc.

17. The optical disc drive according to claim 51 wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given channel should be read by the drive or has been read.

46. The optical disc drive according to claim 11 wherein said externally applied element is disposable.

51. The optical disc drive according to claim 16 wherein said at least one thin sealant contains elements indicating channel identity.

52. The optical disc drive according to claim 17 wherein said tabs are provided with an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of said thin sealant.

12. An optical disc drive for use with optical assay discs, said drive comprising a sealant preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc, wherein said sealant is an externally applied, disposable, thin element, covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports and connecting to the clamp internal to the drive to ensure sufficient sealing.

13. The optical disc drive according to claim 47 wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given channel should be read by the drive or has been read.

47. The optical disc drive according to claim 12 wherein said sealant contains additional elements indicating channel identity.

48. The optical disc drive according to claim 13 wherein said tabs are provided with an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of the thin sealant.

18. An optical disc system comprising an optical disc drive for use with optical assay discs, said drive including a sealant for preventing leakage or dispersal of liquid samples from the disc, said sealant being a modified drive clamp extended in size to cover a disc region having open ports.

19. The optical disc system according to claim 18 wherein the drive further comprises at least one disposable thin sealant positioned between said modified drive clamp and said optical disc.

53. The optical disc system according to claim 18 wherein said at least one thin sealant contains elements indicating channel identity.

20. An optical disc system comprising an optical disc drive for use in optical disc assays for liquids, provided with a sealant preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquids from the disc, wherein said sealant is an externally applied element, optionally disposable, covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports, said element fitting a modified clamp internal to said drive to ensure sufficient sealing.

21. The optical disc system according to claim 20 wherein the drive further comprises, between said externally applied element and said optical disc, one or more disposable thin sealants, optionally containing elements indicating channel identity.

22. A method for preventing the leakage or dispersal of liquids from optical discs during disc assays, said method comprising the step of covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports with a sealant, said sealant being a modified optical drive clamp extended in size to cover said region.

30. The methods according to claim 22, wherein the liquid is a hazardous liquid.

23. A method for preventing the leakage or dispersal of liquids from optical discs during disc assays, said method comprising the step of covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports with a sealant, wherein said sealant is an externally applied element, optionally disposable, covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports, said element fitting a modified clamp internal to the drive to ensure sufficient sealing.

24. A method for preventing the leakage or dispersal of liquids from optical discs during disc assays, said method comprising the step of covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports with a sealant, wherein said sealant is an externally applied, disposable, thin element covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports, said element connecting to the clamp internal to said drive to ensure sufficient sealing, said sealant optionally containing additional elements indicating channel identity.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given disc channel should be read by the drive or has been read, the tabs optionally being provided with an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of the thin sealant.

26. A method for preventing the leakage or dispersal of liquids from optical discs during disc assays, said method comprising the steps of:

covering a disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports with a sealant, wherein said sealant is a modified optical drive clamp extended in size to cover said region; and

applying at least one disposable thin sealant between said modified clamp and said optical disc, said at least one disposable thin sealant optionally containing elements indicating channel identity.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given disc channel should be read by the drive or has been read, the tabs optionally being provided with an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of the thin sealant

28. A method for preventing the leakage or dispersal of liquids from optical discs during disc assays, said method comprising the steps of:

covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports with a sealant, wherein said sealant is an externally applied element, optionally disposable, covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports, said element fitting a modified clamp internal to the drive to ensure sufficient sealing; and

applying between said externally applied element and said optical disc, at least one disposable thin sealant optionally containing elements indicating channel identity.

29. The method according to claim 28 wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given disc channel should be read by the drive or has been read, the tabs optionally being provided with an adhesive resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to the disc on removal of the thin sealant.

31. A disc assay for analyte detection in a liquid, said assay comprising the step of using an optical disc drive provided with a sealant preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquid from the disc, wherein said sealant is a modified drive clamp extended in size to cover the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports.

32. The disc assay according to claim 31 wherein the optical disc drive comprises at least one disposable thin sealant positioned between said modified drive clamp and said optical disc, said at least one disposable thin sealant optionally containing elements indicating channel identity.

36. The disc assay according to claim 32, wherein said elements indicating channel identity are tabs, extending out of the clamping region into the region read by the optical readout head, indicating that a given channel should be read by the drive or has been read, said tabs optionally being provided with an adhesive thereon resulting in a region of the tab remaining attached to said disc upon removal of said thin sealant.

37. The disc assay according to claim 31, wherein said liquid is a hazardous liquid, preferably a biological hazardous liquid.

33. A disc assay for analyte detection in a liquid, said assay comprising the step of using an optical disc drive provided with a sealant preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquid from the disc, said sealant including an externally applied element, optionally disposable, covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports, said element fitting a modified clamp internal to said drive to ensure sufficient sealing.

34. The disc assay according to claim 33 wherein the optical disc drive comprises at least one disposable thin sealant positioned between said externally applied element and said optical disc, at least one disposable thin sealant optionally containing elements indicating channel identity.

35. A disc assay for analyte detection in a liquid, said assay comprising the step of using an optical disc drive provided with a sealant preventing the leakage or dispersal of said liquid from the disc, said sealant including an externally applied, disposable, thin element, covering the disc region surrounding the entry/exit ports and connecting to the clamp internal to said drive to ensure sufficient sealing, said sealant optionally containing additional elements indicating channel identity.