WO2022025668A1

WO2022025668A1 - Cartridge for sample processing

Info

Publication number: WO2022025668A1
Application number: PCT/KR2021/009882
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jae Young Kim
Original assignee: Seegene, Inc.
Priority date: 2020-07-31
Filing date: 2021-07-29
Publication date: 2022-02-03
Also published as: KR20230035367A

Abstract

There is provided a cartridge for processing a sample, including a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber including an internal space physically divided into a sample space for receiving the sample and a dump space for collecting waste. The cartridge may secure a dump space with a sufficient volume within a limited cartridge space and may prevent leakage of a sample or waste and resultant contamination.

Description

CARTRIDGE FOR SAMPLE PROCESSING

The present disclosure relates to a cartridge for sample processing.

As modern people's interest in health increases and life expectancy is prolonged, nucleic acid-based in vitro molecular diagnosis, such as accurate analysis of pathogens and gene analysis of patients becomes more significant, and its demand is on the rise.

Nucleic acid-based molecular diagnosis is performed by extracting nucleic acids from a sample and then checking the presence or absence of a target nucleic acid among the extracted nucleic acids. The sample processing process of extracting nucleic acid from a sample includes sequentially mixing the sample and various reagents and removing residues other than the nucleic acid. Such a sample processing process requires an elaborate processing of a small amount of solution and, thus, is mostly performed manually by an experimenter or using a piece of liquid handling equipment that may be precisely controlled. Conventional liquid handling equipment is costly and needs professional manpower. Further, since it is a system that simultaneously processes a large number of samples, it takes a long time from sample collection to confirming the test result when the number of samples generated per hour is small, so it is not suitable for use in local hospitals and clinics where a small number of samples are to be processed.

The POC system is designed to be able to proceed with sample processing as soon as the sample is collected, so it has strengths in the local medical site. A conventional type of sample processing POC system for molecular diagnosis forms a flow path between chambers and controls the flow path to thereby process samples. Compared to the traditional pipette method, such a method suffers from inaccuracy in the volume of the solution to be processed and lack of cartridge versatility for various sample processing schemes.

Another type of POC system configures a cartridge with sample processing chambers and moves the liquid from chamber to chamber using a pipette module and a moving module that formed in the cartridge operation device to move the pipette module up, down, left, and right. Various reagents for nucleic acid extraction are provided in the chambers of the cartridge, and liquid movement for a sample processing reaction is performed by the pipette module and the moving module. In this case, it is essential to prevent leakage of various solutions to prevent the POC system from contamination by reagents or samples. In particular, it is critical to prevent contamination while removing the residues generated during the sample processing reaction. Given the volume or size of the cartridge, the conventional POC systems may not secure a spatially sufficient dump for collecting the residues and, resultantly, the residues may leak from the narrow dump during the operation of the device, transfer of cartridge, or disposal, causing contamination. Further, while putting a sample in a cartridge and mounting the cartridge in the sample processing device, the sample may be leaked or contaminated by the user's carelessness.

In other words, a POC cartridge is used for diagnosing an infectious disease, and the sample may contain pathogens. Since the POC device, by its nature, is highly likely to be used in a local medical site, the personnel handling this cartridge may not be skilled ones, like researchers from medical institutions specializing in disease testing or clinical laboratories that specialize in in vitro diagnostic tests. Therefore, if the test for the same pathogen is repeatedly performed in the same sample processing device using the POC cartridge, the sample processing device may have a high chance of contamination by the positive sample due to the less skilled personnel handling the cartridge, which may cause false positive results in subsequent tests of other samples for the same pathogen.

Therefore, a need arises for developing a cartridge capable of securing a dump space with a sufficient volume within a limited space and capable of preventing leakage and contamination of the sample.

In light of the above-described background, the inventors have tried to develop a cartridge that has a sufficient volume of dump for collecting the residues generated during a sample processing reaction and may minimize an increase in volume due to the dump. Also efforts have been made to develop a cartridge capable of preventing leakage or contamination of the injected sample. As a result, the inventors have developed a cartridge in which one chamber includes a sample space for receiving a sample and a dump space physically separated from the sample space to collect a waste fluid, and the sample space is positioned at an upper portion of the chamber.

