UNITIZED REAGENT STRIP

• US 20140206088A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Lentz, Ammon David, Livingston, Dwight, Steel, Adam Bruce, St. Pierre, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,222,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/54
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0609 Holders integrated in container to position an object
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/527 for a plurality of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/543 for disposable pipette tips, e.g. racks or cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/103 using disposable tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/10 Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices G01N35/0099 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1011 Control of the position or alignment of the transfer device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure

Abstract

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to unitized reagent strips for holding and transporting reagents and materials used in automated sample preparation and/or processing for biological and or chemical assays.

Claims

1. A unitized reagent strip, comprising:

a strip with a top side and a bottom side, comprising;

a first and a second pipette sheath comprising opposing sides, said first and second pipette sheaths comprising a first and second pipette tip aperture, respectively, each of which comprises a separate opening on the top side of the strip, and wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into said first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of said first and second pipette sheaths is configured to substantially surround the length of a first and second pipette tip, respectively;

a process tube; and

a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein said receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube.

2. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a first cored hole, said first cored hole extending through a sidewall of the first pipette sheath.

3. The unitized reagent strip of claim 2, wherein said first pipette sheath comprises an aperture pair, said aperture pair comprising the first cored hole and a second cored hole extending through the sidewall of the first pipette sheath, wherein the first and second cored holes are located on opposing sides of the sidewall, and are positioned along the length of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from the first pipette tip aperture.

4. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a top pipette sheath aperture pair and a bottom pipette sheath aperture pair, the top and bottom aperture pairs each comprising a first and a second cored hole extending through a sidewall of the first pipette sheath, the first and second cored holes of said top and bottom pipette sheath aperture pairs located on opposite sides of the first pipette sheath and positioned along the length of the pipette sheath at the same distance from the pipette tip aperture, and wherein the top pipette sheath aperture pair is located more proximal to the first pipette tip aperture than the bottom pipette sheath aperture pair.

5. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are located in adjacent positions along the top side of the strip.

6. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein said process tube is integral to the strip, and wherein said strip comprises a process tube aperture that forms an opening into said integral process tube.

7. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, further comprising an integral reagent tube, wherein said strip comprises a reagent tube aperture that forms an opening into said integral reagent tube.

8. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein said first pipette sheath comprises a plurality of cored holes.

9. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein said first pipette sheath comprises a plurality of aperture pairs.

10. The unitized reagent strip of claim 2, wherein said second pipette sheath comprises a first cored hole extending through a sidewall of said second pipette sheath.

11. The unitized reagent strip of claim 3, wherein said second pipette sheath comprises a pipette sheath aperture pair, said aperture pair comprising a first and a second cored hole extending through a sidewall of the second pipette sheath, wherein the first and second cored holes are located on opposing sides of the sidewall, and are positioned along the length of the second pipette sheath at the same distance from the second pipette tip aperture.

12. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein said first and second pipette sheaths are of different lengths, extending from the first and second pipette tip apertures.

13. The unitized reagent strip of claim 2, wherein said second pipette sheath does not comprise a cored hole.

14. The unitized reagent strip of claim 2, wherein the first cored hole is located along a length of the first pipette sheath such that when a first pipette tip is inserted into said first pipette sheath, at least a portion of the first pipette tip extends past and overlaps with the first cored hole in the sidewall of the first pipette sheath.

15. The unitized reagent strip of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of integral reagent tubes.

16. The unitized reagent strip of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of integral process tubes.

17. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reagent receptacles, wherein each of said plurality of receptacles is configured to receive one of a plurality of reagent tubes.

18. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, further comprising a waste chamber, wherein said waste chamber is integral to the strip, and wherein the strip comprises a waste aperture that forms an opening into said integral waste chamber.

19. The unitized reagent strip of claim 7, wherein said integral reagent tube comprises a liquid reagent.

20. The unitized reagent strip of claim 7, further comprising a laminate that seals closed the integral reagent tube aperture.

