Apparatus for filling a sample volume defining device

• US 20060228263A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boule Medical AB (Boule Diagnostics AB)
• Original Assignee: Boule Medical AB (Boule Diagnostics AB)
• Inventors: Niklason, Lennart, Berndtsson, Ingemar
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/027 for microfluidic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0475 specific mechanical means and fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/065 sliding valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/38 Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
• 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

An apparatus for filling a sample volume defining device for separating at least one small defined volume of a liquid sample from a relatively larger undefined volume of said sample, said device including a first body and a second body movable relative to each other, whereby said first body has at least one cavity in a surface thereof, said at least one cavity having said defined volume. One of said first or said second body has at least one inlet opening adapted to be placed in a drop of the liquid sample. A defined channel is provided between said first and second body, which channel has fluid connection with said at least one opening and at least beyond said at least one cavity whereby the dimensions of said channel being such that said channel and said at least one cavity is filled with said liquid sample.

Claims

1. An apparatus for filling a sample volume defining device for separating at least one small defined volume of a liquid sample from a relatively larger undefined volume of said sample, said device including a first body and a second body movable relative to each other, whereby said first body has at least one cavity in a surface thereof, said at least one cavity having said defined volume, and said second body includes a sealing and scraper means slidable along said surface and over said at least one cavity upon relative movement of said bodies whereby said accurately defined volume is achieved in said at least one cavity

characterized in

that one of said first or said second body has at least one inlet opening adapted to be connected with a drop of the liquid sample,

that a defined channel is provided between said first and second body, which channel has fluid connection with said at least one inlet opening and at least beyond said at least one cavity, and

that the dimensions of said channel being such that said channel and thereby said at least one cavity is filled with said liquid sample by capillary force.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the first or second body is provided with a syringe inlet through bore which opens in the channel and in which a syringe for injecting the liquid sample in the channel is adapted to be inserted whereby said channel is filled by a combination of capillary force and injection and said at least one cavity is filled by capillary force.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a protrusion is arranged aligned with said at least one inlet opening.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the long sides of the channel is delimited by a rim formed on the first body and the other long side by a recess formed in the second body, that one of the short sides of the channel forms the inlet opening, and the other short side is open to the ambient air, that the rim has close contact with the second body, that on the long side of the rim opposite to the channel a recess is arranged which stops the liquid sample from further spreading, whereby the recess also stops the liquid sample from further spreading, and that the recess is delimited by a sealing and scraper means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the height of the channel is about 0.05-1.0 mm.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the height of the channel is about 0.1-0.3 mm.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the height of the channel is 0.2 mm.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the channel has the shape of a rectangle in cross section.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first body is provided with a magnifying means in front of said at least one cavity.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface of said channel is coated with a material selected from the group consisting of dextran, proteins or derivatives thereof.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the surface of said at least one cavity is coated with a material selected from the group consisting of dextran, proteins or derivatives thereof.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 and 11, characterized in that the surface of said channel is coated with a material that gives a contact of angle 75°

-0°

, preferably 50°

-0°

, between the liquid sample and the material forming the surface of said channel and said at least one cavity.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one cavity has the shape a wedge like cavity.

14. The apparatus according to claims 1, characterized in that said at least one cavity has the shape of an elliptical cavity.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the major axis of said at least one elongated cavity makes an angle V with the longitudinal direction of said channel of about 20-60°

.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid sample is a blood sample.