As one aspect, the present disclosure may provide a cartridge for processing a sample, including a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber including an internal space physically divided into a sample space for receiving the sample and a dump space for collecting a waste fluid.

As the other aspect, the present disclosure may provide a cartridge for processing a sample, including a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber including an internal space including a sample space for receiving the sample, and wherein the sample chamber includes a sample injection hole and a sample suction hole communicating with the sample space.

As another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a cartridge for processing a sample, including a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber, the sample chamber including a container part having an upper opening and forming an internal space of the sample chamber, a cover part coupled to the upper side of the container part and forming an upper surface of the sample chamber, and a base part positioned under the cover part and recessed to form a sample space for receiving a sample between the cover part and the base part.

The other objectives and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent to the embodiments and claims described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cartridge for processing a sample, including a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber including an internal space physically divided into a sample space for receiving the sample and a dump space for collecting a waste fluid.

According to the other aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cartridge for processing a sample, including a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber including an internal space including a sample space for receiving the sample, and wherein the sample chamber includes a sample injection hole and a sample suction hole communicating with the sample space.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cartridge for processing a sample, including a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber, the sample chamber including a container part having an upper opening and forming an internal space of the sample chamber, a cover part coupled to the upper side of the container part and forming an upper surface of the sample chamber, and a base part positioned under the cover part and recessed to form a sample space for receiving a sample between the cover part and the base part.

Since the sample processing cartridge according to embodiments of the present disclosure may contain all reagents required for sample processing in the cartridge, it has a simple structure and may automatically perform a sample processing procedure required for an assay in a single cartridge.

In addition, according to embodiments of the sample processing cartridge, the sample space for receiving the sample and the dump space physically separated from the sample space to collect the waste fluid are formed in one chamber, and the sample space is positioned at an upper portion of the chamber. Thus, it is possible to minimize an increase in the overall length and volume.

In addition, according to embodiments of the sample processing cartridge, the sample injection hole for injecting the sample into the sample space and the sample suction hole for sucking in the injected sample are separately provided. Thus, it is possible to prevent leakage of the sample and contamination when the sample is injected and sucked in.

In addition, according to embodiments of the sample processing cartridge, the absorption means is provided in the dump space. Thus, it is possible to prevent leakage of the collected waste fluid and contamination of the sample processing device.

When the extraction chambers of the cartridge are arranged in a linear shape according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to minimize the unnecessary space in the cartridge, thereby making the cartridge more compact.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sample chamber of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a sample chamber of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a sample chamber of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a sample chamber of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a sample chamber of a cartridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a cartridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The configuration and effects of the present invention are now described in further detail in connection with embodiments thereof. The embodiments are provided merely to specifically describe the present invention, and it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

The same or substantially the same reference denotations are used to refer to the same or substantially the same elements throughout the specification and the drawings. When determined to make the subject matter of the present invention unclear, the detailed description of the known configurations or functions may be skipped.

Such denotations as "first," "second," "A," "B," "(a)," and "(b)," may be used in describing the components of the present invention. These denotations are provided merely to distinguish a component from another, and the essence of the components is not limited by the denotations in light of order or sequence. When a component is described as "connected," "coupled," or "linked" to another component, the component may be directly connected or linked to the other component, but it should also be appreciated that other components may be "connected," "coupled," or "linked" between the components.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a cartridge for processing a sample, comprising a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber including an internal space physically divided into a sample space for receiving the sample and a dump space for collecting a waste fluid.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sample chamber of a sample processing cartridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

As used herein, the term "sample" may encompass biological samples (e.g., cells, tissues, or fluids from biological sources) and non-biological samples (e.g., foods, water, and soil). The biological samples include virus, germs, tissues, cells, blood (e.g., whole blood, plasma, and serum), lymph, bone marrow fluid, saliva, sputum, swab, aspiration, milk, urine, stool, ocular humor, semen, brain extracts, spinal fluid, joint fluid, thymus fluid, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, ascites, and amniotic fluid.

