Multi-zoned reaction vessel having pressure-actuatable control means between zones
First Claim
1. In a reaction vessel comprisinga first zone,a second zone adapted to receive liquid flow from the first zone, at least one of said zones containing a reagent capable of interacting with a material of a liquid introduced into said one zone,said zones comprising a first member, a cover member, and means for disposing said first member and said cover member in superposed relationship,inlet means permitting the introduction of the liquid into said first zone,and means providing a passageway fluidly connecting said zones;
- the improvement wherein said first and said cover members provide opposed surfaces spaced apart a distance that is effective to induce capillary flow of said introduced liquid at least in the portion of said first zone contiguous to said passageway means, and in said second zone,and wherein said passageway means includes meniscus control means for stopping the liquid meniscus from proceeding by capillary attraction into said second zone from said first zone, said control means being configured to permit the liquid to flow into said second zone only when an externally generated pressure is applied to the liquid in an amount sufficient to push the liquid meniscus into said second zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reaction vessel, test device, and method of detection or measurement are disclosed, featuring the use of at least two operatively connected zones formed by transport surfaces spaced apart throughout most of the zones a capillary distance. The zones are fluidly connected by meniscus control means effective to stop capillary flow of the liquid from one zone to the other, until an externally generated actuation pressure is applied.
675 Citations
42 Claims
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1. In a reaction vessel comprising
a first zone, a second zone adapted to receive liquid flow from the first zone, at least one of said zones containing a reagent capable of interacting with a material of a liquid introduced into said one zone, said zones comprising a first member, a cover member, and means for disposing said first member and said cover member in superposed relationship, inlet means permitting the introduction of the liquid into said first zone, and means providing a passageway fluidly connecting said zones; -
the improvement wherein said first and said cover members provide opposed surfaces spaced apart a distance that is effective to induce capillary flow of said introduced liquid at least in the portion of said first zone contiguous to said passageway means, and in said second zone, and wherein said passageway means includes meniscus control means for stopping the liquid meniscus from proceeding by capillary attraction into said second zone from said first zone, said control means being configured to permit the liquid to flow into said second zone only when an externally generated pressure is applied to the liquid in an amount sufficient to push the liquid meniscus into said second zone. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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2. In a reaction vessel comprising
a first zone, a second zone adapted to receive the liquid from the first zone, at least one of said zones containing a reagent capable of interacting with a material of a liquid introduced into said one zone, said zones comprising a first member, a cover member, and means for disposing said first member and said cover member in superposed relationship, inlet means permitting the introduction of the liquid into said first zone, and means providing a passageway fluidly connecting said zones; -
the improvement wherein said first and said cover members provide opposed surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow of said introduced liquid at least in the portion of said first zone contiguous to said passageway means, and in said second zone, and wherein said passageway means includes meniscus control means for stopping the liquid meniscus from proceeding by capillary attraction into said second zone from said first zone, said control means being configured to permit the liquid to pass into said second zone only when an externally generated pressure is applied to the liquid in an amount sufficient to push the liquid meniscus into said second zone, said distance of said second zone being less than said distance of said first zone by an amount effective to preferentially attract said liquid, in response to said push of the liquid by the pressure, into said second zone from said first zone and to confine the attracted liquid within the second zone.
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3. In a reaction vessel comprising
a first zone, a second zone adapted to receive the liquid from the first zone, at least one of said zones containing a reagent capable of interacting with a material of a liquid introduced into said one zone, said zones comprising a first member, a cover member, and means for disposing said first member and said cover member in superposed relationship, inlet means permitting the introduction of the liquid into said first zone, and means providing a passageway fluidly connecting said zones; -
the improvement wherein said first and said cover members provide opposed surfaces spaced apart a distance effective to induce capillary flow of said introduced liquid at least in the portion of said first zone contiguous to said passageway means, and in said second zone, at least one of said two surfaces comprising, in both of said zones, a relatively non-wettable material coated with a surfactant soluble in the liquid and capable of making said surfaces wettable by the liquid, and wherein said passageway means includes meniscus control means for stopping the liquid meniscus from proceeding by capillary attraction into said second zone from said first zone, said control means being configured to permit the liquid to pass into said second zone only when an externally generated pressure is applied to the liquid in an amount sufficient to push the liquid meniscus into said second zone.
