Sample pick-up and metering device with integrated liquid compartments

• US 20070036684A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Burkhardt, Claudius, Siljegovic, Vuk, Burri, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,303,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• 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: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/10 in the liquid or fluent state burettes, pipettes B01L3/02; sampling of ground water E02D1/06; metering by volume of fluids or fluent solid material G01F11/00, G01F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/149 Capillaries; Sponges
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 Control of the volume dispensed or introduced
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The present invention concerns sample pick-up and metering devices, analytical test systems for determining an analyte in a sample liquid and their use for this purpose and methods for determining an analyte in a sample liquid. They comprise or use a sample pick-up and metering device according to the invention which consists of a support and a metering element integrated into the support for taking up a defined volume of sample liquid and a closed liquid compartment located on the support which contains a defined volume of a liquid where the liquid compartment on the support can be opened.

Claims

1. A sample pick-up and metering device comprising:

a metering element for picking up a defined volume of the sample liquid, and

a support which contains at least one closed liquid compartment in which a defined volume of a liquid is contained, wherein

the metering element is an integrated component of the support and the liquid compartment on the support can be opened.

2. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 1, wherein the metering element is configured in the form of a capillary or a channel.

3. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 1, wherein at least one liquid contained in the liquid compartment is a buffer solution or diluent solution or a reagent solution.

4. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid compartment is closed by a liquid-tight and gas-tight foil that can be pulled off or pierced.

5. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 1, wherein two or more liquid compartments that are separate from one another are present on the support.

6. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 5, wherein said compartments can be opened simultaneously or sequentially.

7. An analytical test system for determining an analyte in a sample liquid comprising:

a sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 1, and

a reaction cuvette.

8. The analytical test system according to claim 7 further comprising a mixing device.

9. The analytical test system according to claim 7, wherein the reaction cuvette contains one or more devices which enable a determination of the analyte in the reaction cuvette.

10. The analytical test system according to claim 7, wherein the specific reagent liquids required to determine the analyte are contained in one or more liquid compartments on the support of the sample pick-up and metering device.

11. The analytical test system according to claim 7, wherein the specific reagents required to determine the analyte are contained in the reaction cuvette.

12. The analytical test system according to claim 11, wherein said reagents are in a dry chemistry form.

13. The analytical test system according to claim 7, wherein the analyte is determined by sequential detection reactions.

14. The analytical test system according to claim 7, wherein the analyte is haemoglobin A1c and said sample liquid is blood.

15. A method for determining an analyte in a sample liquid using an analytical test system according to claim 7 comprising:

a) contacting the metering element with the sample liquid to be analysed such that a defined volume of sample liquid remains in the metering element,

b) introducing the sample pick-up and metering device into the reaction cuvette,

c) opening at least one liquid compartment on the support such that the liquid contained in this liquid compartment flows into the reaction cuvette and comes there into contact with the sample liquid contained in the metering element in such a manner that the sample liquid from the metering element is provided in the reaction cuvette and a reaction mixture is formed, and

d) determining the analyte on the basis of a characteristic measured quantity for the analyte.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising adding reagents for the determination of the analyte and/or intermixing the reaction mixture.

17. The method according to claim 15 further comprising determining the analyte on the basis of a characteristic measured quantity for the analyte by optical detection methods.