Mixing and transfer device for materials used in biological and biochemical assays
Inventors
WONG, Jr Winston • Kao, Stephen Chang-Chi • Lai, Ying-Ta • Chen, Ming-Fa • Hsiao, Sheng-Pin
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10222307-B2
Publication Date
2019-03-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
A mixing device for operating biological, chemical or biochemical materials used in an assay includes a mixing member formed with a plurality of chambers, each having a sealable port provided along an edge of the mixing member. The mixing device also includes one or more compartments that are movable along the edge of the mixing member between selected ones of the sealed chambers. This compartment is operable to receive materials from and transfer materials between the chambers. Selected ones of the chambers include associated processing elements, for example, including heating and cooling elements, magnetic elements, membranes and lateral flow devices. The mixing device is also pivotable, for example, to facilitate the application of gravity force in the transfer of materials between the chambers and one or more compartments. The mixing device may operate manually by hand-held unit. Also, this mixing device may operate automatically with at least one driving unit.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention provides a device for manipulating one or more biological or chemical materials or a combination thereof using a mixing member having a plurality of chambers. Each chamber includes at least one chamber port along at least one side edge of the mixing member that may be selectively placed in an open state or a closed state. At least one compartment is movable externally along the at least one side edge so that its compartment port is selectively positioned in proximity to the ports along said side edge.
When the compartment port is moved to a position in overlapping proximity to the chamber port of a selected chamber, the selected chamber port changes from a closed state to an open state. At the same time, the state of at least one chamber port for another chamber remains unchanged, so that only selected chamber(s) are opened while other chamber ports remain in their prior state. This architecture enables material transfer between chamber interior volumes through controlled port opening.
In additional arrangements, multiple mixing members are vertically aligned along a central axis, each mixing member having a plurality of chambers with selectively openable chamber ports. Inter-mixer ports and relative movement between adjacent mixing members establish fluid communication between respective communicating chambers when ports are positioned in overlapping proximity in an open configuration. The disclosed system further supports manipulating materials using processing elements including electromagnetic or magnetic influence, heating or cooling elements, membranes and lateral flow devices, and rotational or pivoting drive that can use centripetal force or gravity for transfer.
Claims Coverage
The partial content identifies three independent claims: clm-00001, clm-00040, and clm-00067. Across these independent claims, the inventive features focus on multi-chamber mixing with selectively openable and closable chamber ports controlled by movable external compartments, and on transferring biological or chemical materials between chamber interior volumes while maintaining at least one other chamber port in an unchanged state, with vertical stacking and multi-stage transfer in the method claim.
Externally movable compartment switching chamber ports by overlapping proximity
A mixing member having a plurality of chambers, each chamber having at least one chamber port along at least one side edge that may be selectively placed in an open state or a closed state, and at least one compartment movable externally along said side edge for selective positioning in proximity to the ports; wherein moving the compartment port into overlapping proximity with a selected chamber port changes the selected chamber port from a closed state to an open state while the state of at least one other chamber port remains unchanged.
Vertically aligned mixing members with movable external compartment ports
Two or more mixing members vertically aligned along a central axis, each mixing member having a plurality of chambers with at least one chamber port along a side edge that may be selectively placed in an open state or a closed state, and at least one compartment movable externally along one of the side edges for selective positioning in proximity to the chamber ports along said side edge; wherein the compartment has a compartment port along a side facing the one side edge.
Multi-stage transfer with unchanged state of at least another chamber port
A method comprising placing a biological or chemical material in an interior volume of one chamber of a mixing member having a plurality of chambers with selectively openable or closable chamber ports; transferring the material in the interior volume of the one chamber to an interior volume of an outer compartment positioned in proximity to the chamber port of the one chamber; moving the outer compartment in proximity to the port of a second chamber; and transferring the material from the outer compartment interior volume to the interior volume of the second chamber; wherein during the transfer from the one chamber to the outer compartment and then to the second chamber, the state of at least another chamber port for another chamber remains unchanged.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on selectively changing the open or closed state of chamber ports by externally moving compartments into overlapping proximity, while keeping at least one other chamber port unchanged, and on transferring biological or chemical materials across multiple chambers and compartments in a multi-stage manner.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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