Instrument for cassette for sample preparation

• US 20080159915A1
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Luminex Corporation (DiaSorin S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Genturadx, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Phillip You Fai, Hu, David Hsiang, Yu, Steve Jia Chang, Ching, Jesus
• Granted Patent: US 7,754,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7174 using pistons, plungers or syringes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• 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 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/023 Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0609 Holders integrated in container to position an object
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0672 Integrated piercing tool
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/18 Means for temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• 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 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• 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: C12N 15/1013 by using magnetic beads
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00356 Holding samples at elevated temperature (incubation)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00366 Several different temperatures used
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00544 using fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00574 Means for distributing beads
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00801 : Holders for sample carriers, e.g. trays, caroussel, racks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00811 : consumable or exchangeable components other than sample carriers, e.g. detectors, flow cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00881 : network configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0091 : GUI [graphical user interfaces]
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0412 : Block or rack elements with a single row of samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0415 : moving in two dimensions in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 : Communications between instruments or with remote terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0098 : involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 : having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 : having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 : Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/08 : using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/807 : Apparatus included in process claim, e.g. physical support structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/10 : Composition for standardization, calibration, simulation, stabilization, preparation or preservation; processes of use in preparation for chemical testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 : with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/115831 : Condition or time responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 : including sample preparation

Abstract

A parallel processing system for processing samples is described. In one embodiment, the parallel processing system includes an instrument interface parallel controller to control a tray motor driving system, a close-loop heater control and detection system, a magnetic particle transfer system, a reagent release system, a reagent pre-mix pumping system and a wash buffer pumping system.

Claims

1. An instrument comprising:

a parallel tray motor driving system;

a close-loop heater control and detection system;

a parallel magnetic particle transfer system;

a parallel reagent release system;

a parallel reagent pre-mix pumping system;

a parallel wash buffer pumping system; and

an instrument interface controller to control the parallel tray motor driving system, the close-loop heater control and detection system, the parallel magnetic particle transfer system, the parallel reagent release system, the parallel reagent pre-mix pumping system, and the parallel wash buffer pumping system.

2. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a main computer coupled with a plurality of instrument interface controllers.

3. The instrument of claim 2, further comprising a touch panel display coupled with the main computer.

4. The instrument of claim 2, further comprising a sub-system computer coupled between the main computer and the instrument interface controller.

5. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising an instrument real time microcontroller unit (MCU) and a cooling system coupled with the instrument interface parallel controller.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a system controller module (SCM) computer to link and control one or more instrument modules, which control the operation of the parallel tray motor driving system, the close loop heater control and detection system, the parallel magnetic particle transfer system, the parallel reagent release system, the parallel reagent pre-mix pumping system and the parallel wash buffer pumping system.

7. A system controller module comprising:

an enclosure;

a system computer;

a graphical user interface software (GUI);

a parallel tray motor driving system in the enclosure to load one or more cassettes into the enclosure, the cassettes having a sample therein;

a close loop heater control and detection system in the enclosure;

a parallel magnetic particle transfer system in the enclosure;

a parallel reagent release system in the enclosure;

a parallel reagent pre-mix pumping system in the enclosure; and

a parallel wash buffer pumping system in the enclosure.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a computer coupled with the enclosure to control operation of the parallel tray motor driving system, the close loop heater control and detection system, the parallel magnetic particle transfer system, the parallel reagent release system, the parallel reagent pre-mix pumping system and the parallel wash buffer pumping system.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a system controller module (SCM) computer to link and control one or more instrument modules, which control the operation of the parallel tray motor driving system, the close loop heater control and detection system, the parallel magnetic particle transfer system, the parallel reagent release system, the parallel reagent pre-mix pumping system and the parallel wash buffer pumping system.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a system controller module (SCM) computer to link and control one or more instrument modules to operate in parallel mode for fast single step sample preparation.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a system controller module (SCM) computer to link and control one or more instrument modules to operate in asynchronous mode for multiple sample type preparation.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising a system controller module (SCM) computer and graphical user interface (GUI) software that send one or more messages (user name, sample name, and preparation status) to any email address or handheld device such as PDA or cellular phone automatically upon completion of sample preparation.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or messages comprise one or more of a user name, sample name and preparation status.