Sample processing refers to a series of processes to primarily separate an analyte from the sample to thereby obtain a material in the state capable of detection reaction. The term 'sample processing' may be used as further meaning the process of detecting a target analyte from the substance in the detection reaction-capable state. The analyte may be, for example, a nucleic acid. According to an embodiment, the sample processing may include the process of extracting a nucleic acid.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the sample processing cartridge 100 according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of chambers 150.

Each chamber 150 is a space in which a material necessary for the process of extracting a detection target material from a sample is stored, and a physical and chemical process for extraction is performed. The detection target material may be, for example, a nucleic acid.

The number of chambers 150 included in the cartridge 100 of the disclosure may differ depending on sample processing methods. The number of chambers is not particularly limited, but may be, e.g., 5, 6, 7 or 8 or more, or may be, e.g., 20, 15, 14, 13, 12 or less.

The cartridge 100 may be performed by a sample processing device (not shown) and allows a target reaction to proceed. The cartridge 100 may be received in the sample processing device and interact with various parts, such as a moving module and a heat transfer module, of the sample processing device.

The chambers in the cartridge may be arranged in a straight line, circular, grid, radial, or irregular pattern along the lengthwise direction. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of chambers 150 may be arranged in a straight line in the lengthwise direction. The plurality of chambers 150 may be arranged in a straight line along the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 100. The lengthwise direction of the cartridge 100 may be a direction in which the cartridge 100 is inserted into the sample processing device.

Each chamber 150 may have a cylindrical shape or a polygonal column shape tapered downward and, without limitations thereto, may have other shapes. Each chamber may be formed to accommodate 3000 microliters or less, 2000 microliters or less, 1000 microliters or less, 800 microliters or less, 700 microliters or less, 500 microliters or less, 400 microliters or less, 300 microliters or less, 200 microliters or less, or 100 microliters or less of solution. The chamber may be made of PC (polycarbonate), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), nylon, or a synthetic material of two or more thereof.

The plurality of chambers 150 may include a sample chamber, a holding chamber, and a nucleic acid reaction chamber.

The holding chamber is a chamber for storing materials necessary for a sample processing reaction, such as magnetic particles, lysis solution, washing solution, and elution solution. The nucleic acid reaction chamber refers to a chamber that receives the extracted nucleic acid and leads to reaction.

The solution may be transferred by the pipette module and the moving module. After the cartridge is received in the sample processing device, the pipette module may carry the solution while moving between the plurality of chambers 150 by the moving module included in the sample processing device. The pipette module may be provided in the cartridge 100.

At least one of the plurality of chambers 150 is a sample chamber 110. When the plurality of chambers 150 are arranged in a straight line along the lengthwise direction, the sample chamber 110 may be positioned first or last among the plurality of chambers 150 in the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 100. The sample chamber 110 may be disposed first among the plurality of chambers 150, and the sample chamber 110 may be received last in the sample processing device among the plurality of chambers 150. The sample chamber 110 may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and so may be the inner space of the sample chamber 110. However, the shape of the sample chamber 110 and its interior space is not necessarily limited thereto.

The sample chamber 110 is a chamber for receiving a sample. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the internal space of the sample chamber 110 may be divided into a sample space 111 for receiving the sample and a dump space 112 physically separated from the sample space 111 to collect waste fluid. Thus, the sample chamber 110 may receive the waste fluid as well as the sample. The waste fluid may be a residue produced during a sample processing reaction.

The sample space 111 communicates with a sample injection hole 131 and a sample suction hole 132 formed in an upper surface of the sample chamber 110, and the dump space 112 communicates with an injection hole 133 formed in the upper surface of the sample chamber 110. A sample is injected into the sample space 111 through the sample injection hole 131, and the pipette module sucks in the sample, which has been injected into the sample space 111, through the sample suction hole 132. The moving module of the sample processing device moves the pipette module, which has sucked in the sample, and transfer of the sample is performed while the pipette module injects the sample into another chamber. The waste fluid, e.g., residues, is sucked in by the pipette module and injected into the dump space 112 through the injection hole 133.

