Sample collection and transfer device

• US 9,901,922 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd. (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lenigk, Ralf, Finehout, Erin Jean, Wang, Xuefeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Xu, Xiaoyun R
• Application Number:
  US14/340,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• 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 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/12 Specific details about materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/165 Specific details about hydrophobic, oleophobic surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0227 Details of motor drive means B01L3/0231, B01L3/0234 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0258 using stamps
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0262 using touch-off at substrate or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5023 with a sample being transported to, and subsequently stored in an absorbent for analysis
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/561 Tubes; Conduits in general F16L

Abstract

An integrated device for a sample collection and transfer is provided. The integrated device comprises a capillary channel disposed between a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a hydrophilic layer comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a sample fluid to the capillary channel, wherein the capillary channel comprises an inner surface and an outer surface; and an outlet for driving out the sample fluid. The device further comprises a third layer comprising an adhesive material such as a patterned adhesive material, and a flow path, wherein the third layer is disposed on the outer surface of the capillary, at a determining position relative to the outlet, such that the capillary is in contact with the third layer and the outlet is in contact with the flow path of the third layer for allowing the sample fluid out from the integrated device.

Claims

1. An integrated device for a sample collection and transfer, comprising:

a capillary comprising a first layer, a middle layer, and a second layer;

a capillary channel disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a hydrophilic layer comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a sample fluid to the capillary channel, and wherein the capillary channel comprises a cavity formed in the middle layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer of the capillary; and

an outlet for allowing the sample fluid to flow out of the capillary channel; and

a third layer comprising a flow path extending throughout, wherein the third layer is an adhesive layer disposed on an outer surface of the capillary,

wherein the capillary channel has a channel width, the inlet has a first diameter and the outlet has a second diameter, and the first diameter is greater than the capillary width and the channel width is greater than the second diameter of the outlet.

2. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises the outlet.

3. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the second layer comprises the outlet.

4. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the channel width is in a range between 3 to 50 mm and the second diameter is in a range between 0.5 to 10 mm.

5. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the capillary channel has a length in a range from 5 mm to 200 mm.

6. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the capillary channel is made of a material selected from polymer, metal, glass or combinations thereof.

7. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a hydrophilic film with a water contact angle of less than 60 degree.

8. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a polymer.

9. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the capillary channel, the fluid inlet and the outlet are formed by laser drilling, rotation cutting, ballistic pressing or combination thereof.

10. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the third layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive gasket.

11. The integrated device of claim 10, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive gasket comprises a material comprising acrylics, butyl rubber, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), natural rubber;

nitriles;

silicone rubbers, styrene block copolymers (SBC), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene/propylene (SEP), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), vinyl ethers or combinations thereof.

12. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the integrated device is coupled to a substrate.

13. The integrated device of claim 12, wherein the integrated device is configured to transfer the sample fluid to the substrate.

14. The integrated device of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises cellulose, nitrocellulose, modified porous nitrocellulose or cellulose based substrates, polyethyleneglycol-modified nitrocellulose, a cellulose acetate membrane, a nitrocellulose mixed ester membrane, a glass fiber, a polyethersulfone membrane, a nylon membrane, a polyolefin membrane, a polyester membrane, a polycarbonate membrane, a polypropylene membrane, a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane, a polyethylene membrane, a polystyrene membrane, a polyurethane membrane, a polyphenylene oxide membrane, a poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) membrane, glass fiber membranes, quartz fiber membranes or a combination thereof.

15. The integrated device of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises one or more dried reagents impregnated therein.

16. The integrated device of claim 15, wherein the one or more dried reagents comprise protein stabilizing reagents, nucleic acid stabilizing reagents, cell-lysis reagents or combinations thereof.

17. The integrated device of claim 12, wherein the substrate is disposed on a substrate frame.

18. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the device is disposable or re-usable.

28. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein the first layer further comprises a hydrophilic pad adjacent to the fluid inlet to facilitate receiving the sample fluid to the capillary channel.

31. The integrated device of claim 1, wherein an area of the hydrophilic pad expands outside of the fluid inlet to facilitate the sample collection.

19. A system, comprising:

a substrate; and

an integrated device comprising;

a capillary comprising a first layer, a middle layer, and a second layer;

a capillary channel disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a hydrophilic layer comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a sample fluid to the capillary channel, and wherein the capillary channel comprises a cavity formed in the middle layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer of the capillary; and

an outlet for allowing the sample fluid to flow out of the capillary channel; and

a third layer comprising a flow path extending throughout, wherein the third layer is an adhesive layer disposed on an outer surface of the capillary;

wherein the integrated device is operatively coupled to the substrate, and wherein the capillary channel has a channel width, the inlet has a first diameter and the outlet has a second diameter, and the first diameter is greater than the capillary width and the channel width is greater than the second diameter of the outlet.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the system further comprises a substrate frame having a substrate region configured to receive the substrate.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the integrated device is coupled to an external device comprising a fluidic device, an analytical instrument, or both.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the first layer further comprises a hydrophilic pad adjacent to the fluid inlet to facilitate receiving the sample fluid to the capillary channel.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein the third layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive gasket.

32. The system of claim 19, wherein the capillary is detachable from the substrate.

22. A method for sample collection and transfer, comprising:

providing an integrated device, wherein the integrated device comprises;

a capillary comprising a first layer, a middle layer, and a second layer;

a capillary channel disposed between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a hydrophilic layer comprising a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid sample to the capillary channel, wherein the capillary channel comprises a cavity formed in the middle layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer of the capillary; and

an outlet for allowing the fluid sample to flow out from the capillary channel; and

a third layer comprising a flow path, wherein the third layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive gasket and disposed on an outer surface of the capillary;

contacting the integrated device to a substrate comprising an absorbent material;

applying the fluid sample to the fluid inlet of the integrated device, wherein the fluid sample is transported from the inlet to the outlet of the capillary; and

transferring the fluid sample from the integrated device to the substrate through the flow path of the third layer;

wherein the capillary channel has a channel width, the inlet has a first diameter and the outlet has a second diameter, and the first diameter is greater than the capillary width and the channel width is greater than the second diameter of the outlet.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the sample collection and transfer is achieved in a time between 5 seconds and 120 seconds.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising generating an air-gap between the capillary channel and the substrate.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising detaching the integrated device from the substrate, tapped the device and/or shaken the device to overcome the air-gap and to allow complete transfer of the sample to the substrate.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising analyzing the substrate comprising the sample fluid transferred from the device.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the substrate is configured to store the fluid sample.