Biodetection Cassette with Automated Actuator

• US 20100035349A1
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania (University of Pennsylvania)
• Inventors: Liu, Changchun, Qiu, Xianbo, Bau, Haim H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,697,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/43
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• 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 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• 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 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: G01N 2035/00148 Test cards, e.g. Biomerieux or McDonnel multiwell test cards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis

Abstract

Provided are analysis cassettes that include removable sealing layers and deformable connector layers that place various channels, chambers, and reservoirs on the cassettes into fluid communication with one another. The cassettes are suitable for use in self-contained, immunoassay devices that may be operated in an automated fashion. Also disclosed are methods for analyzing samples by use of the disclosed cassettes.

Claims

1. An analysis cassette, comprising:

a substrate,

the substrate comprising a first conduit,

the substrate comprising at least one reservoir,

the at least one reservoir comprising at least one reservoir conduit, and

the substrate comprising a second conduit;

a removable sealing layer,

the removable sealing layer at least partially sealing the first conduit, the at least one reservoir, and the second conduit; and

a deformable connector layer,

the deformable connector layer being capable of sealing at least a portion of the substrate, and

the deformable connector layer being capable of placing the at least one reservoir in fluidic communication with at least the first conduit, with at least the second conduit, or both.

2. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a polymer, a metal, a glass, a ceramic, or any combination thereof.

3. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a thickness of from about 0.5 millimeters to 1 centimeter.

4. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein the first conduit comprises a cross-sectional dimension in the range of from about 0.01 micrometers to about 5000 micrometers.

5. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first conduit, the second conduit, or the reservoir conduit is capable of fluid communication with the environment exterior to the analysis cassette.

6. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein the removable sealing layer comprises a polymer, a metal, a glass, a ceramic, or any combination thereof.

7. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein the removable sealing layer comprises an adhesive.

8. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the removable sealing layer is affixed to at least a portion of the cassette.

9. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the deformable connector layer is affixed to at least a portion of the cassette.

10. The analysis cassette of claim 9, wherein the deformable connector layer comprises at least one channel.

11. The analysis cassette of claim 10, wherein the at least one channel is constructed such that when the deformable connector layer is capable of placing the at least one reservoir in fluidic communication with at least the first conduit, with at least the second conduit, or both.

12. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the removable sealing layer is bonded to the substrate.

13. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the deformable connector layer is bonded to the substrate.

14. The analysis cassette of claim 1, wherein the detector modality comprises a lateral flow strip, a microarray, a bead array, or any combination thereof.

15. An analytic device, comprising:

a cassette having a fluidic element at least partially sealed with a deformable connecting layer;

an actuator comprising an actuating plate capable of motion relative to the fluidic element, the plate comprising at least one projection,

the actuator further comprising at least one moveable body contained within a housing,

the moveable body positioned between the plate and the cassette such that motion of the at least one projection gives rise to the moveable body actuating the deformable sealing layer, the fluidic element, or both; and

a device capable of controllably moving the actuating plate relative to the deformable sealing layer.

16. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein a fluidic element comprises a chamber, a channel, a valve, a mixer, a vent, a splitter, a switch, or any combination thereof.

17. The analytic device of claim 16, wherein the reservoir contains a buffer, an acid, a base, a growth medium, a dye, a label, a reagent, a biological material, a suspension, or any combination thereof.

18. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein the cassette comprises at least one vent to the exterior environment.

19. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein the plate comprises a disc.

20. The analytic device of claim 19, wherein a projection comprises a bump, a pyramid, a ramp, a wedge, or any combination thereof.

21. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein the projection is positioned such that movement of the actuating plate effects depression of the deformable sealing layer, actuation of a fluidic element, or both, in a predetermined sequence.

22. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein the device is capable of rotating the actuating plate.

23. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein the device comprises a timer.

24. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein the cassette comprises a removable film sealing a fluidic element.

25. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein the deformable connecting layer places two or more fluidic elements in fluidic communication with one another.

26. The analytic device of claim 15, wherein the actuator, the device, or both, are integrated into the cassette.

27. A method of analyzing a sample, comprising:

introducing a sample into an analysis cassette;

the cassette comprising a substrate having at least a chamber and first and second channels, each channel being capable of fluidic communication with the environment exterior to the cassette,

the cassette comprising a removable sealing layer,

the removable sealing layer at least partially sealing at least one of the first channel, the second channel, or the chamber; and

the cassette comprising a deformable connector layer,

the deformable connector layer being capable of at least partially sealing at least one of the first channel, the second channel, or the chamber, and

the deformable connector layer being capable of placing at least two of the first channel, the second channel, or the chamber in fluid communication with one another;

displacing at least a portion of the removable sealing layer;

replacing the displaced portion of the removable sealing layer with the connector layer to as to place the at least one chamber in fluidic communication with at least the first conduit, with at least the second conduit, or both; and

processing the sample by actuation of at least a portion of the deformable connector layer,

the processing being accomplished by the movement of an actuator relative to the deformable connector layer,

the actuator comprising one or more physical features arranged so as to effect a predetermined schedule of processing steps when the actuator is moved relative to the deformable connector layer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein displacing the removable sealing layer comprises peeling.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein replacing the displaced portion of the removable sealing layer with the connector layer comprises pressing, adhering, clamping, or any combination thereof.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein processing comprises contacting the sample with one or more reagents.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein processing comprises identifying the presence of one or more biological species in the sample.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the processing is at least partially controlled by a device capable of controllably moving the actuator relative to the deformable connector layer.