21. A method of detecting the presence or absence of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:

providing the unitized reagent strip of claim 3;

providing an optical beam through the first cored hole of said first pipette sheath aperture pair; and

detecting whether said optical beam exits unobstructed through said second cored hole of said first pipette sheath aperture pair, wherein the unobstructed exit of said optical beam through said second cored hole of said first pipette sheath is indicative of the absence of the pipette tip within the first pipette sheath, and wherein obstructed exit of said optical beam though said second cored hole indicates the presence of the pipette tip within said first pipette sheath.

23. A method of detecting the presence or absence of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:

providing the unitized reagent strip of claim 2;

determining whether a pipette tip extends within said first pipette sheath from the pipette tip aperture at least to the distance of the first cored hole.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said determining step comprises visual inspection of the interior of the pipette sheath through the first cored hole.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said determining step comprises:

providing an optical beam that enters the pipette sheath through the first cored hole, and

determining the reflection or obstruction of the optical beam as indicative of the presence or absence of a pipette tip that extends within said first pipette sheath to the distance from the pipette tip aperture to the first cored hole.

22. A method of determining the length of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:

providing a unitized reagent strip comprising;

a strip with a top side and a bottom side, comprising;

a process tube;

a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein said receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube; and

a first and a second pipette sheath, each comprising;

a first and second pipette tip aperture, respectively, each of which comprises a separate opening on the top side of the strip, and wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into said first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of said first and second pipette sheaths is configured to substantially surround the length of a first and second pipette tip, respectively; and

a top pipette sheath aperture pair and a bottom pipette sheath aperture pair within said first pipette sheath, said top and bottom aperture pairs each comprising a first and a second cored hole extending through a sidewall of the first pipette sheath, wherein the first and second cored holes of said top and bottom pipette sheath aperture pairs are located on opposite sides of the first pipette sheath, and positioned along the length of the pipette sheath at the same distance from the pipette tip aperture, and wherein said top pipette sheath aperture pair is located more proximal to the first pipette tip aperture than said bottom pipette sheath aperture pair;

providing an optical beam through said first cored hole of said top pipette sheath aperture pair;

providing an optical beam through said first cored hole of said bottom pipette sheath aperture pair;

detecting whether said optical beam is obstructed from passing through said second cored hole of said top pipette sheath aperture pair; and

detecting whether said optical beam is obstructed from passing through said bottom cored hole of said first pipette sheath aperture pair, wherein obstruction of said optical beam through the second cored hole of the top aperture pair and passage of said optical beam through said second cored hole of said bottom pipette sheath aperture pair indicates that the pipette tip within said pipette sheath has a length that does not extend down to the bottom pipette sheath aperture pair when inserted into the pipette sheath.

26. A method of determining the length of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:

providing a unitized reagent strip comprising;

a strip with a top side and a bottom side, comprising;

a process tube; and

a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein said receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube; and

a first and a second pipette sheath, each comprising;

a first and second pipette tip aperture, respectively, each of which comprises a separate opening on the top side of the strip, and wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into said first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of said first and second pipette sheaths is configured to substantially surround the length of a first and second pipette tip, respectively; and

a top cored hole and a bottom cored hole within said first pipette sheath, said top and bottom cored holes each extending through a sidewall of the first pipette sheath, wherein said top cored hole is located more proximal to the first pipette tip aperture than said bottom cored hole;

determining whether a pipette tip extends within said first pipette sheath from the first pipette tip aperture to the distance of the first cored hole; and

determining whether a pipette tip extends within said first pipette sheath from the first pipette tip aperture to the distance of the second cored hole.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said determining comprises visual inspection of the interior of the pipette sheath through said top cored hole and said bottom cored hole.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said determining comprises:

providing an optical beam through said top cored hole;

providing an optical beam through said bottom cored hole; and

determining the reflection or obstruction of the first and second optical beam as indicative of the presence or absence of a pipette tip that extends within said first pipette sheath to the distance from the pipette tip aperture to the first cored hole and the second cored hole, respectively.