PERFORMANCE

• US 20110100101A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forensic Science Service Limited (Government of United Kingdom), Whitespace Enterprise Corporation
• Original Assignee: BioAccel Co.
• Inventors: Koumi, Pieris, Lenigk, Ralf, Yang, Jianing, Nordquist, Alan, Hurth, Cedric, Zenhausern, Frederic, Chen, Xiaojia, Moran, Nina, Hopwood, Andrew, Lee-Edghill, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,640,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/64.56
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• 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: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/00 Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
• 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 2021/6484 Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/01 Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0846 Fibre interface with sample, e.g. for spatial resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44721 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/143333 Saccharide [e.g., DNA, etc.]

Abstract

Instruments, devices and methods of analysis are provided which fully integrate a significant number of process steps in a continuous operation. Accurate positioning and full contact between components is also provided by the relative movement the designs allow. An effect interface between a low cost disposable cartridge or device and the instrument to process it is also detailed.

Claims

1. An instrument for analysing a sample, the instrument including:

one or more sample processors;

electronics for operating the sample processors;

wherein

one or more of the sample processors are provided on a device provided in the instrument, the device being provided in a device location in opposition to a device to instrument interface.

2. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device location is a planar location and the device to instrument interface includes a planar surface, the planar surface facing the device location.

3. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device to instrument interface include one or more components, the one or more components including one or more heaters and/or one or more coolers and/or an actuator and/or one or more sensors and/or one or more magnets.

4. An instrument according to claim 1 in which one or more of the heaters are printed onto the device to instrument interface.

5. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the actuator provides reciprocating motion and is connected to a mounting for one or more magnets, the actuator having a first state and the actuator having a second state, the magnet being closer to the device location in the second state than in the first state.

6. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device to instrument interface is a printed circuit board.

7. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device to instrument interface is connected to the operating electronics on the rear surface thereof.

8. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the operating electronics for the device to instrument interface include one or more power supplies, including a power supply connected to the electrical connections for a pump provided in the cartridge.

9. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the operating electronics for the device to instrument interface include one or more power supply controllers and/or one or more heater controllers and/or one or more temperature controllers and/or one or more actuator controllers and/or sensor monitors and/or voltage controllers.

10. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device provides all of the elements which move fluids within the processors.

11. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device provides all the pumps for the processors and/or all of the materials which form the valves and/or seals in the device and/or all the moveable components for the processors, aside from the actuator for the magnet, and/or all the reagents for the processors.

12. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device has no electrical power sources therein and/or no variable magnetic field source therein and/or no fluid expansion drivers therein and/or no heaters therein and/or no coolers therein and/or no sensors therein and/or no energy sources therein.

13. An instrument according to claim 1 in which no material or elements enter the device from the device to instrument interface.

14. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device to instrument interface provides all of the electrical power sources for the device and/or all of the variable magnetic field sources for the device and/or all of the fluid expansion drivers for the device and/or all the heaters for the device and/or all of the coolers for the device and/or all of the energy sources for the device.

15. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the device to instrument interface has no direct contact with the contents of the device.

16. An instrument according to claim 1 in which the interaction between the device and the device to instrument interface is limited to radiation of heat into the device and/or conduction of heat into the device and/or one or more electrical contacts and/or a magnetic field passing into or through the device.

17. A method of analysing a sample, the method including:

applying one or more process steps to the sample;

obtaining one or more results from the method, wherein one or more of the sample processors are provided on a device provided in the instrument, the device being provided in a device location in opposition to a device to instrument interface.

18. An instrument for analysing a sample, the instrument including:

one or more sample processors;

electronics for operating the sample processors;

wherein one or more of the sample processors are provided on a device provided in the instrument at a device location, the device being capable of movement relative to the instrument when in the device location.

19. An instrument according to claim 18 in which the relative movement for the device is provided to align the device with a device to instrument interface and/or to contact the device with a device to instrument interface.

20. An instrument according to claim 18 in which the relative movement for the device is provided to align the device with an investigation step and/or detection step and/or electrophoresis step and/or analysis step.

21. An instrument according to claim 18 in which the device is provided on a carrier.

22. An instrument according to claim 18 in which the relative movement is used to move the device from a insertion position to a use position.

23. An instrument according to claim 18 in which the relative movement for the device is made in response to one or more alignment checks conducted by the instrument.

24. An instrument according to claim 18 in which one or more releasable fasteners hold the device against the carrier, but allow movement of the device away from the carrier in response to a force above a certain level.

25. An instrument according to claim 24 in which when the force is removed and/or reduced below that level, the device returns to the insertion position and/or into contact with the carrier.

26. An instrument according to claim 18 in which the carrier interacts with the instrument and/or casing and/or device location and/or device to instrument interface to position the device relative to the device to instrument location.

27. An instrument according to claim 18 in which the device is moved from the insertion position to a use position in which the device contacts the device to instrument interface.

28. An instrument according to claim 18 in which movement to the use position and/or a subsequent step provide for one or more or all of the following:

the application of force to the device to hold it in position against the device to instrument interface;

the formation of contact between the part of the device providing the electrophoresis step with a heater board;

the formation of electrical contacts between the instrument and one or more electrical components provided on the device;

the formation of electrical contacts between the instrument and one or more electrical components provided on that part of the device providing the electrophoresis step and/or the deactivation of one or more interlocks.

29. A method of analysing a sample, the method including:

applying one or more process steps to the sample;

obtaining one or more results from the method;

wherein one or more of the sample processors are provided on a device provided in the instrument at a device location, the device being capable of movement relative to the instrument when in the device location.

30. An instrument for analysing a sample, the instrument including:

one or more sample processors;

electronics for operating the sample processors, wherein the instrument provides an integrated set of sample processors and the sample processors include a sample preparation step, sample extraction step, sample retention step, elution step, amplification step and analysis step.

31. An instrument according to claim 30 in which the instrument provides an integrated set of sample processors which progresses from start to finish without user intervention.

32. An instrument according to claim 30 in which the start is the loading of the sample into the instrument and/or the finish is the analysis step.

33. An instrument according to claim 30 in which one or more of the sample processors are provided on a device.

34. An instrument according to claim 30 in which the sample processors of a sample preparation step, a sample extraction step, a sample retention step, an elution step, and an amplification step are performed on or in the device.

35. An instrument according to claim 34 in which the sample processors of a denaturing step, an investigation step, an electrophoresis step and an analysis step are performed on or in the device.

36. An instrument according to claim 30 wherein the device is a cartridge.

37. An instrument according to claim 30 in which the sample processors of an analysis step and a results output step are performed on or in the instrument outside of the device.

38. A method of analysing a sample, the method including using an instrument to:

apply one or more process steps to the sample;

obtain one or more results from the method. wherein the instrument provides an integrated set of sample processors and the sample processors include a sample preparation step, sample extraction step, sample retention step, elution step, amplification step and analysis step.