METHOD FOR PRODUCING A REAGENT CONTAINER ASSEMBLY AND REAGENT CONTAINER ASSEMBLY

• US 20120141339A1
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Sattler, Stephan, Kraemer, Reinhold
• Granted Patent: US 9,149,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/547
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/148 Specific details about calibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/024 Storing results with means integrated into the container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/527 for a plurality of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/16 Laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/137 Beaded-edge joints or bead seals for sealing or securing package folds or closures B65B51/24
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/21 said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30221 said melt initiators being point-like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/32 Measures for keeping the burr form under control; Avoiding burr formation; Shaping the burr deburring welded articles B29C37/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/326 Shaping the burr, e.g. by the joining tool
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/543 joining more than two hollow-preforms to form said hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81267 Transparent to electromagnetic radiation, e.g. to visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81422 : being convex
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81427 : comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83221 : cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00673 : of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00851 : process control parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 : Reagent dispensers

Abstract

Embodiments directed to a process for producing a reagent container assembly made of plastic and a reagent container assembly are disclosed. The process may comprise: assembling a group of particular reagent containers, and joining the reagent containers to form the reagent container assembly where at least two of the reagent containers are permanently joined together by at least one welding process.

Claims

1. A process for producing a reagent container assembly made of plastic comprising:

assembling a group of particular reagent containers; and

joining the reagent containers to form the reagent container assembly such that at least two of the reagent containers are joined together by at least one welding process.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein before the reagent containers are joined to form the reagent container assembly, said process comprises filling at least one of the particular reagent containers with a first reagent.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein before the reagent containers are joined to form the reagent container assembly, said process comprises filling at least one other of the particular reagent containers with at least one other reagent which is calibrated against the first reagent.

4. The process according to claim 3, wherein before the step of filling the at least one other reagent container, said process comprises calibrating at least one other reagent against the first reagent.

5. The process according to claim 4, further comprises:

collecting calibration data during the calibration of the at least one other reagent against the at least one reagent; and

providing the reagent container assembly with the calibration data in a form which can be read-out by the user or automatically read-out by an analytical system with a bar code or RFID transponder.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein at least one spot-welded joint is formed during the welding process.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the welding process is an ultrasonic welding process.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the welding process is a laser welding process.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein a material thickening at which the welding process takes place, is provided on at least one reagent container.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein at least two reagent containers to be joined together are used which each have a plate-shaped connecting wall section with an outwardly protruding plate edge, wherein the two reagent containers are arranged before joining in such a manner that the connecting wall sections rest against one another at least in the area of the plate edges or are essentially parallel to one another with a small spacing and wherein the two reagent containers are joined via their connecting wall sections by ultrasonic welding with a sonotrode the welding dies of which jointly grip around the two plate edges of the connecting wall sections of the two reagent containers during the welding process.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reagent containers are assembled in a common stand and welded to the stand.

12. The process according to claim 11, wherein at least two reagent containers and the stand are welded together with at least one common joint.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reagent containers are assembled and welded together in a positioning device relative to positioning stops of this positioning device.

14. The process according to claim 1, wherein reagent containers with cover members are used to form the reagent container assembly wherein the welding process takes place on the cover members.

15. A reagent container assembly comprising at least two plastic reagent containers that are attached to one another, and wherein the reagent containers are permanently joined together by at least one fusion welding point.

16. The reagent container assembly according to claim 15, wherein the reagent containers are solely joined directly on their outer walls by common fusion welding points.

17. The reagent container assembly according to claim 15, wherein the reagent containers are assembled in a common stand and welded to this stand.

18. The reagent container assembly according to claim 15, wherein the reagent containers each have a cover member and are joined together via their cover members by means of the fusion welding point.

19. The reagent container assembly according to claim 15, wherein at least two reagent containers that are joined together which each have at least one plate-shaped connecting wall section with an outwardly protruding plate edge, wherein the connecting wall sections of the two reagent containers in the reagent container assembly rest against one another or run essentially parallel to one another with a small spacing at least in the area of their respective plate edges and wherein the two reagent containers are permanently joined together at the two connecting wall sections by at least one weld and in particular a welded joint.