Reagent delivery system

• US 8,778,283 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rapid Diagnostics ML Limited
• Original Assignee: Secretary of State For Defence
• Inventors: Squirrell, David James
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, DENNIS MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/692,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 422/61, 422/100, 422/102, 422/500, 422/547, 422/549, 422/550, 422/560, 422/562, 422/568, 422/569, 422/570, 422/641, 422/650, 422/655, 436/180, 435/6, 435/287.2, 435/287.3
• US Class Current: 422/550
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0096 Casings for storing test samples A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71 Feed mechanisms with proportioning B01F35/80
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/713 comprising breaking packages or parts thereof, e.g. piercing or opening sealing elements between compartments or cartridges containers or packages per se B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7173 using gravity, e.g. from a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7174 using pistons, plungers or syringes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/02 with stationary particles, e.g. in fixed beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0278 Feeding reactive fluids for solid material B01J8/0015
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0285 Heating or cooling the reactor for tubular reactors in furnaces B01J8/062
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0453 the beds being superimposed one above the other
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0492 Feeding reactive fluids for solid material, see B01J8/0015
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• 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 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1805 Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 : using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 : pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 : fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0683 : mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 : for liquids
• 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 3/5082 : Test tubes per se
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 : Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 : with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/52 : Containers specially adapted for storing or dispensing a reagent B01L3/02 takes precedence; containers for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; containers in general B65D; storing or dispensing test elements G01N33/4875; automated reagent dispensing G01N35/1002
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/523 : with means for closing or opening
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/527 : for a plurality of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 : Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/025 : Fruits or vegetables
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 : Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 : Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• 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

A delivery apparatus for selectively delivering one or more liquid reagents into a reaction or test chamber (2), especially of an assay apparatus, the apparatus comprising: one or more respective storage chambers (5,6) for containing the one or more liquid reagents and arranged generally above the reaction or test chamber (2); and a plunger element (4) arranged and operable for insertion into the mouth of a selected storage chamber so as to displace a selected reagent from therewithin into the reaction or test chamber (2) generally therebelow by gravitational liquid overflow from the mouth of the chamber. The apparatus may conveniently be provided as a discrete delivery unit, with the storage chambers (5,6) prefilled with the selected reagents.

Claims

1. A reaction, test or assay apparatus for use in the extraction, purification, and amplification of DNA, comprising:

a single, unitary, discrete support unit component, comprising;

(i) multiple reagent chambers containing at least one liquid and one dry reagent useful for processing DNA, the reagent chambers being sealed;

(ii) a separate magnetic beads chamber containing magnetic beads, the separate magnetic beads chamber being sealed; and

(iii) a separate sample lysis chamber;

wherein the reagent chambers are in the form of open-mouthed cylindrical supported tubes, the open-mouthed cylindrical supported tubes formed from a molded plastic material, and wherein the mouths of the reagent chambers are sealed by a puncturable metal foil laminate sheet.

2. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one or more reagent chambers are prefilled with selected reagents in pre-determined amounts.

3. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heating mechanism configured to heat one of the chambers independently to a particular desired temperature separate from other ones of the chambers.

4. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic beads are coated with a collection means.

5. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the collection means are specific for particular target cells or organisms.

6. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the collection means are selected from antibodies for cells and microorganisms.

7. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the lysis chamber or one or more reagent chambers is supplied with heating and/or cooling means.

8. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the heating means comprises an electrically conducting polymer which is heated by means of passing a controlled electric current through it.

9. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the electrically conducting polymer forms a sheath around the lysis chamber or one or more reagent chambers.

10. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the electrically conducting polymer is integral with the lysis or reagent chamber.

11. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lysis chamber or one or more reagent chambers is manufactured using a composite construction.

12. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a layer of electrically conducting polymer is interposed between layers of the material from which the vessel is made.

13. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an internal or external surface of the lysis chamber or one or more reagent chambers is coated with the polymer.

14. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the lysis chamber or one or more reagent chambers is made of the electrically conducting polymer coated with a thin laminate of a PCR compatible material.

15. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the lysis chamber or one or more reagent chambers include a first chamber having electrically conducting polymer integral only with a particular region thereof, the particular region thereof corresponding to a region where a reagent is held separate from the rest of the first chamber.

16. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the system is provided with electrical contacts, arranged to contact the electrically conducting polymer heating means when the lysis chamber or one or more reagent chambers are in position in the system.

17. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the electrical contacts are connected to an electrical supply by way of an automatic controller so that the temperatures of reagents within the lysis chamber or one or more reagent chambers can be controlled automatically.

18. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a temperature monitoring device.

19. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the temperature monitoring device comprises a thermocouple.

20. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the system comprises control means for the electrically conducting polymer.

21. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the control means receives feed back from a temperature monitoring device.

22. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the lysis chamber or the one or more reagent chambers is provided empty.

23. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a hollow rod for housing a retractable magnet.

24. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the support unit comprises a further chamber to accommodate the hollow rod.

25. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the hollow rod comprises a hollow cylindrical rod.

26. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the hollow rod is movable along an upright axis.

27. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the hollow rod is movable along an axis perpendicular to the upright axis.

28. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the hollow rod is provided with a tip appropriately shaped to break or perforate sealing means of chambers.

29. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the hollow rod further comprises a lid.

30. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the system comprises a hollow rod control means.

31. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the hollow rod is provided with engagement means by which it can be physically engaged by the control means.

32. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the hollow rod control means enables the hollow rod to be used as a stirring rod.

33. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lysis chamber and the one or more reagent chambers are contained within a moulded plastics housing.

34. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lysis chamber and the one or more reagent chambers are made of moulded polypropylene.

35. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the reagents within the one or more reagent chambers is a dried auxiliary reagent.

36. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the reagents within the one or more reagent chambers is a liquid reagent provided with a surfactant.

37. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the reagents within the one or more reagent chambers is a quenching reagent.

38. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the reagents within the one or more reagent chambers is a calibration or quenching agent.

39. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a discrete stage for use in the extraction and purification of DNA.

40. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the quenching reagent is bleach.

41. A reaction, test or assay apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the heating mechanism is carried by the support unit.