Fluid retaining assembly and method of using the same

• US 7,678,338 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chemring Detection Systems, Inc. (Chemring Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products Incorporated (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Sleeper, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gakh; Yelena G
• Assistant Examiner(s): BASS, DIRK R
• Application Number:
  US11/399,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20070237687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 422/104
• US Class Current: 422/562
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0825 Test strips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50855 using modular assemblies of strips or of individual wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/52 Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/527 for microfluidic devices, e.g. used for lab-on-a-chip

Abstract

The invention provides a fluid retaining assembly. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the fluid retaining assembly may include a base assembly including a cavity and a reservoir assembly disposed in the cavity of the base assembly. The reservoir assembly may include a body portion having a well in which fluid is retainable and a membrane covering the well. The reservoir assembly may further include an absorbent strip disposed in the well and covered by the membrane. The base assembly may be provided to include at least one attachment member. The attachment member serves to attach the reservoir assembly to the base assembly. A plurality of reservoir assemblies may be retained by the base assembly.

Claims

1. A fluid retaining assembly comprising:

a base assembly including a cavity within the base assembly;

a reservoir assembly disposed in the cavity of the base assembly, the reservoir assembly including a body portion having a well in which fluid is retainable and a membrane covering the well, wherein at least a portion of the body portion is disposed within the cavity of the base assembly, the reservoir assembly further including an absorbent strip disposed in the well and covered by the membrane; and

the base assembly including at least one attachment member, the attachment member serving to attach the reservoir assembly to the base assembly;

wherein the attachment member of the base assembly includes a recess, and the reservoir assembly includes a shoulder member, the shoulder member disposed in the recess of the base assembly when the reservoir assembly is disposed in the cavity of the base assembly.

2. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 1, where the well includes an entry well, a main well, and a neck passage connecting the entry well and the main well, the neck passage defined by a neck in the body portion.

3. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 1, further including a plurality of reservoir assemblies disposed side by side, each of the plurality of reservoir assemblies being individually separable from the base assembly;

the cavity of the base assembly supports each of the reservoir assemblies; and

the base assembly includes at least one support pedestal, the at least one support pedestal disposed in the neck of at least two adjacent reservoir assemblies.

4. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 1, wherein the absorbent strip is formed of litmus paper.

5. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 1, wherein the base assembly includes a supporting bar, and the recess is formed in the supporting bar.

6. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 5, wherein the supporting bar is disposed along one side of the base assembly, and the base assembly further including a clip retaining bar extending along an opposing side of the base assembly from the supporting bar;

and

the fluid retaining assembly further including a reservoir retainer clip, the reservoir retainer clip mounted on the clip retaining bar; and

the reservoir retainer clip engaging with the reservoir assembly to secure the reservoir assembly in the cavity of the base assembly.

7. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 6, wherein the reservoir assembly includes a clip retainment shoulder, the clip retainment shoulder of the reservoir assembly engaging with the reservoir retainer clip.

8. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 7, wherein the reservoir retainer clip is slidable along the clip retaining bar so as to engage and disengage with the reservoir assembly.

9. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 8, wherein the clip retaining bar includes a retaining groove in which a lip of the reservoir retainer clip is disposed and slidable within.

10. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 9, wherein the reservoir retainer clip includes the lip and a U-shaped body, the U-shaped body forming an interior channel in which the clip retaining shoulder is disposed.

11. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 1, further including a plurality of reservoir assemblies disposed side by side, each of the plurality of reservoir assemblies being individually separable from the base assembly.

12. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 1, wherein the base assembly further includes a pair of retaining notches disposed along respective opposing sides of the base assembly, the retaining notches providing an interface by which to manipulate the fluid retaining assembly.

13. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 12, further including a pair of latches disposed on the respective opposing sides of the base assembly, each latch providing a securement device to retain the fluid retaining assembly.

14. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 1, wherein the membrane is formed of tape.

15. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 14, wherein the tape is one of a silver metalized polyester film tape with acrylic adhesive and a polyester film tape with silicone adhesive.

16. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 1, in combination with an inoculation unit.

17. A fluid retaining assembly comprising:

a base assembly including a cavity within the base assembly;

a reservoir assembly disposed in the cavity of the base assembly, the reservoir assembly including a body portion having a well in which fluid is retainable and a membrane covering the well, wherein at least a portion of the body portion is disposed within the cavity of the base assembly, the reservoir assembly further including an absorbent strip disposed in the well and covered by the membrane; and

the base assembly including at least one attachment member, the attachment member serving to attach the reservoir assembly to the base assembly;

wherein the attachment member of the base assembly includes a recess, and the reservoir assembly includes a shoulder member, the shoulder member disposed in the recess of the base assembly when the reservoir assembly is disposed in the cavity of the base assembly;

wherein the base assembly includes a supporting bar, and the recess is formed in the supporting bar; and

wherein the supporting bar is disposed along one side of the base assembly, and the base assembly further including a clip retaining bar extending along an opposing side of the base assembly from the supporting bar;

the fluid retaining assembly further including a reservoir retainer clip, the reservoir retainer clip mounted on the clip retaining bar; and

the reservoir retainer clip engaging with the reservoir assembly to secure the reservoir assembly in the cavity of the base assembly.

18. The fluid retaining assembly of claim 17, including a plurality of reservoir assemblies disposed on the base assembly.