Process for carrying out analytical determinations and means for carrying out this process

• US 4,898,832 A
• Filed: 01/25/1988
• Issued: 02/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Stahler, Fritz, Klose, Sigmar
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/147,610
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 422/72, 422/61, 422/102, 422/100, 422/104, 436/45, 356/244, 356/246, 356/426, 356/427
• US Class Current: 436/45
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• 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 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 5/0407 for liquids contained in receptacles B04B5/0442 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/00 Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms measuring or testing apparatus with condition measuring or sensing means, e.g. colony counters, C12M1/34; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5302 Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/111666 Utilizing a centrifuge or compartmented rotor

Abstract

A process for carrying out an analytical determination by mixing and incubating a sample solution with at least one reagent and measuring a parameter in the reaction mixture, the sample solution being transported from an application point to a measurement point, wherein a sample solution is first transported to a soluble dry reagent, with at least partial dissolving of the latter, and then further transported to a measurement point, the transport taking place by two different forces, whereby, at least on a part of the transport path, it is brought about by a surface force acting on the solution as a first force, which, for the regulation of the transport velocity or transport direction, is superimposed by a centrifugal force and/or pressure force as a second force which, depending upon which transport state of the fluid is to be adjusted, is made greater or smaller than the first force.

Claims

1. Process for analyzing a liquid sample, comprising:

(a) transporting a fluid sample from a sample application point to a soluble dry reagent containing zone on a transport path;

(b) mixing and incubating said fluid sample with said dry reagent to form a reaction-mixture; and

(c) transporting said reaction mixture to a reaction-mixture measurement point on said transport path at which point a parameter of said reaction mixture is measured, wherein transport of said fluid sample and said reaction mixture takes place on at least a part of said transport path by interaction of a first, surface force between said fluid sample or said reaction-mixture and said transport path and a second, controllably variable centrifugal force, said second controllably variable centrifugal force being less than said surface force on said at least part of said transport path so as to cause said fluid sample or reaction-mixture to move in a direction opposite the direction of said controllably variable centrifugal force during transport of the fluid sample from the application point to the dry reagent zone and the reaction mixture from the dry reagent zone to the point of measurement.

2. Process of claim 1, wherein transporting said sample comprises:

(a) dimensioning a portion of the transport path for transporting said sample and said reaction mixture at the reagent containing zone, said dimensioning providing the surface force on the sample, and

(b) controllably rotating said transport path to produce a controllably variable centrifugal force, which centrifugal force has a component along the transport path.

3. Process according to claim 1, comprising controllably rotating said transport path by controlling a centrifugal rotor on which said path is placed.

4. Process of claim 1 wherein said dimensioning comprises providing an absorbent carrier in the zone.

5. Process of claim 4, wherein said absorbent carrier contains a dry reagent.