Unitized reagent strip

• US 9,480,983 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: St. Pierre, Richard, Lentz, Ammon David, Livingston, Dwight, Steel, Adam Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Christine T
• Application Number:
  US14/974,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20160107161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 422/549, 422/550, 422/554, 422/500, 422/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0609 Holders integrated in container to position an object
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/527 for a plurality of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/543 for disposable pipette tips, e.g. racks or cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/103 using disposable tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/10 Devices for transferring samples or any liquids to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices G01N35/0099 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1011 Control of the position or alignment of the transfer device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure

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. A first pipette sheath comprising an aperture pair is disclosed. The aperture pair includes a first cored hole and a second cored hole, wherein the first and second cored holes are located on opposing sides of the first pipette sheath, and wherein the first and second cored holes are positioned along the length of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from a first pipette tip aperture. The first and second cored holes are arranged coaxially about an axis transverse to a first longitudinal axis of the first pipette sheath.

Claims

1. A 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, the 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, wherein the first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into the first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of the first and second pipette sheaths is configured to surround at least a portion of the length of the first and second pipette tip, respectively;

a process tube; and

a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube,

wherein the first pipette sheath comprises an aperture pair, the 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 of the first pipette sheath, and wherein the first and second cored holes are positioned along the length of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from the first pipette tip aperture, the first and second cored holes arranged coaxially about an axis transverse to the first longitudinal axis.

2. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a second aperture pair, the second aperture pair comprising a third cored hole and a fourth cored hole, wherein the third and fourth cored holes are located on the opposing sides of the first pipette sheath, and wherein the third and fourth cored holes are positioned along the length of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from the first pipette tip aperture.

3. The unitized reagent strip of claim 2, wherein the aperture pair is located more proximal to the first pipette tip aperture than the second aperture pair.

4. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a third cored hole, wherein the third cored hole is a different distance along the length of the first pipette sheath than the aperture pair.

5. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein the first pipette tip alters the reflection or the obstruction of light directed through the first cored hole but does not alter the reflection or the obstruction of light directed through another cored hole of the first pipette sheath when the first pipette tip is inserted in the first pipette sheath.

6. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first pipette tip aligns with the first longitudinal axis when the first pipette tip is inserted into the first pipette sheath.

7. The unitized reagent strip of claim 1, wherein the transverse axis about which the first and second cored holes are arranged is obstructed by the first pipette tip when the first pipette tip is inserted into the first pipette sheath.

8. A 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 a first longitudinal axis, the 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, wherein the first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into the first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of the first and second pipette sheaths is configured to surround at least a portion of the length of the first and second pipette tip, respectively;

a process tube; and

a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube,

wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a first cored hole, the first cored hole extending through a sidewall of the first pipette sheath and having a central axis transverse to the first longitudinal axis.

9. The unitized reagent strip of claim 8, wherein the first pipette sheath comprises an aperture pair, the aperture pair comprising the first cored hole and a second cored hole extending through an opposing sidewall of the first pipette sheath, wherein the first cored hole and the second cored hole are positioned along the length of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from the first pipette tip aperture.

10. The unitized reagent strip of claim 8, wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a third cored hole, wherein the third cored hole is a different distance along the length of the first pipette sheath than the first cored hole.

11. The unitized reagent strip of claim 8, wherein the first pipette tip alters the reflection or the obstruction of light directed through the first cored hole but does not alter the reflection or the obstruction of light directed through another cored hole of the first pipette sheath when the first pipette tip is inserted in the first pipette sheath.

12. The unitized reagent strip of claim 8, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first pipette tip aligns with the first longitudinal axis when the first pipette tip is inserted into the first pipette sheath.

13. The unitized reagent strip of claim 8, wherein the central axis of the first cored hole is obstructed by the first pipette tip when the first pipette tip is inserted into the first pipette sheath.

14. A 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, the second pipette sheath comprising opposing sides and a second longitudinal axis, the 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, wherein the first and second pipette tip apertures are configured for insertion of a first and second pipette tip into the first and second pipette sheaths, respectively, and wherein each of the first and second pipette sheaths is configured to surround at least a portion of the length of the first and second pipette tip, respectively;

a process tube; and

a receptacle, comprising an opening through the reagent strip, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive a reagent tube,

wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a first pipette sheath first cored hole, the first pipette sheath first cored hole in a sidewall of the first pipette sheath and having a first axis transverse to the first longitudinal axis,

wherein the second pipette sheath comprises a second pipette sheath first cored hole, the second pipette sheath first cored hole in a sidewall of the second pipette sheath and having a second axis transverse to the second longitudinal axis.

15. The unitized reagent strip of claim 14, wherein a longitudinal axis of the first pipette tip aligns with the first longitudinal axis when the first pipette tip is inserted into the first pipette sheath.

16. The unitized reagent strip of claim 15, wherein a longitudinal axis of the second pipette tip aligns with the second longitudinal axis when the second pipette tip is inserted into the second pipette sheath.

17. The unitized reagent strip of claim 14, wherein the first transverse axis is obstructed by the first pipette tip when the first pipette tip is inserted into the first pipette sheath.

18. The unitized reagent strip of claim 17, wherein the second transverse axis is obstructed by the second pipette tip when the second pipette tip is inserted into the second pipette sheath.

19. The unitized reagent strip of claim 14, wherein the first pipette sheath comprises a first pipette sheath aperture pair, the first pipette sheath aperture pair comprising the first pipette sheath first cored hole and a first pipette sheath second cored hole in an opposing sidewall of the first pipette sheath, wherein the first pipette sheath first cored hole and the first pipette sheath second cored hole are positioned along the length of the first pipette sheath at the same distance from the first pipette tip aperture.

20. The unitized reagent strip of claim 19, wherein the second pipette sheath comprises a second pipette sheath aperture pair, the second pipette sheath aperture pair comprising the second pipette sheath first cored hole and a second pipette sheath second cored hole in an opposing sidewall of the second pipette sheath, wherein the second pipette sheath first cored hole and the second pipette sheath second cored hole are positioned along the length of the second pipette sheath at the same distance from the second pipette tip aperture.