The sample chamber 110 may have an internal space larger in volume than the other chambers to prevent the received waste fluid from leaking and contaminating the other chambers. For example, the sample chamber 110 may be formed to receive 5000 microliters of, or more, solution. As compared with the other chambers, the sample chamber 110 may have the same or a similar width and the same or a smaller height but a larger length in the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 100 to have a larger volume of internal space. The sample space 111 may occupy a smaller volume than the dump space 112 in the internal space of the sample chamber 110. For example, the sample space 111 may be formed to receive a solution of 500 microliters or less, and the rest of the internal space of the sample chamber 110 may be the dump space 112.

In other words, the sample chamber 110 is received to allow the dump space 112 to have a volume sufficient to receive various waste fluids, and such an accident as leakage of the waste fluid from the dump space 112 may be prevented from occurring while the cartridge 100 operates in the sample processing device. It is also possible to prevent leakage of the waste fluid due to external impact. Further, the generated waste fluid may be discarded along with the cartridge 100, which leads to simplified post-treatment.

As the sample space 111 and the dump space 112 are formed in one sample chamber 110, it is possible to minimize an increase in the length and volume of the cartridge 100. Since the sample space 111 and the dump space 112 are formed inside one sample chamber 110 rather than separately including a chamber having a sample space and another having a dump space among the plurality of chambers 150, it is possible to provide a dump space 112 in the cartridge 100 while reducing the number of chambers 150 needed.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an absorption means 113 for absorbing the waste fluid may be provided in the dump space 112. The absorption means 113 absorbs the waste fluid injected into the dump space 112. The absorption means 113 may be, e.g., a hygroscopic resin, and as the waste fluid is absorbed by the absorption means 113, the effect of preventing leakage of the waste fluid from the dump space 112 may be increased, and when the cartridge 100 is disposed, it may be possible to prevent contamination due to leakage of waste fluid.

As described above, as the internal space of the sample chamber 110 includes the sample space 111 and the dump space 112, it is possible to include the dump space 112 in the cartridge 100 while minimizing an increase in volume. Further, as the sample chamber 110 has a larger volume than the other chambers, and the absorption means 113 is provided in the dump space 112, it is possible to prevent leakage of the waste fluid injected into the dump space 112 and contamination of the other chambers and sample processing device due to leakage.

The sample space 111 and the dump space 112 may be physically separated from each other. In other words, the internal space of the sample chamber 110 may be partitioned into the sample space 111 and the dump space 112 by a physical structure. Thus, the sample space 111 may be spatially separated from the dump space 112 in the internal space of the sample chamber 110. When the sample space 111 and the dump space 112 are physically separated from each other, this means that the sample injected into the sample space 111 is stopped from moving to the dump space 112 in the internal space of the sample chamber 110, and the waste fluid injected into the dump space 112 is stopped from moving to the sample space 111 in the internal space of the sample chamber 110. A physical partition between the sample space 111 and the dump space 112 may be achieved by a base part 140.

An upper portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110 includes an upper portion of the sample space 111 and an upper portion of the dump space 112. In other words, at least a portion of the sample space 111 and at least a portion of the dump space 112 are included in the upper portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110. The sample space 111 may be positioned at an upper side of the internal space of the sample chamber 110, and the dump space 112 may be the rest, and at least a portion of the dump space 112 occupies an upper portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110. The upper portion of the sample space 111 and the upper portion of the dump space 112, which are included in the upper portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110 may be positioned laterally. The upper portion of the sample space 111 and the upper portion of the dump space 112 may be disposed in the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 100. The upper portion of the sample space 111 included in the upper portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110 communicates with the sample injection hole 131 and the sample suction hole 132, and the upper portion of the dump space 112 included in the upper portion of the internal space communicates with the injection hole 133.

