Sample pick-up and metering device with integrated liquid compartments

• US 8,303,912 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Burkhardt, Claudius, Burri, Martin, Siljegovic, Vuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Nagpaul, Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US11/502,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,280 Days
• Field of Search: 422 99-101, 422/50, 422501-504, 422/507, 222/54, 436/180
• US Class Current: 422/507
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• 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 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/10 in the liquid or fluent state burettes, pipettes B01L3/02; sampling of ground water E02D1/06; metering by volume of fluids or fluent solid material G01F11/00, G01F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/149 Capillaries; Sponges
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 Control of the volume dispensed or introduced
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The present invention concerns sample pick-up and metering devices, analytical test systems for determining an analyte in a sample liquid and their use for this purpose and methods for determining an analyte in a sample liquid. They comprise or use a sample pick-up and metering device according to the invention which consists of a support and a metering element integrated into the support for taking up a defined volume of sample liquid and a closed liquid compartment located on the support which contains a defined volume of a liquid where the liquid compartment on the support can be opened.

Claims

1. A method for determining an analyte in a liquid sample comprising:

a) providing an analytical test system comprising;

a sample pick-up and metering device comprising;

a metering element that picks up and retains a defined volume of the liquid sample,

a support which contains at least one closed liquid compartment in which a defined volume of a liquid is contained, wherein

the support, the liquid compartment, and the metering element form one constructional unit, and

the metering element is fixedly connected to the support, and

a reaction cuvette;

b) contacting the metering element with the liquid sample to be analyzed such that the defined volume of the liquid sample remains in the metering element;

c) introducing the sample pick-up and metering device into the reaction cuvette;

d) opening at least one liquid compartment on the support such that the liquid contained in this liquid compartment flows into the reaction cuvette and comes there into contact with the liquid sample contained in the metering element in such a manner that the liquid sample from the metering element is provided in the reaction cuvette and a reaction mixture is formed; and

e) determining the analyte on the basis of a characteristic measured quantity for the analyte.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising adding reagents for the determination of the analyte and/or intermixing the reaction mixture.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining the analyte on the basis of a characteristic measured quantity for the analyte by optical detection methods.

4. An analytical test system for determining an analyte in a liquid sample comprising:

a support including

a closed liquid compartment in which a defined volume of a liquid is contained, the liquid compartment being closed by a liquid-tight and gas-tight foil that can be pulled off or pierced, and

a metering element including a capillary that picks up and retains a defined volume of the liquid sample; and

a reaction cuvette defining a volume that receives the support;

wherein the liquid compartment is configured to be opened to release the liquid contained in the liquid compartment into the reaction cuvette to mix with the liquid sample and facilitate analyte determination.

5. A sample pick-up and metering device comprising:

a metering element; and

a support which contains at least one closed liquid compartment in which a defined volume of a liquid is contained, wherein

the metering element includes a capillary with two free openings that picks up and retains a defined volume of liquid sample and forms one constructional unit with the support and the liquid compartment, and

the liquid compartment is closed by a liquid-tight and gastight foil, which when pulled causes the defined volume of the liquid contained in the liquid compartment to come into contact and mix with the defined volume of liquid sample contained in the metering element.

6. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 5, wherein the support is configured such that after opening the liquid compartment, the liquid contained in the liquid compartment comes into contact with and is mixed with the defined volume of the liquid sample contained in the metering element.

7. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 5, wherein at least one liquid contained in the liquid compartment is a buffer solution or diluent solution or a reagent solution.

8. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 5, wherein two or more liquid compartments that are separate from one another are present on the support.

9. The sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 8, wherein said compartments are opened simultaneously or sequentially.

10. An analytical test system for determining an analyte in a liquid sample comprising:

a sample pick-up and metering device according to claim 5, and

a reaction cuvette.

11. The analytical test system according to claim 10 further comprising a mixing device.

12. The analytical test system according to claim 10, wherein the reaction cuvette contains one or more devices which enable a determination of the analyte in the reaction cuvette.

13. The analytical test system according to claim 10, wherein the specific reagent liquids required to determine the analyte are contained in one or more liquid compartments on the support of the sample pick-up and metering device.

14. The analytical test system according to claim 10, wherein the specific reagents required to determine the analyte are contained in the reaction cuvette.

15. The analytical test system according to claim 14, wherein said reagents are in a dry chemistry form.

16. The analytical test system according to claim 10, wherein the analyte is determined by sequential detection reactions.

17. The analytical test system according to claim 10, wherein the analyte is haemoglobin A1 c and said liquid sample is blood.