Assay system

• US 7,632,462 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axis-Shield ASA
• Original Assignee: Axis-Shield ASA
• Inventors: Ton, Hege, Seim, Thorstein, Karlson, Jan Roger, Holtlund, Jostein, Janson, Tore, Borch, Stig Morten, Lauvstad, Inger Lise
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden; Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nagpaul; Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US10/476,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20040161368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,777 Days
• Field of Search: 422 99-101, 422 65- 67, 222/187, 436/180
• US Class Current: 422/65
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1805 Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1844 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0275 Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0325 Cells for testing reactions, e.g. containing reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0346 Capillary cells; Microcells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0357 Sets of cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0382 Frustoconical, tapered cell
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0436 with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1053 for separating part of the liquid, e.g. filters, extraction phase
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0303 Optical path conditioning in cuvettes, e.g. windows; adapted optical elements or systems; path modifying or adjustment G01N21/031 - G01N21/15 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/11 Filling or emptying of cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5302 Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/723 Glycosylated haemoglobin
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/86 involving blood coagulating time or factors, or their receptors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/10 Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices G01N35/0099 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

An assay apparatus comprising: i) an assay cartridge (52,53) comprising at least one well (57-62) and a pipette (50) positionable in at least one said well; ii) a holder arranged to receive said cartridge; iii) drive means operable to position said pipette in selected wells of said cartridge; iv) a gas pressure applicator couplable to said pipette whereby to cause liquid flow through said membrane; and v) a radiation detector operable to detect radiation from a well of said cartridge or from said pipette.

Claims

1. An assay cartridge comprising at least two wells and a membrane-tipped pipette positionable in at least two of said wells, said membrane-tipped pipette having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being closed by a liquid permeable membrane, wherein said cartridge further comprises a capillary-tipped pipette.

2. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said membrane-tipped pipette is closed by a sloping liquid permeable membrane.

3. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sloping membrane lies in a plane at an angle of 20 to 40°

to the axis of said membrane-tipped pipette to which it is attached.

4. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said a membrane-tipped pipette has a membrane-tipped end is of rectangular cross section.

5. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cartridge comprises detachable base and cap members, said wells being disposed in said base member and said cap member being arranged to carry said membrane-tipped pipette positionable in at least two of said wells.

6. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 5 wherein said cap member comprises means to receives said capillary-tipped pipette.

7. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least one of said wells is sealed at its upper end by a frangible seal and wherein said cap member is provided with a cutter arranged to pierce said seal.

8. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 5 wherein said base member comprises an absorbent wiper arranged to wipe the outside of said capillary-tipped pipette inserted therein.

9. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said membrane-tipped pipette the proximal end whereof is closed by a piercable self-sealing membrane.

10. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wells in said cartridge are arranged in a linear array.

11. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said wells contains an assay reagent.

12. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein said capillary tip is provided with a detachable sleeve.

13. An assay cartridge as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one said well has two parallel planar side walls joined by a base wall comprising at least one planar face a normal to the surface whereof is coplanar to and non-perpendicular to normals to the parallel planar surfaces of said side walls.

14. An assay device comprising a) a cartridge holder capable of receiving an assay cartridge comprising at least two wells and a membrane-tipped pipette positionable in at least two of said wells, said membrane-tipped pipette having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being closed by a liquid permeable membrane;

b) drive means operable to position said membrane-tipped pipette of said cartridge in selected wells of said cartridge;

c) a gas pressure applicator couplable to said membrane-tipped pipette of said cartridge whereby to cause liquid flow therethrough; and

d) a radiation detector operable to detect radiation from said well of said cartridge or from said membrane-tipped pipette thereof

15. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said radiation detector comprises a digital camera.

16. A device as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a light source arranged to illuminate said cartridge.

17. A device as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a magnet.

18. A device as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a heater arranged to heat said cartridge.

19. A device as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a controller arranged to control assay performance by said apparatus.

20. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said gas pressure applicator comprises a piston disposed within a cylindrical housing and a drive motor arranged to drive said piston.