GB2548963A - Device for the movement, mixing and separation of liquids - Google Patents

Device for the movement, mixing and separation of liquids Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2548963A
GB2548963A GB1701996.9A GB201701996A GB2548963A GB 2548963 A GB2548963 A GB 2548963A GB 201701996 A GB201701996 A GB 201701996A GB 2548963 A GB2548963 A GB 2548963A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
cylinder
liquid
pistons
reservoir
liquids
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1701996.9A
Other versions
GB201701996D0 (en
Inventor
Zimmermann Sara
Stiess Erich
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Stratec Biomedical AG
Original Assignee
Stratec Biomedical AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Stratec Biomedical AG filed Critical Stratec Biomedical AG
Publication of GB201701996D0 publication Critical patent/GB201701996D0/en
Publication of GB2548963A publication Critical patent/GB2548963A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/52—Containers specially adapted for storing or dispensing a reagent
    • B01L3/527—Containers specially adapted for storing or dispensing a reagent for a plurality of reagents
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/02—Burettes; Pipettes
    • B01L3/0289—Apparatus for withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/02—Burettes; Pipettes
    • B01L3/0289—Apparatus for withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid
    • B01L3/0293—Apparatus for withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid for liquids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
    • B01L3/502—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
    • B01L3/508—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes rigid containers not provided for above
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/52—Containers specially adapted for storing or dispensing a reagent
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
    • B01L2300/08—Geometry, shape and general structure
    • B01L2300/0832—Geometry, shape and general structure cylindrical, tube shaped
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2400/00—Moving or stopping fluids
    • B01L2400/04—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means
    • B01L2400/0403—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific forces
    • B01L2400/043—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific forces magnetic forces
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2400/00—Moving or stopping fluids
    • B01L2400/04—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means
    • B01L2400/0475—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific mechanical means and fluid pressure
    • B01L2400/0478—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific mechanical means and fluid pressure pistons

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Hematology (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

A device for processing liquids comprising at least one reservoir for storing at least one liquid 5, the at least one reservoir being connected via a channel with at least one cylinder wherein the at least one cylinder comprises at least two pistons 10, 20 that are movable ar­ranged within the cylinder. The device may further comprise at least one reaction chamber. In use, a first piston 10 moves in the cylinder away from second piston 20, which remains stationary, such that negative pressure is generated and liquid 5 is withdrawn from the reservoir (fig 2). To move the liquid to the reaction chamber, both pistons are moved in parallel (fig 3) and the initial process is repeated. The reaction chamber may comprise a magnet.

