Apparatus for sampling, mixing the sample with a reagent and making particularly optical analyses

• US 4,088,448 A
• Filed: 09/16/1976
• Issued: 05/09/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Migrata U.K. Limited (Desert Shield Technologies Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Jan E. Lilja, Sven E.L. Nilsson
• Inventors: Lilja, Jan E., Nilsson, Sven E. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Serwin, R. E.
• Application Number:
  US05/724,054
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 23/253 R, 23/259, 23/253 TP, 23/230 B, 356/246, 128/2 F
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/00 Dissolving separating by dissolving B01D; dissolving to effect cooling F25D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/23 Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/56 by introducing solids in liquids, e.g. dispersing or dissolving
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/00 Mixers with shaking, oscillating, or vibrating mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/00 Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/45 Magnetic mixers; Mixers with magnetically driven stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7172 using capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7173 using gravity, e.g. from a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/28 Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Qmounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 ; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 Cuvette constructions

Abstract

A cuvette for sampling with a cavity which is defined by two planar surfaces which are placed or can be placed at a predetermined distance from one another. A reagent is contained in the cavity in an amount which is exactly determined in relation to the volume of the cavity. The sample is drawn into the cavity preferably by capillary force and mixed with the reagent therein spontaneously or by vibration, whereupon optical analysis takes place directly through the two planar surfaces.

Claims

1. A cuvette for sampling a fluid, mixing the sample with a reagent, and directly making optical analyses of the sample mixed with the reagent, comprising a body member including two planar surfaces defining an optical path and placed at a predetermined distance from one another to determine the optical path length and to define at least one cavity having an inlet communicating the at least one cavity with the exterior of the body member, the at least one cavity having a predetermined fixed volume, the predetermined distance being effective to permit the sample to enter the cavity by capillary force;

and a reagent coated on the cavity surface.

2. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reagent is in the form of a solid material deposited on the walls of the cavity by evaporation, freeze-drying, spraying or screen printing.

3. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reagent is in the form of a semi-solid material, particularly a gel.

4. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cuvette has a receiving space communicating with the at least one cavity and with the inlet and from which the at least one cavity withdraws the sample by capillary force.

5. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body member has a plurality of cavities arranged in parallel or in series, said cavities containing the same or different reagents.

6. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body member is adapted for mixing of the sample with the reagent by actuation from the outer side of the body member.

7. A cuvette as claimed in claim 6, wherein said body member is adapted for mixing actuation by vibration.

8. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the walls defining the cavity of the body member is stepped with exactly determined height differences between the different steps.

9. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reagent or reagents are coated for regulation of the dissolution rate.

10. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cavity is oriented with its longitudinal direction at right angles with the body member planar surfaces.

11. A cuvette as claimed in claim 1, made from transparent plastic material or glass.

12. A cuvette for sampling a fluid, mixing the sample with a reagent, and directly making optical analyses of the sample mixed with the reagent, comprising a body member including two flexible surfaces and means joining the two surfaces to define at least one cavity having an inlet communicating the at least one cavity with the exterior of the body member, the joining means separating the flexible surfaces by a dimension effective to permit the sample to enter the at least one cavity by capillary force, the two flexible surfaces being adapted to be placed at a predetermined distance from one another by actuation from the outer side of the body member to define an optical path having a predetermined optical path length and to provide a predetermined volume in the cavity;

and a reagent coated on the cavity surface.

13. A cuvette as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a spacing element disposed in the cavity to determine the distance between the walls of the cavity upon actuation of said walls from outside.

14. A cuvette as claimed in claim 13, wherein the reagent is carried by the spacing element.

15. A cuvette as claimed in claim 13, wherein the spacing element is of ferromagnetic material to provide mixing of the sample and the reagent when the cuvette is placed in a variable magnetic field.

16. A cuvette as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a reagent in the cavity in the predetermined amount.