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16. A test device comprising two opposed transport surfaces and means for spacing them apart a distance to define at least two fluidly connected zones connected by a passageway, said distance being effective to induce capillary flow of introduced liquid in said zones, one of said zones containing inlet means permitting the introduction of a liquid into said one zone, and a reagent immobilized in said one zone, said reagent being capable of binding with a material of the liquid and with a known, labeled amount of said material;
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the other of said zones being adapted to receive by said passageway liquid from said one zone and material contained in the liquid that is not bound to said reagent; and meniscus control means associated with said passageway for stopping a liquid meniscus from proceeding into said other zone from said one zone, said control means being configured to permit the liquid and unbound material to pass into said other zone only when an externally generated pressure is applied to the liquid in an amount sufficient to push said meniscus into said other zone. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A test device for the measurement of an analyte of whole blood, comprising
two opposed transport surfaces and means for spacing them apart a distance to define at least two fluidly connected zones and a passageway connecting them, said distance being effective to induce capillary flow of introduced liquid in said downstream zone and at least in the portion of the other zone contiguous to said passageway, one of said zones containing a cell-agglutinating reagent immovably adhered to at least one of (i) said surfaces and (ii) said spacing means, and inlet means permitting the introduction of whole blood into said one zone; -
the other of said zones being adapted to receive plasma from said one zone and containing a detection element including at least one detection reagent specific to the analysis of an analyte of the plasma; and meniscus control means associated with said passageway for stopping the liquid meniscus from proceeding into said other zone from said one zone, said control means being configured to permit the plasma to pass into said other zone only when an externally generated pressure is applied to the liquid in an amount sufficient to push the liquid meniscus into said other zone. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for interacting with a reagent a material contained in a liquid, comprising the steps of
(a) filling with liquid a first zone of a device comprising two adjacent zones fluidly connected by a passageway, both of said zones comprising opposed liquid transport surfaces, two of said surfaces being spaced apart a distance that is effective to induce capillary flow of said introduced liquid at least in the portion of said first zone contiguous to said passageway, and in said second zone, at least one of said zones further including said reagent; -
(b) retaining the liquid within said first zone while the reagent interacts with said material; and
thereafter,(c) applying to the liquid in said first zone an externally generated pressure in an amount sufficient to force the liquid to start flowing under capillary attraction into said second zone, whereby the liquid flows into the second zone.
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36. A method of combining together liquid containing a material a portion of which is labeled for detection, and a reagent capable of bonding with said material, and thereafter detecting the amount of labeled material free of said reagent, the method comprising the steps of
(a) flowing under capillary attraction (i) a liquid containing an unknown amount of unlabeled material, and (ii) a liquid containing a known amount of said labeled material, into a first zone of a device comprising two adjacent zones fluidly connected by a passageway, said first zone further including said reagent immobilized therein, (b) retaining the liquid within said first zone while the reagent binds with and immobilizes some of said labeled material and said unlabeled material; -
(c) applying to the liquid in said first zone an externally generated pressure in an amount sufficient to force the material that is free of said reagent to start flowing under capillary attraction into said second zone, and (d) after the liquid has transferred into said said second zone, detecting the free labeled material in said second zone. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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37. A method of combining together for detection liquid containing a material a portion of which is labeled for detection, and a reagent capable of binding said material, the method comprising the steps of
(a) flowing under capillary attraction an amount of liquid containing (i) an unknown amount of unlabeled material, and (ii) a known amount of said labeled material into a first zone of a device comprising two adjacent zones fluidly connected by a passageway, said first zone further including said reagent immobilized therein, (b) retaining the liquid within said first zone while the reagent binds with said labeled material and said unlabeled material; -
(c) applying to the liquid in said first zone an externally generated pressure in an amount sufficient to force the liquid and material free of said reagent to start flowing under capillary attraction into said second zone, and (d) after the liquid has transferred into said second zone, detecting the bound, immobilized labeled material in said first zone.
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40. A method for determining the amount of an analyte of whole blood in a test device comprising two opposed transport surfaces providing at least two transport zones fluidly connected by a passageway, the first of said zones containing a cell-agglutinating reagent that is incapable of moving out of said first zone, and the second of said zones containing at least one detection reagent specific to said analyte;
- the method comprising the steps of
(a) flowing under capillary attraction a quantity of whole blood into the first of said zones; (b) retaining said quantity of whole blood in said first zone a length of time sufficient to cause blood cells to bind to said cell-agglutinating reagent and thus to separate from the blood plasma; (c) applying to the zone containing the plasma an externally generated pressure in an amount sufficient to force the plasma, but not the cells, to flow under capillary attraction into the second of said zones, and (d) detecting within said second zone a radiometric change resulting from the interaction between said at least one detection reagent and said analyte. - View Dependent Claims (41)
- the method comprising the steps of
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42. In a reaction vessel comprising wall means forming first and second liquid receiving zones, means permitting the introduction of liquid into the first zone, and connecting passageway means for the passage of liquid from the first zone to the second, the improvement wherein
said wall means forming said zones are spaced apart a distance that induces capillary flow of liquid at least in the portion of the first zone contiguous to said passageway means, and in said second zone, and said passageway means includes means for controlling the meniscus forming the leading edge of the capillary flow so as, first, to halt the passage of liquid into said second zone and, second, to permit flow of liquid into said second zone only when sufficient pressure other than that caused by the hydrostatic head of the liquid is subsequently applied to the liquid that has filled said first zone.
Specification