Unitized reagent strip
First Claim
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1. A method of detecting the presence or absence of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:
- providing the unitized reagent strip, the unitized reagent strip comprising;
a strip with a top side and a bottom side, comprisinga first and a second pipette sheath, the first pipette sheath comprising opposing sides and a first longitudinal axis, said first and second pipette sheaths comprising a first and second pipette tip aperture, respectively, each of which comprises a separate opening on the top side of the strip, and wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into said first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of said first and second pipette sheaths is configured to substantially surround the length of the first and second pipette tip, respectively;
a process tube; and
a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein said receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube,wherein said first pipette sheath comprises an aperture pair, said aperture pair comprising a first cored hole and a second cored hole, wherein the first and second cored holes are located on the opposing sides, and are positioned along the th of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from the first pipette tip aperture, the first and second cored holes having an axis transverse to the first longitudinal axis,providing an optical beam through the first cored hole of said aperture pair; and
detecting whether said optical beam exits unobstructed through said second cored hole of said aperture pair,determining whether the first pipette tip is present within the first pipette sheath, wherein the unobstructed exit of said optical beam through said second cored hole of said first pipette sheath is indicative of the absence of the first pipette tip within the first pipette sheath, and wherein obstructed exit of said optical beam though said second cored hole indicates the presence of the first pipette tip within said first pipette sheath.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to unitized reagent strips for holding and transporting reagents and materials used in automated sample preparation and/or processing for biological and or chemical assays.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of detecting the presence or absence of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:
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providing the unitized reagent strip, the unitized reagent strip comprising; a strip with a top side and a bottom side, comprising a first and a second pipette sheath, the first pipette sheath comprising opposing sides and a first longitudinal axis, said first and second pipette sheaths comprising a first and second pipette tip aperture, respectively, each of which comprises a separate opening on the top side of the strip, and wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into said first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of said first and second pipette sheaths is configured to substantially surround the length of the first and second pipette tip, respectively; a process tube; and a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein said receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube, wherein said first pipette sheath comprises an aperture pair, said aperture pair comprising a first cored hole and a second cored hole, wherein the first and second cored holes are located on the opposing sides, and are positioned along the th of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from the first pipette tip aperture, the first and second cored holes having an axis transverse to the first longitudinal axis, providing an optical beam through the first cored hole of said aperture pair; and detecting whether said optical beam exits unobstructed through said second cored hole of said aperture pair, determining whether the first pipette tip is present within the first pipette sheath, wherein the unobstructed exit of said optical beam through said second cored hole of said first pipette sheath is indicative of the absence of the first pipette tip within the first pipette sheath, and wherein obstructed exit of said optical beam though said second cored hole indicates the presence of the first pipette tip within said first pipette sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of determining the length of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:
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providing a unitized reagent strip comprising; a strip with a top side and a bottom side, comprising; a process tube; a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein said receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube; and a first and a second pipette sheath, comprising; a first and second pipette tip aperture, respectively, each of which comprises a separate opening on the top side of the strip, and wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into said first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of said first and second pipette sheaths is configured to substantially surround the length of the first and second pipette tip, respectively; and a top pipette sheath aperture pair and a bottom pipette sheath aperture pair within said first pipette sheath, said top and bottom pipette sheath aperture pairs each comprising a first and a second cored hole extending through a sidewall of the first pipette sheath, wherein the first and second cored holes of said top and bottom pipette sheath aperture pairs are located on opposite sides of the first pipette sheath, and positioned along the length of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from the first pipette tip aperture, and wherein said top pipette sheath aperture pair is located more proximal to the first pipette tip aperture than said bottom pipette sheath aperture pair; providing an optical beam through said first cored hole of said top pipette sheath aperture pair; providing an optical beam through said first cored hole of said bottom pipette sheath aperture pair; detecting whether said optical beam is obstructed from passing through said second cored hole of said top pipette sheath aperture pair; and detecting whether said optical beam is obstructed from passing through said second cored hole of said bottom pipette sheath aperture pair, wherein obstruction of said optical beam through the second cored hole of the top pipette sheath aperture pair and passage of said optical beam through said second cored hole of said bottom pipette sheath aperture pair indicates that the first pipette tip within said first pipette sheath has a length that does not extend down to the bottom pipette sheath aperture pair when inserted into the first pipette sheath. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method of detecting the presence or absence of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:
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providing the unitized reagent strip, the unitized reagent strip comprising; a strip with a top side and a bottom side, comprising; a first and a second pipette sheath comprising opposing sides, said first and second pipette sheaths comprising a first and second pipette tip aperture, respectively, each of which comprises a separate opening on the top side of the strip, and wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into said first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of said first and second pipette sheaths is configured to substantially surround the length of the first and second pipette tip, respectively, a process tube; and a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein said receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube, wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a first cored hole, said first cored hole extending through a sidewall of the first pipette sheath, determining whether the first pipette tip extends within said first pipette sheath from the first pipette tip aperture at least to the distance of the first cored hole, wherein said determining step comprises; providing an optical beam that enters the first pipette sheath through the first cored hole, and determining the reflection or obstruction of the optical beam as indicative of the presence or absence of the first pipette tip that extends within said first pipette sheath to the distance from the first pipette tip aperture to the first cored hole. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of determining the length of a pipette tip within a pipette sheath of a unitized reagent strip, comprising:
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providing a unitized reagent strip comprising; a strip with a top side and a bottom side, comprising; a process tube; and a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein said receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube; and a first and a second pipette sheath, comprising; a first and second pipette tip aperture, respectively, each of which comprises a separate opening on the top side of the strip, and wherein said first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into said first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of said first and second pipette sheaths is configured to substantially surround the length of the first and second pipette tip, respectively; and a top cored hole and a bottom cored hole within said first pipette sheath, said top and bottom cored holes each extending through a sidewall of the first pipette sheath, wherein said top cored hole is located more proximal to the first pipette tip aperture than said bottom cored hole; determining whether the first pipette tip extends within said first pipette sheath from the first pipette tip aperture to the distance of the top cored hole; and determining whether the first pipette tip extends within said first pipette sheath from the first pipette tip aperture to the distance of the bottom cored hole. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification