MXPA98010443A - Method and device for filling an analysis card with a liquid medium - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for filling, with a liquid medium, (1) an analysis card (2) comprising a body (3) wherein is formed at least a reading cavity (3a) and an orifice (4) communicating with said cavity by at least an internal channel (7), with an external conduit (9) communicating with said orifice, said device comprising evacuating means (50). The invention is characterised in that it comprises:connecting means (11), including on one side a sealed and removable joining piece (12) to be coupled with the open external conduit free end (9a), and communicating directly on the other side with the evacuation means (50);means (34) for closing and re-opening the external conduit.

Description

Procedure and device to fill an * analysis * card with a liquid medium The invention refers to filling an analysis card with a liquid medium.

"Analysis card" means any means of single use, or not, that allows one or several simultaneous analyzes, from one and the same sample and from one or several reagents, and in this manner to be sealed with respect to the external environment, the result of the analysis that is being obtained, for example, by optical means. Generally, such an analysis card comprises a body in which at least one reading cavity was formed, which then receives the use of all or part of the sample with at least one pre-existing reagent in said cavity, as well as a orifice communicating with said cavity through at least one internal channel. It is or these cavities communicate with the exterior only through the aforementioned orifice, while the card is associated or cooperates in general with an external, flexible conduit, which communicates in a sealed manner with this orifice. This external conduit allows to take, as described above, the sample of liquid medium to be analyzed.

Such cards are well known in the prior art, REF .: 29054 and in particular by the American patents 3 963 355 and 4 038 151, to which it will refer as long as necessary.

"Liquid medium" means any product or liquid medium, in any case susceptible to spilling by pumping, either by the viscosity or fluidity of this liquid; in particular, in the case of a biological analysis, a liquid medium is understood to mean a medium containing, for example, one or the microorganisms or a biological product to be analyzed.

In the case of the filling of an analysis card as defined above, until now, we proceeded as follows: - there is a sealing box, with the means of controlling the internal pressure, and in particular of the vacuum when said box is put to empty; - a part containing, for example, a test tube, in which the liquid medium to be sampled or taken is arranged in the box, and on the other side of the container the analysis card with the free end of the external duct , immersed in the liquid medium contained by the container; - the air is evacuated from the box, to a level of significant void, for example lower than 100 mbar absolute, by means of which the air is evacuated from the analysis card, and the evacuated air passes through the liquid medium of the container; - after breaking the vacuum, and returning the box to atmospheric pressure, the liquid medium is sucked into the analysis card until the reading cavity (s) are filled.

Such a procedure seems particularly polluting since the bubbling that intervenes when the vacuum is placed is susceptible to projecting to the outside of the container and consequently subsequently to the contact of the user or manipulator, of the particles or drops of liquid medium, and this in spite of all the precautions that can be taken in this regard. In the case of a liquid medium containing a pathogen, this does not seem satisfactory.

The object of the present invention is to fill a non-polluting analysis card, which always works in a vacuum, that is to say without the possibility of evacuating the manipulated liquid medium to the outside.

According to the present invention, in succession: in order to evacuate the gas contained in the analysis card, the free end of the open external conduit is connected directly, in a sealed manner, to an evacuation means, and this outside the liquid medium manipulated; - the external duct is clogged, to maintain the vacuum in the analysis card; - the free end of the sealed external duct is immersed in the liquid medium; - and the external duct is reopened after immersion of this free end, to suck the liquid medium in the analysis card.

The present invention also provides the advantage that determines according to which pumping of gas contained in the analysis card requires a limited work, and becomes consequently compatible with relatively simple means of pumping, even rudimentary, in particular manual. In addition, the filling method described above can also be used manually, as in an automatic analyzer.

The present invention is now described with reference to the appended drawing, in which: - Figure 1 represents in perspective and schematically, an analysis card such as that considered in the present invention; - Figure 2 schematically represents a filling device according to the invention; - Figure 3 represents in perspective an embodiment of the device schematized in Figure 2; and Figure 4 represents a sectional view of the connection means and the sealing means that form part of the device shown in Figure 3.

An analysis card 2, processed by the filling method according to the invention, with the device shown in Figures 2 and 3, comprises: - a body 3, in plastic material, cast, generally flat and rectangular in shape, in which several series of reading varieties 3a are formed on the one hand, and on the other hand the internal open channels 7, as well as a hole 4; - two sheets 10 of transparent plastic material, glued respectively on the two faces of the body 3; - and an external conduit 9, flexible, having the shape of an elbow straw, assembled in sealed form with the body 3, at the time of use of the analysis card, which contains a free end 9a, and an opposite end that communicates in a sealed manner, after assembly or assembly, with hole 4.

In the case of the circulation of the liquid in the card 2, a distributor conduit 5 communicates on one side with the hole 4, and on the other side with a series of branches 6, on each of which the different reading cavities 3a are branched by the respective internal channels 7.

