Fluidic circuits for sample preparation including bio-discs and methods relating thereto

• US 7,390,464 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vindur Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Burstein Technologies, Inc., Nagaoka & Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Coombs, James H., Norton, James R., Kido, Horacio
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEVKOVICH, NATALIA A
• Application Number:
  US10/899,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20050084422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 422/100, 422/72, 422/102, 435/288.5, 436/45
• US Class Current: 422/547
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0621 Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0806 Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502723 characterised by venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/111666 Utilizing a centrifuge or compartmented rotor

Abstract

A fluidic circuit for receiving a fluid and separating a component of a fluid from the fluid comprises a separation chamber for receiving the fluid, an air chamber in fluid communication with the separation chamber, and a return channel in fluid communication with the separation chamber. In an advantageous embodiment, the fluidic circuit is subjected to a force, such as a centrifugal force, so that substantially all of the component of the fluid is moved to the return channel while substantially all remaining portions of the fluid are moved to the separation chamber.

Claims

1. An optical disc for processing and analyzing a sample, comprising:

a substantially circular substrate;

a cap portion;

a channel layer positioned between said substrate and said cap portion, said channel layer comprising at least one fluidic circuit, said fluidic circuit comprising;

a mixing chamber configured to mix a portion of said sample with a fluid, said mixing chamber having a first end and a second end;

a first valve connected to said first end of said mixing chamber;

a sample circuit configured to pass said portion of said sample to said mixing chamber, said sample circuit comprising a sample flow channel with a first and second end, said first end positioned closer to the center of said optical disc than said second end and configured to introduce a volume of said portion of said sample into said sample flow channel, and said second end in fluid communication with said first valve, wherein said first valve is configured to prevent interaction of said portion of said sample with said fluid, and to prevent flow of said portion of said sample out of said sample flow channel through said second end and said first valve and into said mixing chamber until the optical disc is rotated at a predetermined speed which causes said portion of said sample to be forced through said first valve;

a fluid circuit configured to pass said fluid to said mixing chamber, said fluid circuit comprising a fluid flow channel with a first and second end, said first end positioned closer to the center of said optical disc than said second end and configured to introduce a volume of said fluid into said fluid flow channel, and said second end in fluid communication with said first valve, wherein said first valve is configured to prevent interaction of said portion of said sample with said fluid, and to prevent flow of said volume of said fluid out of said fluid flow channel through said second end and said first valve and into said mixing chamber until the optical disc is rotated at said predetermined speed;

an analysis chamber connected to said second end of said mixing chamber for analyzing the mixed sample, and wherein said sample circuit further comprises;

a sample loading chamber configured to receive and hold said fluid sample, said sample loading chamber comprising a sample inlet port for introducing the sample into the sample loading chamber;

a sample pass through channel having a first end and a second end, said first end of said sample pass through channel connected to said sample loading chamber and said second end of said sample pass through channel connected to said first end of said sample flow channel;

a second valve positioned within said sample pass through channel and configured to prevent said sample from flowing out of said sample pass through channel until said optical disc is rotated at a predetermined speed which causes said sample to be forced through said second valve;

a separation chamber having an inlet port connected to said second end of said sample pass through channel and to said first end of said sample flow channel, said separation chamber configured to separate said portion of the sample when the optical disc is rotated; and

wherein said fluid circuit further comprises;

a fluid loading chamber configured to receive and hold a fluid, said fluid loading chamber comprising an inlet port for introducing the fluid into the sample loading chamber;

a fluid pass through channel having a first end and a second end, said first end of said fluid pass through channel connected to said fluid loading chamber and said second end of said fluid pass through channel connected to said first end of said fluid flow channel; and

a third valve positioned within said fluid pass through channel and configured to prevent said fluid from flowing out of said fluid pass through channel until said optical disc is rotated at a predetermined speed which causes said fluid to be forced through said third valve.

2. The optical disc of claim 1 further comprising:

a vent channel having a first end and a second end, said first and of said vent channel in fluid communication with said analysis chamber; and

a vent port connected to said second end of said vent channel.

3. The optical disc of claim 2, further comprising:

a sample waste channel having a first end and a second end, said first end of said sample waste channel connected to and in fluid communication with said sample pass through channel;

a sample waste chamber in fluid communication with said second end of said sample waste channel;

a sample waste vent channel in fluid communication with said sample waste chamber; and

a sample vent port in fluid communication with said sample vent channel.

4. The optical disc of claim 3, further comprising:

a fluid waste channel having a first end and a second end, said first end of said fluid waste channel connected to and in fluid communication with said fluid pass through channel;

a fluid waste chamber in fluid communication with said second end of said fluid waste channel;

a fluid waste vent channel in fluid communication with said fluid waste chamber; and

a fluid vent port in fluid communication with said buffer fluid waste vent channel.

5. The optical disc of claim 4 further comprising:

a sample waste vent channel in fluid communication with said separation chamber; and

a sample vent port in fluid communication with said sample waste vent channel.

6. The optical disc of claim 1, wherein the analysis chamber comprises analysis zones having capture agents that bind with analytes of interest in the mixed sample.

7. The optical disc of claim 1 wherein the fluid comprises a buffer.

8. The optical disc of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third valves comprise capillary valves.