Description

Title: Device for the movement, mixing and separation of liquids
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invejiiion refers to a device for the movement, mixii\g and separation of liquids. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[ίΚ)02] Automated analysers are now standard in the processing and analysis of samples. Stratec Biomedical AG, Birkenfeid, Germany is a manufacturer of such analyser systems allowing to process a broad spectrum of samples, many liquids such as, for example, buffers and washing solutions are required as well as solutions for the detection or determination of desired molecules.
[0003] In addition to analysijig samples, automated analyser systems can also be used for separating samples or magnetic particles that were added for binding target molecules. Again, different buffers and solutions are required for this task. All liquids can be provided by using a pipettor transferring liquids from a storage container to a reaction vessel. Alternatively, liquids can be transported using tubes for example to a reaction vessel.
[0004] Despite providing liquids it may be necessary to mix an appropriate reaction buffer from different components. Using a pipettor or tube %'ould result in an additional step for providing the mixture.
[tX)05] For this reason, there is a need for a device allowing movement, mixing and separating of liquids in automated analyser systems.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention solves the above defined problem wdth a device according to the independent claims.
[0007] The invention provides a device for processing liquids, comprising at least one reservoir for storing at least one liquid; the at least one reservoir being connected via a channel with at least one cylinder; the at least one cylinder comprising at least two pistons that are xnovable arranged within the cylinder.
[0008] The at least two pistons may be arranged independently from one another in the at least one cylinder so that they can be moved independently or arranged in a defined distance to one another.
[0009] The device may comprise in a further aspect at least one separate reaction chamber being connected via a channel with the at least one cylinder.
[0010] The at least two pistons can be actuated by at least one drive and the at least one reservoir may have an opening for pressure compensation or filling in the at least one liquid.
[0011] It is intended that the device may comprise for each kind of the at least one liquid at least one reservoir.
[0012] In a further aspect of the invention, the device may comprise at least two cylinder wherein each cylinder comprises at least two pistons. The at least two cylinder can be connected via at least one bridging channel for exchanging liquids.
[0013] The at least one bridging channel can be connected with the at least tw'O cylinder for controlling liquid transfer into and out of the at least two cylinder during liquid trarisfer or exchange. The diameter of the bridging channel should be adjusted in a manner that the flow of liquids like blood can be controlled. The at least one or two cylinder may further have openings for pressure compensation. Basically, the device may comprise at least one valve for controlling pressure compensation.
[0014] A magnet may be arranged at the at least one reaction chamber in a further aspect for binding magnetic solids in a liquid.
[0015] It is intended that the device may further comprise a control unit for adjustment of the at least two piston’s position within the at least one cylinder as well as the at least two piston’s distance to one another and the movement of the at least two pistons.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EIGURES
[0016] The invention will mm be described on the basis of figures. It will be understood that the embodiments and aspects of the invention described in the figures are only examples and do not limit the protective scope of the claims in any way. The invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents. It will be understood that features of one aspect or embodiment of the invention can be combined v/ith a feature of a different aspect or aspects of other embodiments of the invention, it shows: [0017] Figure la, lb Overview Reservoir and cylinder with piston [0018] Figure 2, 3 Schematic representation of liquid suction from reservoir [0019] Figure 4 Transport of liquid in cylinder [0020] Figure 5 Transfer of liquid in reaction chamber [0021] Figure 6, 7 Arrangement of magnets at reaction chamber [0022] Figure 8a, 8b Arrangement of magnets at cylinder [0023] Figure 9,9a Overview bridging channel and connectioti to cylinder [0024] Figure 10 Bridging channel wdth opening to
DETAILLED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND FIGURES
[0025] It is provided that the device may consist of two parts, the piston and piston clamp being located in a part of the device, and the chambers or reservoirs for storing and absorbing the liquids in a second pait of the device.
[0026] Further components of the invention are a control unit as well as drives for actuating the pistons.
[0027] EIG. la, lb show that reservoirs are filled whth liquid 5. The reservoirs are connected via channel 7 with cylinder 30. Pistons 10, 20 are located at the right side of cylinder 30. Reaction chamber 2 is located at one end of cylinder 30. In figure lb openings 8 are arranged on top of the reservoirs for pressure exchange when liquids are sucked into cylinder 30.
[0028] FIG. 2 show's the initial state in which pistons 10, 20 are located at one end of cylinder 30 W'hen beginning the process of absorbing a liquid. The opening of a first reservoir is closed. Piston 10 moves within the cylinder 30 as indicated by the arrow while the other piston 20 stops. Thus, a negative pressure is generated, resulting in the liquid 5 of the reservoir being sucked into cylinder (FIG. 3).
[0029] For moving the liquids within the cylinder, both pistons 10, 20 are displaced in parallel within the cylinder as indicated by the arrows in F’lG. 4. By repeating the process as described in FIGS. 2 and 3, liquids can be absorbed from reseiwoirs into cylinder. This process allows also for mixing of different liquids from different reservoir.
[0030] If pistons 10, 20 are moved toward one another w'ithin the cylinder, and if there is an opening connected to the cylinder above the absorbed liquids w'ill thereby be discharged into the reaction chamber for instance (FIG. 5, vertical arrow).
[0031] FIG. 6 shows a magnet 50 that is arranged next to the reaction chamber for binding magnetic beads 6 w'ithin the liquid. By separating the tw'o pistons 10, 20, the liquid 5 may be transferred back into cylinder so that only the bound magnetic beads 6 remain in the reaction chamber (FIG. 7). It is further envisaged that detection of bound target molecules will be performed directly in the reaction chamber, e.g. by using fiuorescence/iutninescence or detection of radiolabeiled molecules. Thus, the reaction chamber may be transparent or have a transpai-ent window for performing suitable detection assays.
[0032] FIGS. 8 a, 8 b show alternative arrangements of magnet 50 with which the magnetic beads 6 can also be bound and liquid 5 can be sepamted from the magnetic beads 6, by movement of piston 10, 20. In the illustraliott in FIGS. 8 a, 8 b, the bound magnetic beads remain in the cylinder.
[0033] It is intended to perform detection assays of target jnolecules bound to magnetic beads or particles directly in the cylinder, w'hich may have a detection part for performing such assays. The detection part may be transparent or have a transparent window for performing appropriate detection assays.
[0034] FIG. 9 shows an part of a two pait device comprising cylinders 30 each comprising two pistons and being connected to a bridging channel 40. This part of the device is clipped onto a second part comprising resen'oirs that are sealed by a foil (not shown). A sample is applied to sample container 42, which is connected with the bridging channel 40 for transferring the sample to clinders 30. cylinders 30. Piercing needles 43 are used to pefibrate the foil sealing reservoirs and to compensate pressure during liquid transfer. FIG. 9a shows piercing needles 43 in more detail.
[0035] FIG 10 is a detailed depiction of an opening 41 of bridging channel 40 to cylinder 30 for enabling transfer of liquids between the several cylinders 30. Sample container 42 is connected to bridging channel 40.
[0036] The device may be arranged as a tw'o-part construction of the device. The upper part comprises the reservoirs and the low'er part the at least one cylinder. The upper part can be exchanged comprising the liquids in the reservoirs, so that new reservoirs / cavities with liquids can be used. Such solutions may be necessary for further processing of samples, for example washing steps and elution steps of bound magnetic beads 6.
[00371 It is also envisaged to have the reservoirs in the lower part, wherein they are sealed, e,g. with a foil. The at least one cylinder with at least one reaction ehamber is comprised in the upper part and can be clipped onto the lower part. The channels are constructed as needles which will pierce into the foil for opening the at least one reservoir. One additional needle may be used for pressure compensation.
[0038] The device may have several cylinder with piston being arranged next to each other, wherein the cylinder are connected via a bridging channel to enable parallel performance of several assay processes. The sample, e.g. blood, may be applied to the bridging channel so that it will be distributed through the bridging channel to the cylinder for performing different assays in parallel. The sample may be aspirated into a cylinder by moving only one of the two pistons in a cylinder for obtaining a negative pressure.
[0039] An advantage of the described device is that the dosing accuracy of the system may be improved. The dosing accuracy depends on how much air a piston absorbs during aspiration of a liquid. To minimize the amount of aspirated air, an intentional overdosing of liquid can be carried out. The liquid will be transported to an empty cavity and pushed into the empty cavity. When an opening in the cavity is positioned in a manner to let at first aspirated air out of the cavity, the accuracy of the system wdll be improved.
[()04()] A further advantage is that the above described device allows for process control using fluorescence. Each of the various reagents may comprise a fluorescent dye with a different colour. Detection of the fluorescence in the reaction chamber during an assay or after performing an assay allows for monitoring which reagent is or was part of the liquid being present in the evaluation chamber.
[0041] The device according to the invention therefore allows the targeted movement, mixing and separation of liquids in a device with low constructional requirements.
REFERENCE NUMERALS 2 reaction chamber 5 liquid 6 magnetic beads 7 channel 8 opening 10 first piston 20 second piston 30 cylinder 40 bridging channel 41 opening bridging channel 42 sample container 43 piercing needle 50 magnet

