SAMPLE PROCESSOR

• US 20100180980A1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rapid Diagnostics ML Limited
• Original Assignee: Enigma Diagnostics Limited
• Inventors: Beckett, Trevor John, Silk, Christopher John, Withers, Michael John, Squirrell, David James, Lee, Martin Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,372,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• 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 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5029 using swabs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/00 Supporting devices; Holding devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00376 Conductive heating, e.g. heated plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00534 Mixing by a special element, e.g. stirrer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/103 using disposable tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1079 with means for piercing stoppers or septums

Abstract

A sample delivery system comprising (i) a cartridge comprising a body section adapted to hold a sealed sample vessel so as to fix the position of a seal of the sample vessel in relation to the cartridge; and (ii) apparatus adapted to receive said cartridge, said apparatus being provided with an opening system for opening said sealed sample vessel contained within the cartridge.

Claims

1. A sample delivery system comprising

(i) a cartridge comprising a body section adapted to hold a sealed sample vessel so as to fix a position of a seal of the sample vessel in relation to the cartridge wherein at least a seal region of the sample vessel is substantially enclosed when held within the body section of the cartridge;

and

(ii) an apparatus adapted to receive said cartridge, said apparatus being provided with an opening system for opening said sealed sample vessel contained within the cartridge.

2. The system according to claim 1 which further comprises a holder for the sealed sample vessel, wherein the holder is insertable into the body section of the cartridge such that the seal of the sample vessel is fixed in relation to the cartridge.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein a locking mechanism is provided in order to retain the sample vessel in the body section.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the locking mechanism, comprises a snap fit tongue or flange, which is provided on a holder for the sample vessel and arranged to engage in a slot provided in the body section of the cartridge.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the locking mechanism is arranged so that it will not operate until the sample vessel is appropriately positioned within the holder.

6. The system according to claim 1 which further comprises a delivery device for delivering a liquid sample contained within the sample vessel to a reaction chamber.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the opening system comprises an actuator which is able to act on the sample vessel within a holder within the cartridge in the apparatus and urge the seal of the vessel into contact with a seal-breaching device.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the seal-breaching device comprises one or more piercing elements.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the one or more piercing elements comprises one or more piercing needles.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the piercing element or needle comprises an internal channel and an end of the piercing element or needle remote from the piercing end is arranged within a reaction chamber, so as to allow the piercing element or needle to act as a delivery device for delivering a liquid sample contained within the sample vessel to a reaction chamber.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the cartridge and the apparatus are arranged so that at least some of the liquid sample within a breached sample vessel flows under gravity through the channel into the reaction chamber.

12. The system according to claim 1 which is adapted to hold a sealed tube as the sample vessel.

13. The system according to claim 1 which further comprises a sealable sample vessel.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the sample vessel is provided with a cap having a piercable membrane in an upper surface thereof.

15. The system according to claim 13 wherein the sample vessel is a sealable tube.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the sealable tube includes an integral swab.

17. The system according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises further elements which allow the analysis or further investigation of the sample to be continued.

18. The system according to claim 1 wherein further elements which are useful in the subsequent procedures to which the sample is to be subjected are provided on the cartridge.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the further elements comprise reagent chambers for holding reagents or materials required to continue a chemical, biochemical, analytical or other assay of the sample.

20. The system according to claim 18 wherein the cartridge further comprises moveable components which are useful in or otherwise facilitate further chemical or biochemical reaction, analysis or assay of the sample.

21. The system according to claim 18 wherein the apparatus comprises a moveable arm, able to interact with any moveable component on the cartridge.

22. The system according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a processing component useful in further chemical or biochemical reaction, analysis or assay of the sample, which is reusable.

23. The system according to claim 22 which further comprises a sheath adapted to cover said component when in use.

24. The system according to claim 23 wherein the sheath is provided as a moveable component on the cartridge.

25. The system according to claim 23 wherein the sheath is of a thermally conducting plastics plastic or elastomeric material.

29. A cartridge adapted for use in a system according to claim 1.

26. A sheath adapted to cover a reusable processing component of an apparatus during use.

27. The sheath according to claim 26 wherein the processing component is a heater or sonicator.

28. The sheath according to claim 26 wherein the processing component is a heater and the sheath is of a thermally conducting plastic material.

30. A method for filling a reaction vessel comprising a capillary tube which comprises introducing a filled pipettor with an elongate tip of a diameter less than that of the capillary tube into the tube, and depressing a plunger of the pipettor in a controlled manner so as to expel contents of the pipettor into the capillary tube and concurrently, withdrawing the elongate tip of the pipettor from the capilliary tube at a speed commensurate with a delivery rate of liquid from the tube.

31. A pipettor having an elongate tip for use in the method according to claim 30.

32. A reaction vessel comprising a lower sealed capillary portion and an upper section with outwardly tapering walls.