Tapered cuvette and method of collecting magnetic particles

• US 20050271550A1
• Filed: 06/08/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biokit, S.A. (Werfen SA)
• Original Assignee: Biokit, S.A. (Werfen SA)
• Inventors: Limerick, Kathleen, Talmer, Mark, Schroeder, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,211,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/99
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0858 Side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50 Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes devices for taking samples of blood A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5082 Test tubes per se
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 1/288 disposed at the outer circumference of a recipient
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/26 for use in medical applications
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0233 Nestable containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0382 Frustoconical, tapered cell
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 Cuvette constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0098 involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25625 Dilution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A vessel for use in clinical analysis including an open top, a closed bottom, and at least four tapered sides. A method for collecting magnetic particles in a fluid comprising the steps of providing a magnet and a vessel containing magnetic particles in a fluid, attracting the magnetic particles to the magnet, and moving the magnetic particles with the magnet out of the fluid.

Claims

1. A vessel for use in clinical analysis, comprising:

a) an open top;

b) a closed bottom;

c) at least four sides;

d) wherein at least two of the at least four sides are opposite to each other and the two opposite sides are flat and at least two of the at least four sides are tapered from the open top to the closed bottom of the vessel.

2. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the closed bottom is convex.

3. The vessel of claim 1 wherein opposite sides are symmetrical.

4. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the combined surface area of a pair of opposite sides is greater than the combined surface area of the other sides.

5. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the combined surface area of opposite sides to the combined surface area of non-opposite sides is in the range of about 4:

1 to about 2;

1.

6. The vessel of claim 5 wherein the ratio is about 3:

1.

7. The vessel of claim 1 wherein at least one pair of opposite sides is composed of a substantially transparent material.

8. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the interior cross-sectional area of the vessel is greater at the top of the vessel than at the bottom of the vessel.

9. The vessel of claim 1 wherein at least two of the sides are tapered at an angle of 5.8 degrees relative to the vertical.

10. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the vessel further comprises a flange positioned at the top of the vessel.

11. The vessel of claim 10 wherein the vessel comprises two flanges that extend 1.33 mm outward from the top of the vessel on opposite sides of the vessel.

12. The vessel of claim 10 wherein the flange extends substantially the same distance from the sides of the vessel on all sides.

13. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the top of the vessel further comprises a projection on an exterior surface of one side.

14. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the vessel is stacked with like vessels.

15. The vessel of claim 14 wherein the exterior surface of a first vessel and the interior surface of a second vessel define a gap between the first and second vessels of at least 0.01 mm.

16. The stack of vessels of claim 14 wherein the gap between the vessels is substantially equivalent to the depth of the projection.

17. A vessel cartridge for loading vessels in an automated clinical diagnostic device, comprising a plurality of vessels, wherein the exterior surface of a first vessel and the interior surface of a second vessel define a space between the first and second vessels.

18. The vessel cartridge of claim 17 wherein the space between the first and second vessels is at least 4 mm.

19. The vessel cartridge of claim 17 wherein the space between the first and second vessels is further defined by a projection on the surface of the first vessel.

20. A method for collecting magnetic particles comprising the steps of:

a) providing a magnet and a vessel containing magnetic particles in a fluid;

b) attracting the magnetic particles to the magnet;

c) moving the magnetic particles with the magnet out of the fluid.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises the step of removing the fluid from the vessel after the magnetic particles have been moved out of the fluid.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the magnet is moved to move the magnetic particles out of the fluid.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the vessel is moved to move the magnetic particles out of the fluid.

24. A device for washing magnetic particles in a vessel, comprising:

a holder comprising a lumen for receiving the vessel, the holder comprising a straight side and a sloped side opposite to the straight side, the sloped side comprising a lever arm wherein said lever arm is reciprocally moveable from a position within said holder lumen to a position outside said holder lumen, and said lever arm is biased toward said holder lumen to retain said vessel in said holder lumen.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein said lever arm comprises a spring.

26. The device of claim 24 further comprising a magnet.