Reagent delivery system

• US 9,067,209 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Secretary of State For Defence
• Original Assignee: Secretary of State For Defence
• Inventors: Squirrell, David James
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, DENNIS MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US14/468,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20150125939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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) pretilled with the selected reagents.

Claims

1. A discrete support unit component for use in a reaction, test or assay apparatus, the discrete support unit component comprising:

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

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 support unit as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the reagents chambers is stored separately prior to use.

3. A support unit as in claim 2, wherein one or more reagent chambers are prefilled with selected reagents in pre-determined amounts.

4. A support unit as in claim 1, wherein the one of the reagents comprises magnetic beads.

5. A support unit according to claim 4 wherein the magnetic beads are coated with a collection means.

6. A support unit according to claim 5 wherein the collection means are specific for particular target cells or organisms.

7. A support unit according to claim 5 wherein the collection means are selected from antibodies for cells and microorganisms.

8. A support unit according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the reagent chambers carries a heating mechanism that separately heats the at least one reagent chamber.

9. A support unit according to claim 8 wherein the heating mechanism comprises an electrically conducting polymer to heat the contents of the at least one reagent chamber by passing a controlled electric current through it.

10. A support unit according to claim 9 wherein the electrically conducting polymer forms a sheath around the at least one reagent chamber.

11. A support unit according to claim 10 wherein the electrically conducting polymer is integral with the at least one reagent chamber.

12. A support unit according to claim 10 wherein the layer of electrically conducting polymer is interposed between layers of the material from which the at least one reagent chamber is made.

13. A support unit according to claim 10 wherein the electrically conducting internal or external surface of the at least one reagent chamber is coated with the polymer.

14. A support unit according to claim 10 wherein the at least reagent chamber is made of the electrically conducting polymer coated with a thin laminate of a PCR compatible material.

15. A support unit according to claim 10 wherein the at least one reagent chamber has the electrically conducting polymer integral only with a particular region of the at least one reagent chamber.

16. A support unit according to claim 10 wherein the apparatus is provided with electrical contacts, arranged to contact the electrically conducting polymer heating means when the reagent chambers are in position in the apparatus.

17. A support unit 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 the reagents within the at least one reagent chamber can be controlled automatically.

18. A support unit according to claim 1 wherein the reagent chambers are manufactured using a composite construction.

19. A support unit according to claim 1 wherein the support unit further comprises a temperature monitoring device.

20. A support unit according to claim 19 wherein the temperature monitoring device comprises a thermocouple.

21. A support unit according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises control means for an electrically conducting polymer.

22. A support unit according to claim 21 wherein the control means receives feedback from the temperature monitoring device.

23. A support unit according to claim 1 wherein the support unit further comprises a sample well.

24. A support unit according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the reagent chambers is provided empty.

25. A support unit according to claim 1 wherein the reagent chambers are contained within a molded plastics housing.

26. A support unit according to claim 1 wherein the reagent chambers are of molded polypropylene.

27. A support unit according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the reagent chambers or the reagents are provided with surfactant.

28. A support unit according to claim 2 wherein a further chamber comprises calibration or quenching agents.

29. A support unit according to claim 2 wherein the dry reagent is freeze-dried.