Mixing cartridges, mixing stations, and related kits, systems, and methods

• US 8,550,694 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ibis Biosciences Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ibis Biosciences Incorporated
• Inventors: Hofstadler, Steven A., Drader, Jared J., Gutierrez, Jose R., Bare, Rex O., Miller, Robert D., Smith, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SOOHOO, TONY GLEN
• Application Number:
  US12/560,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20100128558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 366/197, 366/198, 366/276, 366/277, 366/278, 993/48
• US Class Current: 366/197
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2035/99 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/22 Mixing of ingredients for pharmaceutical or medical compositions
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/23 Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/11 characterised by the configuration of the stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/1125 with vanes or blades extending parallel or oblique to the stirrer axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/1141 having holes in the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/70 with paddles, blades or arms
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/445 performing an oscillatory movement about an axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/449 Stirrers constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/45 Magnetic mixers; Mixers with magnetically driven stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5012 adapted to be mounted during use on a standard, base or support
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/81 Combinations of similar mixers, e.g. with rotary stirring devices in two or more receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/813 mixing simultaneously in two or more mixing receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/213 of the properties of the mixtures, e.g. temperature, density or colour
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/31 Couplings
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/325 Driving reciprocating or oscillating stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/92 for heating the outside of the receptacle, e.g. heated jackets or burners
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence

Abstract

Cartridges useful for mixing materials, such as fluidic materials are provided. A cartridge typically includes a body structure having surfaces that define a cavity with upper and lower portions. A rotatable member generally extends along a horizontal axis in the upper portion of the cavity. One or more protrusions typically extend outward from the rotatable member and into the lower portion of the cavity, and are configured to mix the material when the material is disposed in the cavity. Related mixing stations, systems, kits, and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A cartridge for mixing material, comprising:

at least one body structure comprising one or more surfaces that define a cavity having upper and lower portions;

at least one rotatable member extending at least partially along an axis that is substantially horizontally disposed in the upper portion of the cavity, which rotatable member is configured to operably connect to a rotational mechanism; and

at least one protrusion extending outward from the rotatable member and into the lower portion of the cavity, which protrusion is configured to mix the material when the material is disposed in the cavity, the rotatable member is operably connected to the rotational mechanism, and the rotational mechanism at least partially rotates the rotatable member about the axis wherein the cartridge comprises fluidic material disposed in the cavity wherein the fluidic material comprises particles selected from the group consisting of;

cells, biopolymers, and solid supports.

2. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cavity lacks an area in which particles fall out of suspension.

3. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the cavity comprises at least one hole or indentation that receives at least a section of the rotatable member.

4. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the cavity comprises a volume capacity of about 500 mL or less.

5. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the body structure is dimensioned to be handheld a height of 10 cm or less, a width of 15 cm or less, and a length of 20 cm or less.

6. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the body structure comprises at least one alignment feature configured to align the cartridge relative to a cartridge support structure of a cartridge receiver/rotation assembly, when the cartridge is positioned on the cartridge support structure of the cartridge receiver/rotation assembly.

7. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the body structure comprises at least one retention component configured to engage at least one retention mechanism of a cartridge receiver/rotation assembly when the cartridge is positioned on a cartridge support structure of the cartridge receiver/rotation assembly.

8. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the rotatable member is configured to rotate about 180 degrees or less within the cavity.

9. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the rotatable member is configured to operably connect to the rotational mechanism via a substantially vertically disposed side surface of the body structure.

10. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the rotatable member comprises at least a first magnetic coupler that is configured to interact with at least a second magnetic coupler of the rotational mechanism to effect rotation of the rotatable member when the first and second magnetic couplers are within magnetic communication with one another and the rotational mechanism effects rotation of the second magnetic coupler.

11. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the protrusion comprises at least one paddle or at least one blade.

12. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is fabricated integral with the rotatable member.

13. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the rotatable member comprises a plurality of protrusions.

14. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the body structure comprises an opening that communicates with the cavity.

15. The cartridge of claim 14, comprising a sealing member operably connected to the body structure, which sealing member is structured to substantially seal the opening.

16. The cartridge of claim 15, wherein the sealing member comprises a removable cover that is structured to engage at least one surface of the body structure.

17. The cartridge of claim 15, wherein the sealing member comprises a film that overlays the opening on the top surface of the body structure.

18. The cartridge of claim 17, wherein the film comprises a heat sealed film.

19. The cartridge of claim 17, wherein the film comprises an adhesive.

20. The cartridge of claim 15, comprising a fill port disposed through said sealing member.

21. The cartridge of claim 15, comprising a vent port disposed through said sealing member.

22. The cartridge of claim 15, comprising an aperture disposed through the sealing member, which aperture is configured to receive a fluid handling component such that the fluid handling component can fluidly communicate with the cavity.

23. The cartridge of claim 22, wherein the aperture is disposed through the sealing member relative to the rotatable member and to the protrusion such that the fluid handling component does not contact the rotatable member or the protrusion when the rotatable member rotates the protrusion and the aperture receives the fluid handling component.

24. The cartridge of claim 22, comprising a closure disposed in or over the aperture.

25. The cartridge of claim 24, wherein the closure comprises a septum.

26. The cartridge of claim 24, wherein the closure is re-sealable.

27. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the particles are maintained in suspension within the fluidic material when the rotatable member is operably connected to the rotational mechanism and the rotational mechanism at least partially rotates the rotatable member about the axis.

28. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise magnetically responsive particles.

29. The cartridge of claim 28, wherein the magnetically responsive particles comprise magnetically responsive beads.

30. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least a first surface of the body structure is substantially symmetrical about the axis of the cavity.

31. The cartridge of claim 30, wherein a distance between a lower portion of the protrusion and the first surface of the cavity is substantially identical at two or more positions about the axis of the cavity.

32. The cartridge of claim 30, wherein the first surface of the cavity is curved.

33. The cartridge of claim 32, wherein a radius of curvature of the first surface of the cavity varies along the length of the cavity.

34. The cartridge of claim 32, wherein a radius of curvature of the first surface of the cavity is larger at a central portion of the cavity than the radius of curvature near an end portion of the cavity.

35. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the rotatable member comprises a proximal end which extends through a hole or an indentation in a surface of the cartridge, and wherein the proximal end is configured to operably connect to the rotational mechanism.

36. The cartridge of claim 35, comprising at least one washer disposed around the proximal end of the rotatable member to seal the hole or indentation in the surface of the cartridge.

37. The cartridge of claim 35, comprising a projection that extends outward from the rotatable member, which projection is configured to activate a motion sensor when the motion sensor is in sensory communication with the projection and the rotatable member is rotated.

38. The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the protrusion comprises at least one substantially vertically disposed segment that extends downward from the rotatable member and at least one substantially laterally disposed segment that extends outward from the substantially vertically disposed segment.

39. The cartridge of claim 38, wherein the substantially laterally disposed segment comprises an edge having a textured surface.

40. A mixing station, comprising:

at least one cartridge that comprises;

at least one body structure comprising one or more surfaces that define a cavity having upper and lower portions;

at least one rotatable member extending at least partially along an axis that is substantially horizontally disposed in the upper portion of the cavity; and

at least one protrusion extending outward from the rotatable member and into the lower portion of the cavity; and

,

at least one cartridge receiver/rotation assembly that comprises;

at least one cartridge support structure that supports the body structure of the cartridge wherein the cartridge is removable from the cartridge support structure; and

a rotational mechanism operably connected to the rotatable member.

41. The mixing station of claim 40, comprising a thermal modulating component within thermal communication of the cavity to modulate temperature of fluidic material when the fluidic material is disposed in the cavity.

42. The mixing station of claim 40, wherein the body structure comprises at least one retention component and wherein the cartridge receiver/rotation assembly comprises at least one retention mechanism that engages the retention component to retain the cartridge on the cartridge support structure of the cartridge receiver/rotation assembly.

43. The mixing station of claim 40, wherein the rotatable member comprises at least a first magnetic coupler and wherein the rotational mechanism comprises at least a second magnetic coupler that magnetically communicates with the first magnetic coupler to effect rotation of the rotatable member when the rotational mechanism rotates the second magnetic coupler.

44. The mixing station of claim 40, wherein the rotational mechanism is mounted on the cartridge support structure.

45. The mixing station of claim 40, wherein the cartridge receiver/rotation assembly comprises at least one controller operably connected at least to the rotational mechanism, which controller is configured to selectively direct the rotational mechanism to rotate the rotatable member in an initiation mode or in a maintenance mode, wherein a rate of rotation of the rotatable member is greater in the initiation mode than in the maintenance mode.

46. The mixing station of claim 40, wherein the cartridge receiver/rotation assembly comprises a motion sensor that is configured to sense motion of the rotatable member when the rotational mechanism rotates the rotatable member.

47. The mixing station of claim 46, comprising a projection that extends outward from the rotatable member, which projection is configured to activate the motion sensor when the rotatable member is rotated.

48. The mixing station of claim 40, comprising at least one detection component in sensory communication with the cavity, which detection component is configured to detect one or more parameters of a fluidic material when the fluidic material is disposed in the cavity.

49. The mixing station of claim 48, wherein the parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

pH, temperature, pressure, density, salinity, conductivity, fluid level, radioactivity, luminescence, fluorescence, and phosphorescence.

50. The mixing station of claim 40, wherein the cartridge support structure comprises a recessed region that receives at least part of the body structure.

51. The mixing station of claim 50, wherein the recessed region comprises at least one groove and wherein the body structure comprises at least one alignment feature that is received within the groove to align the cartridge relative to the cartridge support structure of the cartridge receiver/rotation assembly.

52. A kit, comprising:

at least one cartridge that comprises;

at least one body structure comprising one or more surfaces that define a cavity having upper and lower portions;

at least one rotatable member extending at least partially along an axis that is substantially horizontally disposed in the upper portion of the cavity; and

at least one protrusion extending outward from the rotatable member and into the lower portion of the cavity;

at least one fluidic material and/or at least one particle disposed in the cavity and/or in at least one separate container wherein the particle is selected from the group consisting of;

a cell, a biopolymer, and a solid support; and

instructions for mixing the fluidic material and/or the particle in the cartridge and/or loading the fluidic material and/or the particle into the cavity of the cartridge.

53. The kit of claim 52, wherein the body structure is dimensioned to be handheld.

54. The kit of claim 52, comprising packaging for containing the cartridge, the separate container, and/or the instructions.

55. The kit of claim 52, wherein the fluidic material comprises one or more of:

water, a buffer, or a cell culture medium.

56. The kit of claim 52, wherein the particle comprises at least one magnetically responsive particle.

57. A cartridge for mixing material, comprising:

at least one body structure comprising one or more surfaces that define a cavity having upper and lower portions;

at least one rotatable member extending at least partially along an axis that is substantially horizontally disposed in the upper portion of the cavity, which rotatable member is configured to operably connect to a rotational mechanism; and

at least one protrusion extending outward from the rotatable member and into the lower portion of the cavity, which protrusion is configured to mix the material when the material is disposed in the cavity, the rotatable member is operably connected to the rotational mechanism, and the rotational mechanism at least partially rotates the rotatable member about the axis wherein the cavity is fully enclosed within the body structure and wherein the body structure comprises an aperture disposed through a top surface of the body structure, which aperture is configured to receive a fluid handling component that fluidly communicates with the cavity.

58. The cartridge of claim 57, wherein the aperture is disposed through the top surface of the body structure relative to the rotatable member and to the protrusion such that the fluid handling component does not contact the rotatable member or the protrusion when the rotatable member rotates the protrusion and the aperture receives the fluid handling component.

59. The cartridge of claim 57, comprising a closure disposed in or over the aperture.

60. The cartridge of claim 59, wherein the closure comprises a septum.

61. The cartridge of claim 59, wherein the closure is re-sealable.

62. The cartridge of claim 57, comprising a fill port disposed through a top surface of the body structure.

63. The cartridge of claim 57, comprising a vent port disposed through a top surface of the body structure.