The sample space 111 may be spaced apart from the bottom surface of the sample chamber 110. In other words, the lower portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110 may include only the dump space 112, and the sample space 111 may not be included in the lower portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110. Accordingly, at least a portion of the dump space 112 may be positioned between the sample space 111 and the bottom surface of the sample chamber 110. As the sample space 111 is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the sample chamber 110, and at least a portion of the dump space 112 is positioned between the sample space 111 and the bottom surface of the sample chamber 110, the waste fluid injected into the dump space 112 fills the internal space of the sample chamber 110 from the lower portion thereof.

An opening communicating with the sample space 111 and an opening communicating with the dump space 112 are formed in the upper surface of the sample chamber 110. Each opening is formed to vertically penetrate the upper surface of the sample chamber 110 to communicate between the external space and the internal space. The opening communicating with the sample space 111 includes the sample injection hole 131 and the sample suction hole 132, and the opening communicating with the dump space 112 includes the injection hole 133. As the openings are formed in the upper surface of the sample chamber 110, the opening communicating with the sample space 111 communicates with the upper portion of the sample space 111 included in the upper surface of the internal space of the sample chamber 110, and the opening communicating with the dump space 112 communicates with the upper surface of the dump space 112 included in the upper surface of the internal space of the sample chamber 110.

An opening/closing means for opening and closing each opening or a sealing means for sealing each opening may be provided (refer to FIGS. 4 and 5). The sample injection hole 131 may be opened and closed by the opening/closing means. The opening/closing means may be, e.g., a cap 410 that is drawn into or drawn out from the opening, or a sheet 510 that is detachably provided on the upper surface of the sample chamber 110 to cover or open the opening, or a sliding member that slides to open and close the opening. The user opens the opening/closing means, injects a sample into the sample space 111 through the sample injection hole 131, and then closes the opening/closing means. By so doing, it is possible to prevent contamination of the sample in the sample space 111 or leakage of the sample from the sample space 111 through the sample injection hole 131 while, after the sample is injected, the cartridge is moved or mounted in the sample processing device. The sample suction hole 132 and the injection hole 133 may be sealed by a sealing means. The sealing means may be, e.g., a metal thin film or a plastic film (see reference numeral 420). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the sample space 111 from being contaminated through the sample suction hole 132. As the pipette module descends to the cartridge 100, the pipette tip may break the sealing means and suck in a sample or inject the waste fluid. As described above, the sample injection hole 131 with the opening/closing means and the sample suction hole 132 with the sealing means are formed in the upper surface of the sample chamber 110, so that the sample chamber 110 containing the sample may remain sealed until, after the sample is injected into the inside of the cartridge, the cartridge 100 is mounted inside the sample processing device and sample processing starts.

The sample space 111 may be formed to be inclined downwards from the sample injection hole 131 to the sample suction hole 132. The sample injected into the sample space 111 through the sample injection hole 131 is pooled under the sample suction hole 132, which allows it easy to suck in the sample by the pipette module.

A description is made below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sample chamber 110 may include a container part 120, a cover part 130, and a base part 140. The container part 120, the cover part 130, and the base part 140 may be integrally formed or may be formed separately from each other, or any two thereof may be integrally formed and combined with the other. The combination of at least some of the container part 120, the cover part 130, and the base part 140 may be performed by, e.g., ultrasonic welding.

The container part 120 has an upper opening and forms an internal space of the sample chamber 110. The container part 120 may be formed to be connected with the other plurality of chambers 150 in the lengthwise direction. The container part 120 may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but is not necessarily limited thereto and may be formed in other various shapes.

The cover part 130 is coupled to the upper side of the container part 120 and forms an upper surface of the sample chamber 110. The cover part 130 may be formed in a rectangular plate shape, and the cover part 130 may have a larger width and length than the opening of the container part 120. The sample injection hole 131, the sample suction hole 132, and the injection hole 133 formed in the upper surface of the sample chamber 110 may be provided in the cover part 130 to penetrate the cover part 130 in the upper and lower directions to communicate with the sample space 111 or the dump space 112. The sample injection hole 131 may have a circular shape, and the sample suction hole 132 and the injection hole 133 may have a rectangular shape, but are not limited thereto.