Claims (13)

1. A device for processing liquids, comprising at least one reservoir for storing at least one liquid; the at least one reservoir being connected via a channel with at least one cylinder; the at least one cylinder comprising at least two pistons that are movable arranged within the cylinder.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least two pistons are arranged independently from one another in the at least one cylinder so that they can be moved independently or arranged in a defined distance to one another.
3. The device of claim 1 or 2, further comprising at least one separate reaction chamber being connected via a tube with the at least one cylinder.
4. The device of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising at least one drive for actuating the at least two pistons.
5. The device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one reservoir has an opening for pressure compensation or filling in the at least one liquid.
6. The device of any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising for each kind of the at least Oi\e liquid at least one reservoir.
7. The device of any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising at least two cylinder, wherein each of the at least tw'o cylinder comprises at least tw'o pistons.
8. The device of claim 7, w'herein the at least two cylinder are connected via at least one bridging channel.
9. The device of claim 7. wherein the at least one brirleine channel is connected via valves with the at least two cylinder for controlling liquid transfer into and out of the at least two cylinder.
10. The device of any one of claims 1 ίο 9, wherein the at least one or two cylinder have openings for pressure compensation.
11. The device of any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising at least one valve for controlling pressure compensation.
12. The device of any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a magnet arranged at the at least one reaction chamber.
13. The device of any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a control unit for adjustment of the at least two piston’s position within the at least one cylinder as well as the at least two piston’s distance to one another and the movement of the at least two pistons.
GB1701996.9A 2016-02-08 2017-02-07 Device for the movement, mixing and separation of liquids Withdrawn GB2548963A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102016102137 2016-02-08

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GB2548963A true GB2548963A (en) 2017-10-04

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021198476A1 (en) * 2020-04-02 2021-10-07 Diascreen Gmbh Pressure-controlled point-of-care diagnostics

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102009023068A1 (en) * 2009-05-28 2010-12-02 RATIONAL Technische Lösungen GmbH Dosing device for supplying e.g. washing liquid to blood sample chamber for analytical tasks for patient, has pistons arranged behind each other in pipe, where fluids flow between pistons and escape out from opening and arrive into chamber
WO2011050110A1 (en) * 2009-10-20 2011-04-28 Boston Microfluidics Methods and systems to collect and prepare samples, to implement, initiate and perform assays, and to control and manage fluid flow

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102009023068A1 (en) * 2009-05-28 2010-12-02 RATIONAL Technische Lösungen GmbH Dosing device for supplying e.g. washing liquid to blood sample chamber for analytical tasks for patient, has pistons arranged behind each other in pipe, where fluids flow between pistons and escape out from opening and arrive into chamber
WO2011050110A1 (en) * 2009-10-20 2011-04-28 Boston Microfluidics Methods and systems to collect and prepare samples, to implement, initiate and perform assays, and to control and manage fluid flow

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021198476A1 (en) * 2020-04-02 2021-10-07 Diascreen Gmbh Pressure-controlled point-of-care diagnostics

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