Apparatus for storing and dispensing reagent beads

• US 8,409,530 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cepheid (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cepheid (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, Ronald, Dority, Douglas B., Montgomery, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): KWAK, DEAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/512,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20090308886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 422/99, 422/500, 221208-210, 221/217, 221/224, 221/229, 221/231, 221264-266, 436/518
• 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 some embodiments, 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. A device for storing and dispensing reagent beads, the device comprising:

a bead carrier having two ends along its longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of wells between the two ends;

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;

wherein the two ends of the bead carrier are placed in a close proximity and the bead carrier is configured in a circular shape with the cover tape on the outside of the circular shape, wherein the bead carrier and the cover tape are each made of an anti-static material; and

wherein a leading edge of the cover tape is connected to a clutch located outside of the perimeter defined by the circular shape, and wherein the clutch is configured to pull the leading end of the cover tape to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to expose the plurality of wells individually to dispense the plurality of reagent beads from the plurality of wells.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the anti-static material comprises styrene impregnated with carbon.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the cover tape is releasably attached to the bead carrier by a pressure sensitive adhesive.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the bead carrier includes a linear array of wells spaced by a generally uniform distance.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the cover tape is peelable from the bead carrier to expose the plurality of wells individually one at a time.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each well is transparent.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the leading edge of the cover tape is directly connected to the clutch.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reagent beads each comprises a chemical.