According to Figure 3, a filling device according to the invention comprises: - a frame 18 containing a base 19 and a vertical wall comprising two sides 20a and 20b at right angles; - a carriage 21, adapted to receive and maintain the analysis card 2 in a vertical position, with the external conduit 9 also in the vertical position; this carriage is able to slide against the side 20a, in a controlled manner, thanks to a displacement means 17, and particularly a slide 23; - another carriage 24, mounted in a sliding manner, on the base of the side 20b; this carriage is adapted to support the tube or receiver 16 in which the liquid medium 1 to be taken is arranged, as well as the connection means 11 described above; - an evacuation means 50 consisting of an alternative manual pump, mounted on the side 20b, actuated by a lever 44, which can be locked in rotation by a trigger mechanism 26 commanded by an arm 25; a connecting means 11, more particularly represented in Figure 4, comprising on one side a sealing funnel 12 sealed and displaceable with the free end 9a of the external conduit 9, thanks to an O-ring 14, narrowed between said funnel and a counter-drift 13, the latter communicates directly from the other side with the evacuation means 50; - a means 34 for sealing and reopening the external conduit 9, integral with the carriage 21; this means consists of a screw 15, which allows the pipe 9 to be punctured; it can be replaced by a key; - a manometer 27 for measuring the vacuum; - a circuit 28, provided with valves 29 and 30 (Fig. 2) at the outlet of the evacuation means 50, allowing a communication between the outlet of the pump and the inlet of the connection means 11.

With the previous device full, the following filling procedure can be practiced: - the analysis card 2 to be filled is arranged in the carriage 21, and the sealing means 34 is left open; the carriages 21 and 24 move through the slot of the displacement means 17, so that the free end 9a of the external conduit 9 communicates in a sealed manner with the connection means 11 (refers to the representation of Figure 4); - by actuating the lever 44, the gas contained in the analysis card 2 is evacuated, in the presence of atmospheric air, and the evacuation pressure is controlled by means of the pressure gauge 27; this may require one or several comings and goings in the rotation of the lever 44, according to the curvature of the evacuation means 50; once the desired vacuum level is reached, the lever is fixed by means of the trigger 26; from this moment, by means of the screw 15, the external conduit 9 is sealed off; - by a new movement of the carriages 21 and 24, the free end 9a of the external conduit 9 is brought into the container 16, with the immersion of this end 9a in the liquid medium 1 contained in the container 16; - the external conduit 9 is reopened, after immersion of this free end, keeping the end 9a submerged, this causes the aspiration of the liquid medium 1 of the analysis card, until filling each of the reading cavities 3a; and sealing the end of the external conduit 9, opposite the free end 9a, separating and pulling the rest of the conduit.

From this moment, the analysis card is full and lends itself to uploading the required analysis process, with the reading of the results through the different reading cavities 3a.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property.

Claims (8)

1. Filling process with a liquid medium, of an analysis card containing a body in which at least one reading cavity is formed, and a hole communicating with said cavity by at least one internal channel, with an external conduit that communicates with said orifice, procedure according to which the gas contained in the card is evacuated by said external conduit, and then the liquid is introduced into the evacuated card, with immersion of the free end of said external conduit in the liquid medium, characterized in that , successively: - to evacuate the gas contained in the analysis card, the free end of the open external duct is directly connected, with an evacuation means, outside the liquid medium; - the external duct is clogged, to maintain the vacuum in the analysis card; - the free end of the sealed external duct is immersed in the liquid medium; and the external duct is reopened, after immersion of said free extremity, to aspirate the liquid medium in the analysis card.

2. Process according to claim 1, according to which the liquid medium is contained in a container, characterized in that it is successively connected to the free end of the open external conduit with the evacuation means, this outside the container, said free extremity is immersed of the external conduit sealed in the liquid medium inside said container, and the external conduit is reopened keeping the free extremity submerged inside the container.

3. Process according to claim 1, according to which the external conduit is a flexible conduit, characterized in that the seal is obtained by puncturing the conduit, and the reopening of the latter by releasing the puncture.

4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the evacuation means consists of a pumping means, for example of manual pumping.

5. Filling device with a liquid medium, of an analysis card containing a body in which at least one reading cavity is formed, and a hole communicating with said cavity through at least one internal channel, with an external conduit that communicates with said orifice, this device comprises an evacuation means, characterized in that it comprises: - a connection means, containing on one side a coupling funnel sealed and movable with the free end of the open external conduit, and directly communicating the other side with the evacuation means; - a means of sealing and reopening the external medium.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the evacuation means is an alternative pumping means, particularly manual.

7. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the sealing and reopening means is a clamping means, or a key.

8. Device according to claim 5, according to which the liquid medium is contained in a container, characterized in that it contains a means for moving the analysis card, a first position in which the free end of the external duct is coupled sealed with the connecting means, to a second position in which said free end is immersed in the liquid medium inside the container.