The base part 140 is located under the cover part 130. The base part 140 is positioned under the cover part 130 and forms a sample space 111 in which the sample is received between the base part 140 and the cover part 130. Seating parts recessed in portions adjacent to the opening are formed on the upper surface of the container part 120 to extend along the lengthwise direction on two opposite sides in the width direction, and the base part 140 has supports extending on two opposite sides in the width direction. The supports may be seated on the seating parts. The cover part 130 may be supported on the upper surfaces of the supports of the base part 140, and the base part 140 may be fixed between the cover part 130 and the container part 120. The base part 140 may be attached to the container part 120, with the supports of the base part 140 seated on the seating parts of the container part 120 and, then, the cover part 130 may be supported and attached and coupled to the upper surface of the base part 140.

As the upper surface of the base part 140 positioned under the cover part 130 is concave, the sample space 111 is formed between the cover part 130 and the base part 140. The sample space 111 is positioned between the lower surface of the cover part 130 and the upper surface of the base part 140. Accordingly, at least a portion of the sample space 111 is positioned at an upper side of the internal space of the sample chamber 110, and the upper portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110 includes the upper portion of the sample space 111. The base part 140 is spaced upward apart from the bottom surface of the sample chamber 110. The sample injection hole 131 and the sample suction hole 132 that are formed in the cover part 130 to communicate with the sample space 111 are formed in portions vertically overlapping the base part 140 of the cover part 130.

The sample space 111 may be formed to be inclined downward from the sample injection hole 131 toward the sample suction hole 132. In other words, the upper surface of the base 140 is formed to be deeper from the sample injection hole 131 to the sample suction hole 132. The base part 140 may be formed so that a portion, facing the sample suction hole 132, of the upper surface of the base part 140 is deepest downward. In other words, the sample space 111 is formed to be inclined downward from the sample injection hole 131 to the sample suction hole 132 and to be deepest under the sample suction hole 132 and be inclined upward, away from the sample suction hole 132. Thus, the sample injected into the sample space 111 through the sample injection hole 131 is pooled under the sample suction hole 132, which allows it easy to suck in the sample by the pipette module.

The sample injection hole 131 and the sample suction hole 132 may be disposed adjacent to each other in the cover part 130. In other words, the sample injection hole 131 and the sample suction hole 132 may be disposed successively with each other so that the injection hole 133 is not positioned between the sample injection hole 131 and the sample suction hole 132. As illustrated in the drawings, the sample injection hole 131 and the sample suction hole 132 may be disposed in the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 100. The sample injection hole 131, the sample suction hole 132, and the injection hole 133 may be disposed in this order along the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 100. In other words, the sample space 111 may be formed to become deeper toward one side in the lengthwise direction of the cartridge 100. Thus, the sample injected into the sample space 111 is pooled under the sample suction hole 132, which allows it easy to suck in the sample by the pipette module.

The rest of the internal space of the sample chamber 110, other than the sample space 111 includes the dump space 112 into which the waste fluid is injected. The sample space 111 and the dump space 112 are spatially separated from each other by the base part 140. As the base part 140 is spaced apart from the bottom surface of the sample chamber 110, at least a portion of the dump space 112 is positioned between the sample space 111 and the bottom surface of the sample chamber 110. As described above, the base part 140 is positioned under the cover part 130, and a portion of the lower surface of the cover part 130 supports the base part 140, and the rest of the lower surface of the cover part 130 may form a boundary of the dump space 112. In other words, an upper portion of the internal space of the sample chamber 110 may include an upper portion of the dump space 112. The injection hole 133 formed to communicate with the dump space 112 in the cover part 130 is formed in a portion of the cover part 130, which does not vertically overlap the base part 140.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, an opening/closing means for opening and closing the sample injection hole 131, the sample suction hole 132, or the injection hole 133 formed in the cover part 130 or a sealing means for sealing the same may be provided. The sample injection hole 131 may be opened and closed by the opening/closing means. The opening/closing means may be, e.g., a cap 410 that is drawn into or drawn out from the opening, or a sheet 510 that is detachably provided on the upper surface of the cover part 130 to cover or open the opening, or a sliding member that slides to open and close the opening. The cap 410 may be integrally formed with the cover part 130. An end of the sheet 510 may be a portion that is detachably provided on the upper surface of the cover part 130, and an opposite end thereof may be a portion for gripping. The sliding member may be provided to slide on the upper surface of the cover part 130 in the lengthwise direction or width direction of the cartridge 100. The sample suction hole 132 and the injection hole 133 may be sealed by a sealing means. The sealing means may be, e.g., a metal thin film or a plastic film.

