System and method including analytical units

• US 8,840,848 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Kraihanzel, Charles S.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARSCHEL, ARDIN H
• Application Number:
  US13/747,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20130137110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/417, 422/68.1, 422/138, 422/131, 435/6.12, 435/91.2
• US Class Current: 422/417
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/024 Storing results with means integrated into the container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/045 whereby the whole cover is slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0851 Bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/123 Flexible; Elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/18 Means for temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0275 : Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 : Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 : for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 : specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/52 : Containers specially adapted for storing or dispensing a reagent B01L3/02 takes precedence; containers for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; containers in general B65D; storing or dispensing test elements G01N33/4875; automated reagent dispensing G01N35/1002
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 : for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 : with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/12 : of temperature controlling the temperature of chemical or physical processes B01J19/0013, heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory use B01L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/34 : Polynucleotides, e.g. nucleic acids, oligoribonucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/68 : involving nucleic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/686 : Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 3/00 : Condition responsive control processes apparatus therefor C12M1/36; controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/24 : by measuring variations of resistance of resistors due to contact with conductor fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/26 : by measuring variations of capacity or inductance of capacitors or inductors arising from the presence of liquid or fluent solid material in the electric or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/31 : Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/38 : Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00435 : Refrigerated reagent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 : bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00851 : process control parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0413 : moving in one dimension
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0415 : moving in two dimensions in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0436 : with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0465 : Loading or unloading the conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0475 : electric, e.g. stepper motor, solenoid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1013 : Confirming presence of tip
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 : Fluid level sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1048 : using the transfer device for another function
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1051 : for transporting containers, e.g. retained by friction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1076 : plurality or independently movable heads
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 : Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0092 : Scheduling
• 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 35/04 : Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1002 : Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1011 : Control of the position or alignment of the transfer device
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 : Control of the volume dispensed or introduced
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1081 : characterised by the means for relatively moving the transfer device and the containers in an horizontal plane G01N35/1011 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0205 : not using a model or a simulator of the controlled system
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 25/20 : Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]; Primer or probe design; Probe optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 : with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing and analyzing samples are disclosed. The system may process samples, such as biological fluids, using assay cartridges which can be processed at different processing locations. In some cases, the system can be used for PCR processing. The different processing locations may include a preparation location where samples can be prepared and an analysis location where samples can be analyzed. To assist with the preparation of samples, the system may also include a number of processing stations which may include processing lanes. During the analysis of samples, in some cases, thermal cycler modules and an appropriate optical detection system can be used to detect the presence or absence of certain nucleic acid sequences in the samples. The system can be used to accurately and rapidly process samples.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a pipettor;

a reagent pack comprising a well containing a reagent;

a reagent storage unit configured to hold the reagent pack, the reagent storage unit including;

a cavity containing the reagent pack;

a latch arranged about the cavity, the latch configured to secure and align the reagent pack within the cavity, the latch including a releasing feature; and

a cover disposed over the cavity and latch, the cover including a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein the first aperture aligns over the well of the reagent pack thereby providing the pipettor access to the reagent contained in the well, and the second aperture aligns over the releasing feature thereby providing the pipettor access to actuate the releasing feature to unsecure the reagent pack from the latch.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the latch is a mechanical latch.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reagent pack further comprises a second well, wherein the cover further includes a third aperture, and the third aperture of the cover aligns over the second well thereby providing the pipettor access to the second well, wherein the first, the second, and the third apertures are arranged linearly.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pipettor comprises a pipette tip suitable to extend through the first aperture and aspirate the reagent contained in the well.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the reagent storage unit is configured to hold a plurality of reagent packs in the cavity, the reagent storage unit includes a latch including a releasing feature release to secure each one of the plurality of reagent packs, the cover includes apertures to access each reagent pack and its corresponding releasing feature, wherein the reagent storage unit includes containment walls arranged between the reagent packs held in the cavity.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the reagent storage unit further comprises a fan, the fan configured to remove heat from the reagent storage unit, wherein the speed of the fan is adjusted by a controller in response to ambient temperature.

7. The system of claim 1, where the reagent pack comprises a reagent that is specific for an assay for a specific analyte.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the latch comprises a fastener that is configured to engage a mating feature of the reagent pack, and wherein the system further comprises a resilient member that is interposed between the reagent pack and the distal wall when the reagent pack is held in the reagent storage unit, such that the resilient member provides an impelling force that directs the reagent pack toward a proximal wall of the reagent storage unit on disengagement of the fastener from the mating feature.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the resilient member is configured to act as an electrical ground.

10. A method comprising:

aligning a consumable pack in a storage unit, wherein the consumable pack comprises consumables that are manipulated using a pipettor;

securing the consumable pack within the storage unit by engaging a latch having a releasing feature with a mating feature of the consumable pack; and

,

releasing the consumable pack by;

aligning the pipettor with the releasing feature;

moving the pipettor towards the releasing feature; and

contacting the releasing feature with the pipettor,

thereby causing the latch to disengage from the mating of the consumable pack.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pipettor comprises a pipette tip suitable to extend into the storage unit and contact the consumables of the consumable pack.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the consumable pack is a pipette tip rack.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the consumable pack is a reagent pack.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein

the pipettor transfers an isolated nucleic acid to a reaction vessel stored in an assay cartridge;

the pipettor transfers reagents contained in the reagent pack to the reaction vessel; and

,

the pipettor transfers the reaction vessel to a thermal cycler.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein

the pipettor transfers reagents contained in the reagent pack to a reaction vessel stored in an assay cartridge;

the pipettor transfers an isolated nucleic acid to the reaction vessel; and

,

the pipettor transfers the reaction vessel to a thermal cycler.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the reaction vessel is located in a compartment of an assay cartridge, the assay cartridge comprising a reaction well containing an isolated nucleic acid.