Reaction well for assay device

Inventors

Cauley, III, Thomas H.

Assignees

Talis Biomedical Corp

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an apparatus for simultaneously filling a plurality of sample chambers. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a common fluid source and a plurality of independent, continuous fluidic pathways. Each independent, continuous fluidic pathway comprises a sample chamber and a pneumatic compartment. The sample chamber is connected to the common fluid source, and the pneumatic compartment is connected to the sample chamber. The sample chamber comprises, in part, an assay chamber. The assay chamber comprises a monolithic substrate and a plug. In some embodiments, the assay chamber contains a magnetic mixing element. In some embodiments, the assay chamber is a double tapered chamber. In some embodiments, a ratio of a volume of the sample chamber to a volume of the pneumatic compartment is substantially equivalent for each fluidic pathway of the plurality of fluidic pathways.

Core Innovation

The document describes a microfluidic assay device that uses a common fluid source to concurrently fill multiple sample/assay chambers through a plurality of independent, continuous fluidic pathways. Each fluidic pathway includes a sample chamber connected to the common fluid source and an entry conduit, and the sample chamber includes an assay chamber and an assay chamber volume.

A key configuration is that excluding the connection between the sample chamber and the common fluid source, each fluidic pathway is a closed system. The pathways are arranged so that a ratio of the fluid volume to the pneumatic volume is substantially equivalent for each fluidic pathway of the plurality of fluidic pathways, and this substantially equivalent ratio is used to achieve simultaneous filling and synchronized reaction timing.

The assay chamber geometry may include a double tapered chamber designed to minimize bubble trapping by using tapered inlet and tapered outlet regions and curved boundaries. Sealing of pathway entry conduits may be performed using films with different melting temperatures, where a first film is adhered to form a wall of the entry conduit and a second film adhered to the first film has a higher melting temperature.

The sample chamber may include a plug in a monolithic substrate that defines an adjustable chamber volume, and may optionally include a cavity holding dried reagents. For rehydration or solubilizing dried reagents, the document includes a magnetic mixing element configured to induce gyration within the assay chamber volume, with the gyration being induced by an external rotating magnet.

Claims Coverage

The provided independent claims are directed to two apparatus concepts: (i) an apparatus for concurrently filling multiple assay chambers using a common fluid source and independent, continuous closed fluidic pathways with substantially equivalent fluid-to-pneumatic volume ratios, and (ii) an apparatus for rehydrating a dried reagent using a plug-defined assay chamber with dried reagents in a plug cap cavity and magnetic mixing to induce gyration. Across the two independent claims, the core coverage includes closed-system pneumatic sample pathways, film-based sealing with different melting temperatures, and magnetic gyration-based rehydration.

Overall, the claim coverage combines a common fluid source feeding multiple closed-system, independent continuous fluidic pathways with substantially equivalent fluid-volume-to-pneumatic-volume ratios for concurrent operation, and plug-defined assay chambers containing dried reagents, where magnetic mixing induces gyration within the assay chamber volume for rehydration.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications