Disposable optical cuvette cartridge with low fluorescence material

• US 6,937,330 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PPD Biomarker Discovery Sciences LLC (CellCarta Biosciences, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PPD Biomarker Discovery Sciences LLC (CellCarta Biosciences, Inc.)
• Inventors: Todd, Christopher E., Dietz, Louis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): STAFIRA, MICHAEL PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US10/421,638
• Publication Number:
  US 20030214650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 356244-246, 356/39, 356/300, 356/440, 356/445, 422/102, 422/104, 422/56, 422/72, 422/82.05, 422/82.09, 422/73, 436/501, 436/526, 436/69, 436/165, 436/180, 250/576, 204/452, 204/603, 200/310
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• 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 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/527 for microfluidic devices, e.g. used for lab-on-a-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 Cuvette constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/11 Filling or emptying of cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/278 Constitution of standards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters

Abstract

A disposable cuvette cartridge for optical measurements is formed from three flexible thin layers. The middle layer is an adhesive sheet with cut out regions, typically between 30 and 50, serving as optical chambers bounded by the two outer layers. Inlet and vent holes in one of the outer sheets provide access to the optical chambers. At least one of the outer sheets is made of a material having low fluorescence, such as a cyclo-olefin copolymer. With its low background fluorescence, the cuvette cartridge is useful for high-throughput fluorescence measurements of biological samples.

Claims

1. A cuvette cartridge for optical measurements, comprising:

a) a flat adhesive sheet having a selected thickness that defines an optical path length perpendicular to the plane of said adhesive sheet, wherein a portion of said adhesive sheet is cut out to define at least one optical chamber;

b) a first flat sheet comprising at least one inlet hole and at least one vent hole, said first flat sheet positioned such that said inlet hole is adjacent to a first end of said optical chamber and said vent hole is adjacent to a second end of said optical chamber; and

c) a second flat sheet, wherein said adhesive sheet is positioned between said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet, and wherein at least one of said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet is made of a cyclo-olefin copolymer.

2. The cuvette cartridge of claim 1, wherein said flat adhesive sheet comprises a flat sheet with an adhesive coating.

3. The cuvette cartridge of claim 1, comprising between two and 500 optical chambers.

4. The cuvette cartridge of claim 1, wherein said optical chamber is capable of storing a liquid sample, and wherein said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet are substantially impermeable to said liquid sample.

5. The cuvette cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet is transparent to a wavelength of interest.

6. The cuvette cartridge of claim 1, wherein said selected thickness of said flat adhesive sheet is selected in part to cause liquid to flow into said optical chamber by capillary action.

7. A system for spectrophotometric measurement of liquid samples, comprising:

a) an optical cuvette cartridge comprising;

i) a flat adhesive sheet having a selected thickness that defines an optical path length perpendicular to the plane of said adhesive sheet, wherein a portion of said adhesive sheet is cut out to define at least one optical chamber;

ii) a first flat sheet comprising at least one inlet hole and at least one vent hole, said first flat sheet positioned such that said inlet hole is adjacent to a first end of said optical chamber and said vent hole is adjacent to a second end of said optical chamber; and

iii) a second flat sheet, wherein said adhesive sheet is positioned between said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet, and wherein at least one of said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet is made of a cyclo-olefin copolymer;

b) a light source capable of illuminating a sample contained within said optical chamber to cause fluorescence emission from said sample; and

c) a detector for detecting said fluorescence emission propagating through said cyclo-olefin copolymer.

8. A method for manufacturing a disposable optical cuvette cartridge for holding a liquid sample, comprising:

a) providing a first flat sheet made of a cyclo-olefin copolymer that is substantially impermeable to the liquid sample;

b) providing a second flat sheet that is substantially impermeable to the liquid sample, wherein one of said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet has at least one inlet hole and at least one vent hole;

c) providing a flat adhesive sheet having a selected thickness that defines an optical path length perpendicular to the plane of said adhesive sheet, wherein a portion of said adhesive sheet is cut out to define at least one optical chamber;

d) aligning said flat adhesive sheet between said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet so that said inlet hold and said vent hole are adjacent to said optical chamber; and

e) causing said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet to adhere to said flat adhesive sheet.

9. A method for spectrophotometric measurement of an analyte in a liquid sample, comprising:

a) providing an optical cuvette cartridge comprising;

i) a flat adhesive sheet having a selected thickness that defines an optical path length perpendicular to the plane of said adhesive sheet, wherein a portion of said adhesive sheet is cut out to define at least one optical chamber;

ii) a first flat sheet comprising at least one inlet hole and at least one vent hole, said first flat sheet positioned such that said inlet hole is adjacent to a first end of said optical chamber and said vent hole is adjacent to a second end of said optical chamber; and

iii) a second flat sheet, wherein said adhesive sheet is positioned between said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet, and wherein at least one of said first flat sheet and said second flat sheet is made of a cyclo-olefin copolymer;

b) introducing a volume of sample into said optical chamber through said inlet hole;

c) illuminating said optical chamber with a light source capable of causing fluorescence emission in said sample; and

d) detecting said fluorescence emission.