Analyzing cartridge and liquid feed control device

• US 7,625,760 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitaguchi, Nobuya, Kiguchi, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): JARRETT, LORE RAMILLANO
• Application Number:
  US11/056,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20050148091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 422/57, 422/58, 422/70, 436/165, 436/180
• US Class Current: 436/165
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0621 Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/148 Specific details about calibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/047 Additional chamber, reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0418 electro-osmotic flow [EOF]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0481 squeezing of channels or chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• 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 3/50273 : characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 : characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/523 : with means for closing or opening
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1044 : Using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

An analyzing cartridge and method for using it to analyze a sample having a plurality of reservoirs and capillaries connected for communication between these reservoirs and is provided therein with a reagent required for analysis. The reservoirs are provided with openings leading to the outside of the cartridge, and the openings are covered with vents each consisting of a gas-permeable/non-liquid-permeable, hydrophobic, porous membrane. The analyzing cartridge requires only trace amounts of a sample and a reagent and no maintenance. It is provided with a non-fluid reagent in vent-carrying reservoirs thereby making it possible to formulate a very trace amount of reagent solution in the cartridge by injecting a reagent dissolving liquid into the reservoirs immediately before analyzing. A liquid feed control device controls the feeding of the liquid between the reservoirs via the capillaries when it is attached to the cartridge to allow or control the entry/exit of air via the vents.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing a sample comprising the steps of:

feeding a reagent dissolving liquid from a reagent dissolving liquid storing reservoir in an analyzing cartridge in which said reagent dissolving liquid for dissolving a reagent is stored to a reagent storing reservoir in said analyzing cartridge in which a reagent for use in the analysis is stored through capillaries connected for communication between these reservoirs, at least one of said reservoirs having an opening leading to the outside of the analyzing cartridge, at least one of the reservoirs having an opening being covered with a gas-permeable/non-liquid-permeable vent, the reagent being located in at least one of said reservoirs having an opening covered with a vent;

dissolving a non-fluid reagent located in said reagent storing reservoir, in said reagent dissolving liquid in said reagent storing reservoir when a portion pack containing the reagent dissolving liquid and made of aluminum coated polyethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate or polymethylpentene sheet material is broken to introduce the reagent dissolving liquid into the reagent dissolving liquid storing reservoir which liquid is then fed to the reagent storing reservoir to prepare a reagent solution in the analyzing cartridge immediately before analysis is carried out;

introducing a sample into said reagent solution in said reagent storing reservoir; and

carrying out an analysis of said sample in said reagent solution in said reagent storing reservoir;

wherein the portion pack is broken with a pin for breaking the portion pack that is provided with the portion pack or is broken with pressure caused by pressing over the vent to discharge reagent dissolving liquid contained in the portion pack when the portion pack is located in the analyzing cartridge with a part thereof covered by the vent.

2. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 1, including mixing and reacting together a sample which is liquid and said reagent solution in said reagent storing reservoir using said capillaries.

3. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 1, wherein said vent is composed of a hydrophobic member having pores.

4. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 3, wherein said hydrophobic member having pores is a hydrophobic porous membrane.

5. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 4, wherein the openings of a plurality of reservoirs are covered with a common hydrophobic porous membrane to form respective vents, and the portions of said hydrophobic porous membrane located between the reservoirs are deprived of porosity.

6. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 5, wherein the portions of said hydrophobic porous membrane located between the reservoirs are deprived of porosity by applying pressure to the portions.

7. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 1, wherein said analyzing cartridge includes, in addition to said reservoir containing said reagent, a calibration solution storing reservoir for storing a calibration solution for calibrating the result of analysis, a sample storing reservoir for storing a liquid sample, a diluent storing reservoir for storing a diluent for diluting said calibration solution and said sample, a measuring reservoir for measuring said calibration solution and said sample, and a diluting reservoir for mixing said measured calibration solution or said measured sample with said diluent to dilute the same, and a capillary is connected for communicating said measuring reservoir with said calibration solution storing reservoir, with said sample storing reservoir, with said diluent storing reservoir and with said diluting reservoir, respectively.

8. A method of analyzing a sample according to claim 7, that includes:

a calibration solution measuring step of measuring said calibration solution by feeding said calibration solution from said calibration solution storing reservoir into said measuring reservoir;

a calibration solution diluting step of feeding said diluent from said diluent storing reservoir into said measuring reservoir, thereby feeding said diluent and said calibration solution in said measuring reservoir into said diluting reservoir to mix said calibration solution and said diluent together to dilute said calibration solution;

a calibration solution analyzing step of reacting said diluted calibration solution with said reagent to obtain the value measured by analysis of said diluted calibration solution;

a sample measuring step of measuring said sample by feeding said sample from said sample storing reservoir into said measuring reservoir;

a sample diluting step of feeding said diluent from said diluent storing reservoir into said measuring reservoir, thereby feeding said diluent and said sample in said measuring reservoir into said diluting reservoir to mix said sample and said diluent together to dilute said sample;

a sample analyzing step of reacting said diluted sample with said reagent to obtain the value measured by analysis of said diluted sample; and

a calibrating step of calibrating the value measured by analysis of said sample using the value measured by analysis of said calibration solution.

9. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 1, wherein said analyzing cartridge includes, in addition to said reservoir containing said reagent, a sample storing reservoir for storing a liquid sample, a diluent storing reservoir for storing a diluent for diluting said sample, a measuring reservoir for measuring said sample, and a diluting reservoir for mixing said diluent with said measured sample to dilute the same, and a capillary is connected for communicating said measuring reservoir with said sample storing reservoir, with said diluent storing reservoir and with said diluting reservoir, respectively.

10. A method of analyzing a sample according to claim 9, that includes:

a sample measuring step of measuring said sample by feeding said sample from said sample storing reservoir into said measuring reservoir; and

a sample diluting step of feeding said diluent from said diluent storing reservoir into said measuring reservoir, thereby feeding said diluent and said sample in said measuring reservoir into said diluting reservoir to mix said sample and said diluent together to dilute said sample.

11. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 1, including a liquid feed control device attached to the analyzing cartridge that controls the feeding of a liquid between said any reservoirs via said capillaries by allowing or regulating the entry/exit of a gas via said vent, thereby letting said liquid flow into said reservoirs or letting said liquid flow from said reservoirs via said capillaries.

12. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 11, wherein the liquid feed control device includes valves placed in positions opposite to said reservoirs with said vents therebetween, in which the entry/exit of the gas via said vents is allowed or regulated by the valves.

13. The method of analyzing a sample according to claim 11, wherein the liquid feed control device includes couplers placed in positions opposite to said reservoirs with said vents therebetween, and attached to said vents in such a manner as to cover said openings, pumps coupled to said couplers, and valves placed between said couplers and said pumps, in which the entry/exit of the gas via said vents is allowed or regulated by at least one of said pump or said valve.