Disposable cartridge for an assay of a biological sample
First Claim
1. A fluidics circuit which permits fluid flow at low centrifugal accelerations, the fluidics circuit comprising:
- radial means for delivering fluid, said radial means including an inlet and an outlet having a radial position outward from the inlet, said radial means further including a fluid passage configured to prohibit fluid flow through the outlet of said radial means; and
receiving means for providing a stop junction in fluid communication with the outlet of said radial means, wherein the radial position of the inlet and the outlet of said radial means are selected such that fluid will flow through the outlet when a low level of centrifugal acceleration having a range of one to one hundred meters per second per second is applied to said radial means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cartridge is provided to present a biological sample for analysis by an imaging instrument. The cartridge of the invention utilizes a series of channels, capillaries, reservoirs and stop junctions to precisely move a sample, reagent and diluent through the cartridge as a function of the sum of capillary, gravitational and low centrifugal forces. The operator applies a precise amount of sample to the cartridge; therefore, the cartridge fluidics need not meter the sample prior to dilution. A practical and cost effective cartridge and assay process is disclosed which overcomes many of the limitations of the prior art. Such a cartridge is especially useful with fixed volume assays which permit low centrifugal accelerations to move the fluids within the cartridge.
311 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A fluidics circuit which permits fluid flow at low centrifugal accelerations, the fluidics circuit comprising:
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radial means for delivering fluid, said radial means including an inlet and an outlet having a radial position outward from the inlet, said radial means further including a fluid passage configured to prohibit fluid flow through the outlet of said radial means; and receiving means for providing a stop junction in fluid communication with the outlet of said radial means, wherein the radial position of the inlet and the outlet of said radial means are selected such that fluid will flow through the outlet when a low level of centrifugal acceleration having a range of one to one hundred meters per second per second is applied to said radial means.
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2. A fluidics circuit which permits fluid flow at low centrifugal accelerations, the fluidics circuit comprising:
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radial means for delivering fluid, said radial means including an inlet and an outlet having a radial position outward from the inlet, said radial means further including a fluid passage configured to allow fluid flow through the outlet of said radial means; a stop flow capillary including an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of said radial means, said stop flow capillary further including an outlet and a fluid passage configured to prohibit fluid flow through the outlet of said stop flow capillary; and receiving means for providing a stop junction in fluid communication with the outlet of said stop flow capillary, wherein the radial position of the inlet and the outlet of said radial means are selected such that fluid will flow through said stop flow capillary when a low level of centrifugal acceleration having a range of one to one hundred meters per second per second is applied to said radial means and said stop flow capillary. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A fluidics circuit which permits fluid flow at low centrifugal accelerations, the fluidics circuit comprising:
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a first capillary including an inlet and an outlet having a radial position outward from the inlet, said first capillary including a fluid passage having a capillary back pressure which allows fluid flow through the outlet of said first capillary; a second capillary including an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of said first capillary, said second capillary further including an outlet and a fluid passage having a capillary back pressure which prohibits fluid flow through the outlet of said second capillary; and a chamber providing a stop junction in fluid communication with the outlet of said second capillary, wherein the radial position of the inlet and the outlet of said first capillary are selected such that fluid will flow through said second capillary when a low level of centrifugal acceleration having a range of one to one hundred meters per second per second is applied to said first capillary and said second capillary.
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9. An assay cartridge comprising:
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a body; a first reservoir configured in said body to receive a fluid sample; a first capillary configured in said body so as to have a first end in fluid communication with said first reservoir; a first stop junction configured in said body and in fluid communication with a second end of said first capillary, said first stop junction including a second capillary having a capillary back pressure which prohibits fluid flow from said first capillary; and a second reservoir configured in said body and in fluid communication with said first stop junction, wherein the fluid sample flows from said first reservoir, through said first capillary and through said first stop junction and into said second reservoir upon application to said body of a first low centrifugal acceleration having a range of one to one hundred meters per second per second. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification