Apparatus for storing and dispensing reagent beads
First Claim
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 of the bead carrier;
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; and
wherein a leading end 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 edge 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.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide an efficient and effective technique for storing and dispensing reagent beads. In one embodiment, 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.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A device for storing and dispensing reagent beads, the device comprising:
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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 of the bead carrier; 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; and wherein a leading end 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 edge 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification