Method and means for creating fluid transport

• US 20060285996A1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crimson International Assets LLC (The Carlyle Group LP (Corporate Private Equity))
• Original Assignee: Åmic AB (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Mendel-Hartvig, Ib, Ohman, Per Ove
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/57
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/086 using baffles or other fixed flow obstructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5023 with a sample being transported to, and subsequently stored in an absorbent for analysis
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502746 characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles B01L3/502738 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

An absorbing zone for establishing and/or maintaining fluid transport through or along said at least one fluid passage is manufactured on the basis of a non-porous substrate, having projections substantially perpendicular to said surface, and said projections having a height, diameter and a distance or distances between the projections such, that lateral capillary flow of said fluid in said zone is achieved.

Claims

1. A device for handling a fluid to be assayed, said device comprising:

a non-porous substrate having a substrate surface;

at least one fluid passage having a first end and a second end opposite said first end;

and at least one absorbing zone in fluid contact with said second end of said at least one first passage, said at least one absorbing zone comprising

projections substantially perpendicular to said substrate surface, said projections having a height, diameter and a distance or distances between the projections, capable of generating capillary flow, lateral to said substrate surface, of a fluid placed in contact with said absorbing zone from said second end of said at least one fluid passage.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device is a disposable assay device or a part of such device.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein a foil is placed on the perpendicular projections of the absorbing zone.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the foil has hydrophilic properties influencing the flow velocity in the at least one fluid passage.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein absorbing material is deposited on or in said absorbing zone.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said absorbing material is chosen among cellulose-containing materials, hygroscopic salts, hydrophilic polymer structures, hydrophilic solid particles, porous particles of cross linked networks of flexible polymer chains, superabsorbent materials and thermoplastic foam materials.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein said absorbing material comprises particles of cross linked dextran or agarose.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein said absorbing material is a polyurethane foam.

9. The device according to claim 5, wherein said absorbing material is a superabsorbent.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid passage is a passage supporting capillary flow.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid passage is a passage which as such does not support capillary flow.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises parallel passages leading to same absorbing zone or to sections of the same zone.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device comprises parallel passages leading to two or more absorbing zones, exhibiting the same or different absorption capacity.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein one or both absorbing zones are covered by a foil, the zones exhibiting the same or different fluid capacity.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid capacity of the absorbing zone is at least equal to and preferably at least two times the volume of fluid to be transported.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the volume of sample delivered along the fluid passage is determined by the absorbing capacity of the absorbing zone, and not by the amount of sample added to the device.

29. An analytical or diagnostic test device comprising a device according to claim 1.

17. A method for handling fluid transport in at least one fluid passage on a non-porous substrate having a substrate surface;

at least one fluid passage having a first end and a second end opposite said first end; and

at least one absorbing zone in fluid contact with said second end of said at least one first passage, wherein fluid transport in said passage is established and/or maintained by an absorbing zone, said at least one absorbing zone comprising projections substantially perpendicular to said substrate surface, said projections having a height, diameter and a distance or distances between the projections, capable of generating capillary flow, lateral to said substrate surface, of a fluid placed in contact with said absorbing zone from said second end of said at least one fluid passage.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said substrate is a part of a disposable assay device.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein a foil is placed on the perpendicular projections of the absorbing zone.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the flow velocity in the device is influenced by selection of the hydrophilic properties of the foil.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein absorbing material is deposited on or in said absorbing zone.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said absorbing material is chosen among cellulose-containing materials, hygroscopic salts, hydrophilic polymer structures, porous particles of cross linked networks of flexible polymer chains, solid hygroscopic particles, superabsorbent materials and thermoplastic foam materials.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein said at least one fluid passage is a passage supporting capillary flow.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein said at least one fluid passage is a passage which as such does not support capillary flow.

25. The method according to claim 17, wherein said device comprises parallel passages leading to same absorbing zone or to sections of the same zone, exhibiting the same or different absorption capacity.

26. The method according to claim 17, wherein one or both absorbing zones are covered by a foil, the zones exhibiting the same or different absorbing capacity.

27. The method according to claim 17, wherein the capacity of the absorbing zone is at least equal to the volume of fluid to be transported.

28. The method according to claim 17, wherein the volume of sample delivered along the fluid passage is determined by the absorbing capacity of the absorbing zone, and not by the amount of sample added to the device.

30. A method comprising a step according to claim 17.