Method and a device for treating microparticles

• US 8,430,247 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BioControl Systems, Inc. (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BioControl Systems, Inc. (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Korpela, Matti, Rundt, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Brian R
• Application Number:
  US13/300,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20120128550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 422500-501, 422/527, 422/549, 422/560, 422/401, 422/409, 209/213, 209/215, 209/217, 209/219, 209/221, 209/223.2, 209/224, 210/222, 335/295, 335/302
• US Class Current: 209/217
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 1/286 disposed at the inner circumference of a recipient, e.g. magnetic drain bolt
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/18 Magnetic separation whereby the particles are suspended in a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B03C 2201/26 for use in medical or biological applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/28 Preparing specimens for investigation including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Qmounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 ; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54326 Magnetic particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Method for handling microparticles in such a manner, that at least two treatment steps are performed for microparticles in the same vessel without moving the particles to another vessel. There are organs in the device for changing the solution without having to move the microparticles to another vessel.

Claims

1. A device for handling magnetic microparticles that bind a desired component from a sample, comprising:

(a) magnetic microparticles (22) selected from the group consisting of;

ferromagnetic, paramagnetic or superparamagnetic particles, wherein the magnetic particles bind a desired component selected from the group consisting of;

a nucleic acid, a protein, a peptide, a cell organelle, a bacterium, a cell, and a virus;

(b) a vessel (26), wherein the vessel is a tube or a well; and

(c) a magnetic tool (10), comprising a magnet (13), a protective shield (21) or coating, and a ferromagnetic sleeve (12), wherein the magnet (13) and the ferromagnetic sleeve (12) are each movable in relation to each other and wherein the magnetic field of the magnet (13) is increased when the magnet (13) is partly or completely outside the ferromagnetic sleeve (12).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the protective shield is an elastomer or non-elastomer shield (21) for binding the microparticles (22).

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the protective shield is an elastomeric membrane covering the magnetic tool, wherein the elastic membrane has ridges on its outer surface.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the vessel (26) is closed by the magnetic tool (10).

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the protective shield is an elastomeric membrane.

6. The device according to claim 1, comprising a filter (77) at the bottom of the vessel (26).

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the bottom of the vessel (26) further comprises a channel (85) for conducting solution (23) through the filter (77) out from the vessel.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the magnet (13) has a magnetizing axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ferromagnetic sleeve (12) and the magnet (13).

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the magnet (13) has a magnetizing axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ferromagnetic sleeve (12) and the magnet (13).