[Legends of Reference Numerals]

100: sample processing cartridge 110: sample chamber

111: sample space 112: dump space

113: absorption means 120: container part

130: cover part 131: sample injection hole

132: sample suction hole 133: injection hole

140: base part 150: chambers

410: cap 510: sheet

[CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS]

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0096295, filed on July 31, 2020, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims

A cartridge for processing a sample, comprising a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber comprising an internal space physically divided into a sample space for receiving the sample and a dump space for collecting waste fluid.
The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chambers are arranged in a straight line along a lengthwise direction.
The cartridge of claim 2, wherein the sample chamber is disposed first or last among the plurality of chambers in the lengthwise direction.
The cartridge of claim 1, wherein an absorption means for absorbing the waste fluid is provided in the dump space.
The cartridge of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the internal space comprises an upper portion of the sample space and an upper portion of the dump space.
The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the sample space is spaced apart from a bottom surface of the sample chamber.
The cartridge of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the dump space is positioned between the sample space and the bottom surface of the sample chamber.
The cartridge of claim 1, wherein an opening communicating with the sample space and an opening communicating with the dump space are formed in an upper surface of the sample chamber.
The cartridge of claim 8, further comprising an opening/closing means for opening and closing the opening or a sealing means for sealing the opening.
The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the sealing means comprises a metal thin film or a plastic film.
The cartridge of claim 8, wherein the opening communicating with the sample space comprises a sample injection hole and a sample suction hole.
The cartridge of claim 11, wherein the sample space is formed to be inclined downward from the sample injection hole to the sample suction hole.
A cartridge for processing a sample, comprising a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber comprising an internal space comprising a sample space for receiving the sample, and wherein the sample chamber comprises a sample injection hole and a sample suction hole communicating with the sample space.
The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the plurality of chambers are arranged in a straight line along a lengthwise direction.
The cartridge of claim 14, wherein the sample chamber is disposed first or last among the plurality of chambers in the lengthwise direction.
The cartridge of claim 13, wherein an upper portion of the internal space comprises at least a portion of the sample space.
The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the sample injection hole and the sample suction hole are formed in an upper surface of the sample chamber.
The cartridge of claim 13, further comprising an opening/closing means for opening and closing the sample injection hole.
The cartridge of claim 13, further comprising a sealing means for sealing the sample suction hole.
The cartridge of claim 19, wherein the sealing means comprises a metal thin film or a plastic film.
The cartridge of claim 13, wherein the sample space is formed to be deeper downward from the sample injection hole to the sample suction hole.
A cartridge for processing a sample, comprising a plurality of chambers, wherein one of the plurality of chambers is a sample chamber, the sample chamber comprising:

a container part having an upper opening and forming an internal space of the sample chamber;

a cover part coupled to the upper side of the container part and forming an upper surface of the sample chamber; and

a base part positioned under the cover part and recessed to form a sample space for receiving a sample between the cover part and the base part.
The cartridge of claim 22, wherein the plurality of chambers are arranged in a straight line along a lengthwise direction.
The cartridge of claim 22, wherein the cover part comprises a sample injection hole and a sample suction hole communicating with the sample space.
The cartridge of claim 22, wherein a rest of the internal space, other than the sample space, comprises a dump space for collecting a waste fluid.
The cartridge of claim 25, wherein the base part is supported on a portion of a lower surface of the cover part, and wherein a rest of the lower surface of the cover part forms a boundary of the dump space.
The cartridge of claim 26, wherein the cover part comprises an injection hole communicating with the dump space.