Apparatus for performing assays at reaction sites
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing a plurality of assays, comprising:
- an axially rotatable substrate comprising a plurality of concentrically arranged, non-interconnected reaction sites;
means for rotating and controlling the rotation of said substrate;
a multi-function head comprising a fluid dispenser adapted to convey a fluid to said reaction sites, a fluid dispenser outlet, and a readout device;
means for identifying at least one of said reaction sites; and
means for aligning said multi-function head such that said fluid dispenser outlet may be aligned with at least one of said reaction sites.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for performing a assays includes an axially rotatable substrate including a plurality of layers of a semiconductor material and numerous radially-arrayed reaction sites. The apparatus further includes a rotary stepper motor which rotates the substrate at an adjustable and substantially continuous speed and controls the rotation of the substrate by adjusting the speed and a direction of rotation. In addition, the apparatus includes a dual function head which has a fluid dispenser that has a fluid dispenser outlet and delivers a fluid to a reaction site and also has a readout device that has a sensor which receives an identifying signal from the reaction site on the substrate or scans the substrate to read identifying marks at the reaction site. Moreover, the apparatus may be aligned by a computer having a memory for storing a start location for the dispenser outlet on the substrate and additional electronics. The computer provides movement signals to the rotary stepper motor and a linear stepper motor on which the dispenser outlet is mounted, whereby the motors align the dual function head over the substrate, such that the dispenser outlet is aligned over the reaction site.
105 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing a plurality of assays, comprising:
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an axially rotatable substrate comprising a plurality of concentrically arranged, non-interconnected reaction sites;
means for rotating and controlling the rotation of said substrate;
a multi-function head comprising a fluid dispenser adapted to convey a fluid to said reaction sites, a fluid dispenser outlet, and a readout device;
means for identifying at least one of said reaction sites; and
means for aligning said multi-function head such that said fluid dispenser outlet may be aligned with at least one of said reaction sites. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
said pump draws a first discrete amount of said fluid aliquot and a second discrete amount of said separating fluid into a dispenser tube for delivering a serialized fluid of said fluid aliquot and said separating fluid to said dispenser under controlled pressure, a first portion of said serialized fluid is dispensed from said dispenser to at least one of said reaction sites said suction device removes an unwanted portion of said first portion of said serialized fluid, and said timing device controls said valve mechanism and said suction device. -
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said dispenser extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of fluid flow within said dispenser tube and said valve mechanism comprises a controller and a valve controlled by said controller, said value being positioned downstream from said dispenser and said controller being controlled by said timing device, such that when said valve is closed, said fluid flows to said dispenser outlet.
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29. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a valve mechanism comprising a controller and a valve controlled by said controller, said valve for controlling fluid flow from said dispenser, wherein said dispenser extends substantially perpendicular to a direction of fluid flow within said dispenser tube, and wherein said valve being positioned downstream from said dispenser and said controller is controlled by a timing device such that when said valve is closed, said fluid flows to said dispenser outlet.
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30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said timing device measures a flow rate of said fluid flow through said dispenser tube.
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31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said valve mechanism comprises
a four-way valve in said dispenser tube; -
a first controller and a first valve controlled by said first controller, said first valve being positioned downstream from said four-way connection;
a second controller and a second valve controlled by said second controller, said second valve being positioned upstream from said four-way connection, and wherein said dispenser extends from a first orifice of said four way connection such that said first controller and said second controller are controlled by said timing device and when said first and said second valves are closed, a dispenser fluid is pumped through said four-way connection and forces said fluid to said disperser outlet.
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32. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fluid dispenser ejects a micro-droplet stream of said fluid from said dispenser and an electrostatic accelerator and deflector directs said micro-droplet stream to at least one of said reaction sites.
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33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for identifying includes a light source and a florescence detector and wherein a plurality of said fluid aliquot is delivered to said reaction sites, and wherein said fluid includes a flourophor, whereby florescence occurs in at least one of said reaction sites.
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34. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a plurality of layers of a semiconductor material, and wherein an electronic element is formed on said semiconductor material and jointed to at least one of said reaction sites.
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35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said at least one electronic element is selected from the group consisting of transponders, heating coils, temperature sensors, electric field generating elements, photosensing elements, electrophoresing elements, denaturing elements, chemically sensitive gates, ion sensitive gates, interdigitated arrays, and combinations thereof.
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36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said electronic element comprises a plurality of interconnected electronic elements.
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37. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a spindle around which said substrate rotates and wherein a pair of said electronic elements are radially interconnected through said spindle.
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38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said pair of electronic elements are axially interconnected.
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39. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a multiplexor for interconnecting said electronic elements.
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40. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a electro-mechanical element that is formed on said substrate adjacent at least one of said reaction sites.
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41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said electro-mechanical element produces a vibration to agitate said fluid within at least one of said reaction sites.
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42. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for rotating comprises a first rotary stepper motor, and wherein said dispenser outlet is mounted on a pivot arm and said pivot arm is mounted on a secondary stepper motor, such that said dispenser outlet is pivotably controllable over said rotatable substrate.
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43. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said substrate and said fluid dispenser are enclosed within an air-tight container.
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44. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said reaction sites comprises a geometric cavity formed in said substrate, said geometric cavity having a shield structure to prevent fluid loss from said reaction site.
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45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising a pressure control device for controlling atmospheric pressure within said container.
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46. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said multi-functional head comprises a plurality of fluid dispensers.
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47. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes at least about 20,000 radially arrayed reaction sites.
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48. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fluid dispenser is adapted to convey an amount less than about 0.5 μ
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49. An apparatus for performing a plurality of assays comprising:
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an axially rotatable substrate comprising a plurality of concentrically arranged non-interconnected reaction sites;
means for rotating said substrate;
a multi-function head including a fluid dispenser adapted to convey a fluid to each said reaction sites, a fluid dispenser outlet, and a readout device;
means for identifying at least one of said reaction sites; and
means for aligning said multi-function head such that said fluid dispenser outlet is substantially aligned with at least one of said reaction sites, wherein said means for rotating is controllable to rotate said substrate at a speed to allow a portion of said fluid be removable from at least one of said reaction sites by a centrifugal force generated by the rotation of said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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Specification