Fluid processing and control

• US 8,431,413 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cepheid (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cepheid (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Dority, Douglas B., Chang, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Nagpaul, Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US13/245,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20120034705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 422500-501, 436/180, 738/637.1, 738/637.2, 738/637.3, 210222-223
• US Class Current: 436/500
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/06 Fluid handling related problems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/06 Auxiliary integrated devices, integrated components
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0645 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0848 Specific forms of parts of containers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0877 Flow chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/14 Means for pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0421 electrophoretic flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0644 rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• 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: G01N 1/18 with provision for splitting samples into portions G01N1/12, G01N1/14 take precedence; fraction-collection apparatus for chromatography B01D15/08
• 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 1/405 : by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/255 : including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A fluid control and processing system for controlling fluid flow among a plurality of chambers comprises a body including a fluid processing region continuously coupled fluidicly with a fluid displacement region. The fluid displacement region is depressurizable to draw fluid into the fluid displacement region and pressurizable to expel fluid from the fluid displacement region. The body includes at least one external port. The fluid processing region is fluidicly coupled with the at least one external port. The fluid displacement region is fluidicly coupled with at least one external port of the body. The body is adjustable with respect to the plurality of chambers to place the at least one external port selectively in fluidic communication with the plurality of chambers.

Claims

1. A fluid control and processing system comprising:

a housing having a plurality of chambers and at least one separation channel; and

a valve body including a fluid processing region continuously coupled fluidicly with a fluid displacement region, the fluid displacement region including or being connected to a means that depressurizes the fluid displacement region to draw fluid into the fluid displacement region and pressurizes the fluid displacement region to expel fluid from the fluid displacement region, the valve body including at least one external port, the fluid processing region being fluidicly coupled with the at least one external port, the fluid displacement region being fluidicly coupled with at least one external port of the valve body, and the valve body being adjustable with respect to the housing to allow the at least one external port to be placed selectively in fluidic communication with the plurality of chambers and with the at least one separation channel.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrodes coupled to the housing to apply an electric field across at least a portion of the separation channel.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electrodes comprise a pair of metal tubes at the two opposite ends of the separation channel.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising reservoirs fluidicly coupled to opposite ends of the separation channel, and a reservoir port fluidicly coupled to one of the reservoirs for communicating with the at least one external port of the valve body.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the chambers is a reagent chamber containing dried or lyophilized reagents.

6. A method for controlling fluid flow between the valve body, the plurality of chambers, and the at least one separation channel of the system of claim 1, the method comprising:

adjusting the valve body with respect to the plurality of chambers and the at least one separation channel to place the at least one external port selectively in fluidic communication with the plurality of chambers and the separation channel.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising applying an electric field across at least a portion of the separation channel.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the external port is placed in fluidic communication with the separation channel via a reservoir fluidicly coupled to one end of the separation channel, the reservoir having a reservoir port for communicating with the at least one external port of the valve body.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising optically detecting species bands in the separation channel.