Instrument to Pneumatically Control Lab Cards and Method Thereof

• US 20080038714A1
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yu, Tianyue, Goldberg, Martin, Gao, Chuan, Yamamoto, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US11/760,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20080038714A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/4
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/028 Modular arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/04 Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• 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 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1844 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1861 using radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 : characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/565 : Seals in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 : with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/525 : with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 : Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to microfluidic devices for carrying out and controlling chemical reactions and analysis. In particular, the present invention provides systems, methods, and devices for controlling lab cards.

Claims

1. A system for performing a plurality of processes comprising:

a base plate assembly wherein base plate assembly comprises at least one external processing component;

at least one lab card with a plurality of reagents which is subjected to the external processing component on the base plate assembly; and

an external gas apparatus with a configuration to match a plurality of gas requirements of the lab card which delivers a gas to perform the plurality of processes of the reagents within the lab card with the plurality of reagents.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the system is portable.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the system is closed such that all the reagents are always contained in a lab card during the processing of the reagents.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the external gas apparatus is one pneumatic manifold.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the external processing component consists of a cold region for a reagent storage, a heating and cooling mechanism, and a magnetic field.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the external processing component is a scanning mechanism.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein the external processing component is a electronic identification code reader to read at least one identification code on the lab card.

8. A method for performing a plurality of processes comprising:

providing a base plate assembly wherein the base plate assembly comprises at least one external processing component;

selecting at least one lab card with a plurality of reagents;

subjecting the lab card to the external processing component of the base plate assembly;

applying a gas to the plurality of reagents with an external gas apparatus which is configured to match a plurality of requirements of the lab card; and

performing the plurality of processes within the lab card by using gas.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising applying a vacuum to the plurality of reagents within the lab card.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the an external gas apparatus is one pneumatic manifold.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the external processing component consists of a cold region for a reagent storage, a heating and cooling mechanism, and a magnetic field.

12. A method according to claim 8 wherein the external processing component is a scanning mechanism.

13. A method according to claim 8 wherein the external processing component is a electronic identification code reader to read at least one identification code on the lab card.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for use with a system for performing a plurality of processes which comprises:

reading a plurality of electronic identification codes on the base plate assembly, an external gas apparatus and the lab card;

communicating a processor with the identified base plate assembly, the identified manifold and the identified lab card;

activating a plurality of liquid movements using a gas through the identified manifold to perform the plurality of processes within the identified lab card; and

subjecting the identified lab card to the external processing component of the based plate assembly.

15. A computer program product according to claim 14 further comprising applying a vacuum to the plurality of reagents with external gas apparatus.

16. A computer program product according to claim 14 wherein the an external gas apparatus is one pneumatic manifold.

17. A computer program product according to claim 14 wherein the external processing component consists of a cold region for a reagent storage, a heating and cooling mechanism, and a magnetic field.

18. A computer program product according to claim 14 wherein the external processing component is a scanning mechanism.

19. A computer program product according to claim 14 wherein the external processing component is a electronic identification code reader to read at least one identification code on the lab card.

20. A base plate assembly used to subject an external processing component to a lab card with a plurality of reagents comprising:

a base plate wherein the base plate comprises at least one external processing component;

a set of features to place the lab card with the plurality of reagents in the proper position on the base plate; and

a second set of features to connect the base plate to an external gas apparatus, wherein the lab card is connected to both the base plate and the manifold such that base plate assembly subjects an external processing component to the lab card with the plurality of reagents.

21. A base plate assembly according to claim 20 wherein the an external gas apparatus is one pneumatic manifold.

22. A base plate assembly according to claim 20 wherein the external processing component consists of a cold region for a reagent storage, a heating and cooling mechanism, and a magnetic field.

23. A base plate assembly according to claim 20 wherein the external processing component is a scanning mechanism.

24. A base plate assembly according to claim 20 wherein the external processing component is a electronic identification code reader.