Method and apparatus for storing and dispensing reagent beads

• US 7,575,721 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cepheid (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cepheid (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, Ronald, Montgomery, Steven Michael, Dority, Douglas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander; Lyle A
• Assistant Examiner(s): KWAK, DEAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/146,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20060275178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 422/61, 422/63, 422/99, 422/100, 436/174, 436/518, 221208-210, 221/217, 221/224, 221/229, 221/231, 221264-266
• US Class Current: 422/561
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00468 by manipulation of individual beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/005 Beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00657 One-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0647 Handling flowable solids, e.g. microscopic beads, cells, particles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0289 Apparatus for withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid B01L3/02 takes precedence; sample taking G01N1/00; sample taking within automatic analysers G01N35/00; volume measuring in general G01F
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/527 for a plurality of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00574 Means for distributing beads
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide an efficient and effective technique for storing and dispensing reagent beads. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided for dispensing reagent beads contained in a bead storage device which includes a bead carrier having a plurality of wells; a plurality of reagent beads disposed in the wells; and a cover tape releasably attached to the bead carrier to cover the wells and retain the reagent beads in the wells. The apparatus comprises a channel in which to place the bead storage device with the bead carrier facing a support wall of the channel and the cover tape facing a stripping wall of the channel. The stripping wall includes a stripping gap disposed between a stripping edge and an opposite edge, and a dispense opening provided adjacent the opposite edge on a side of the stripping wall opposite from the stripping edge. The cover tape is insertable through the stripping gap to be pulled against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the wells individually to dispense the reagent beads.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing reagent beads contained in a bead storage device which includes a bead carrier having a plurality of wells;

a plurality of reagent beads disposed in the plurality of wells; and

a cover tape releasably attached to the bead carrier to cover the plurality of wells and retain the plurality of reagent beads in the plurality of wells of the bead carrier, the apparatus comprising;

a channel in which to place the bead storage device with the bead carrier facing a support wall of the channel and the cover tape facing a stripping wall of the channel;

wherein the stripping wall includes a stripping gap disposed between a stripping edge and an opposite edge, and a dispense opening provided adjacent the opposite edge on a side of the stripping wall opposite from the stripping edge, the cover tape being insertable through the stripping gap to be pulled against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the plurality of wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the plurality of wells individually to dispense the plurality of reagent beads from the plurality of wells through the dispense opening.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stripping wall includes a spout coupled to the dispense opening and being oriented generally downward to dispense the reagent beads by gravity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the stripping edge includes a bend which bends outward from the channel and backward away from the opposite edge to guide the cover tape.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the channel is generally circular in shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a clutch configured to pull a leading end of the cover tape inserted through the stripping gap.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the clutch includes a ratchet mechanism to permit one-directional pulling of the cover tape.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a wheel coupled to the clutch for turning the clutch to pull the cover tape.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a housing including the channel disposed in an interior thereof, the wheel being exposed from the interior of the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover tape is insertable through the stripping gap to be pulled against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the plurality of wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the plurality of wells individually one at a time to dispense the reagent beads from the plurality of wells through the dispense opening.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a counter coupled to a portion of the cover tape which has been peeled from the bead carrier to count the number of wells being exposed to dispense the reagent beads based on a travel amount of the cover tape with respect to the stripping edge.

11. An apparatus for dispensing reagent beads contained in a bead storage device which includes a bead carrier having a plurality of wells;

a plurality of reagent beads disposed in the plurality of wells; and

a cover tape releasably attached to the bead carrier to cover the plurality of wells and retain the plurality of reagent beads in the plurality of wells of the bead carrier, the apparatus comprising;

a housing having in an interior thereof a channel in which to place the bead storage device with the bead carrier facing a support wall of the channel and the cover tape facing a stripping wall of the channel, wherein the stripping wall includes a stripping gap disposed between a stripping edge and an opposite edge, and a dispense opening provided adjacent the opposite edge on a side of the stripping wall opposite from the stripping edge;

a clutch configured to pull a leading end of the cover tape inserted through the stripping gap to pull the cover tape against the stripping edge; and

a wheel coupled to the clutch for turning the clutch to pull the cover tape.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the clutch includes a ratchet mechanism to permit one-directional pulling of the cover tape.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the wheel is exposed from the interior of the housing and sized to be rotatable by a user'"'"'s finger or thumb.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the stripping wall includes a spout coupled to the dispense opening and being oriented generally downward to dispense the reagent beads by gravity.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the stripping edge includes a bend which bends outward from the channel and backward away from the opposite edge to guide the cover tape.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the channel is generally circular in shape.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the clutch is configured to pull the leading end of the cover tape inserted through the stripping gap against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the plurality of wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the plurality of wells individually one at a time to dispense the reagent beads from the plurality of wells through the dispense opening.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the wheel is configured to turn by at least about 60°

to move from one well to a next well toward the dispense opening and expose the next well to dispense through the dispense opening.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a counter coupled to the clutch to count the number of wells being exposed to dispense the reagent beads based on a travel amount of the cover tape.

20. A method of dispensing reagent beads contained in a bead storage device which includes a bead carrier having a plurality of wells;

a plurality of reagent beads disposed in the plurality of wells; and

a cover tape releasably attached to the bead carrier to cover the plurality of wells and retain the plurality of reagent beads in the plurality of wells of the bead carrier, the method comprising;

placing the bead storage device in a channel with the bead carrier facing a support wall of the channel and the cover tape facing a stripping wall of the channel, wherein the stripping wall includes a stripping gap disposed between a stripping edge and an opposite edge, and a dispense opening provided adjacent the opposite edge on a side of the stripping wall opposite from the stripping edge;

inserting the cover tape through the stripping gap;

pulling the cover tape against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the plurality of wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the plurality of wells individually to dispense the plurality of reagent beads from the plurality of wells through the dispense opening.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the cover tape is pulled against the stripping edge in a direction generally opposite from a direction of travel of the bead carrier toward the dispense opening.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising orienting the dispense opening generally downward with respect to the wells to dispense the reagent beads by gravity.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising providing a clutch to pull a leading edge of the cover tape to pull the cover tape against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the clutch includes a ratchet mechanism to permit one-directional pulling of the cover tape.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein pulling the cover tape comprises turning a wheel coupled to the clutch.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the cover tape is pulled against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the plurality of wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the plurality of wells individually one at a time to dispense the reagent beads from the plurality of wells through the dispense opening.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising counting the number of wells being exposed to dispense the reagent beads based on a travel amount of the cover tape with respect to the stripping edge.