Analyzing tool

• US 20060045799A1
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Original Assignee: ARKRAY, Inc
• Inventors: Noda, Yuichiro, Kitamura, Shigeru, Taguchi, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,850,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/57
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/4077 by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/07 Centrifugal type cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/025 having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 Multiple transfer devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to an analytical tool (Y) including a liquid introduction port (61), one or a plurality of flow paths (51) for moving a sample liquid introduced through the liquid introduction port (61), and a separation film (8) for filtering the sample liquid supplied to the liquid introduction port (61) and then introducing the sample liquid to one or plurality of flow paths (51). The analytical tool (Y) is structured to move the sample liquid through the separation film (8) in the thickness direction of the separation film (8) for filtration. The flow path (51) is structured to move the sample liquid by capillary action.

Claims

1. An analytical tool comprising a liquid introduction port, one or a plurality of flow paths for moving a sample liquid introduced through the liquid introduction port, and a separation film for filtering the sample liquid supplied to the liquid introduction port and then introducing the sample liquid to said one or plurality of flow paths;

wherein the sample liquid is caused to move through the separation film in a thickness direction of the separation film for filtration.

2. The analytical tool according to claim 1, wherein the flow path is structured to move the sample liquid by capillary action.

3. The analytical tool according to claim 1, wherein the sample liquid comprises blood, and

wherein the separation film separates blood cells from the blood.

4. The analytical tool according to claim 3, wherein the separation film comprises a porous film having a minimum pore size of 0.1˜

3.0 μ

m.

5. The analytical tool according to claim 1, wherein the separation film is positioned higher than the flow path.

6. The analytical tool according to claim 5, further comprising a liquid receiving portion for retaining the sample liquid passed through the separation film, the liquid receiving portion communicating with the liquid introduction port and the flow path, and

wherein the separation film is spaced from a bottom surface of the liquid receiving portion.

7. The analytical tool according to claim 6, further comprising:

a substrate in which the liquid receiving portion is formed;

a cover in which the liquid introduction port is formed; and

an adhesive layer interposed between the substrate and the cover, the adhesive layer including a through-hole for fitting the separation film.

8. The analytical tool according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of flow paths extend radially from the liquid receiving portion.

9. The analytical tool according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of flow paths are respectively provided with reagent portions for reaction with the sample liquid, each of the reagent portions of said at least two flow paths containing a different reagent;

and

wherein the tool is adapted to measure a plurality of items from a single kind of sample liquid.

10. The analytical tool according to claim 9, wherein the reagent portions of said at least two flow paths are arranged on a common circle.

11. The analytical tool according to claim 9, wherein each of said at least two flow paths is structured to temporarily retain the sample liquid upstream from the reagent portion before the sample liquid is introduced to the reagent portion.

12. The analytical tool according to claim 11, further comprising a branching flow path branched from a channel set of the flow path;

wherein the sample liquid is temporarily retained at the channel of the flow path by bringing the branching flow path into communication with outside through a portion other than the liquid introduction port, and the sample liquid is caused to move through the flow path beyond the channel by bringing the flow path into communication with outside through a portion other than the liquid introduction port.

13. The analytical tool according to claim 12, wherein the flow path is connected to a gas discharge port for discharging gas from the flow path, and the sample liquid is caused to move beyond the channel by opening the gas discharge port.

14. The analytical tool according to claim 1, wherein the flow path has a principal, rectangular cross section which has a width of 10 to 500 μ

m and a depth of 5 to 500 μ

m and which satisfies depth/width 0.5.

15. The analytical tool according to claim 1, wherein the flow path includes a hydrophilically-treated inner surface.

16. The analytical tool according to claim 15, wherein the inner surface of the flow path is so treated that a contact angle of pure water at the inner surface becomes 0˜

80 degrees.