Handling liquid samples
Inventors
Curran, Kieran • McGuire, David • Chawke, Brian • Fleming, Paul • Barrett, Brian • Sirr, Noel
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10252261-B2
Publication Date
2019-04-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
Devices, systems and methods for making and handling liquid samples are disclosed.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a capillary system in which at least one capillary tube has a substantially hydrophobic outer surface and an inner surface that includes a metering region that is substantially hydrophilic adjacent the distal end. The system includes a pressure source in fluid communication with the proximal end of the capillary tube and a capillary controller programmed to cause the pressure source to apply sufficient positive pressure to drive an aqueous solution out of the distal end. The capillary system further includes an air sheath that applies an external air flow to the capillary tube.
The invention further provides a system that integrates a capillary metering system with a reusable composite-liquid-cell device and a composite-liquid-cell-forming system. The reusable device includes a highly thermally conductive vessel sized and shaped to contain a bath of carrier liquid, a tray affixed to the vessel with at least one stabilization feature configured to stabilize a composite liquid cell on a free surface of the carrier liquid, and a heating element in thermal contact with the stabilization feature and affixed to both the vessel and the tray.
The composite-liquid-cell-forming system includes a sample-liquid input, an encapsulating-liquid input, a liquid-handling system, and a cell-forming controller operably connected to the liquid-handling system. The controller draws an encapsulating liquid and discharges it onto a free surface of a carrier liquid in the vessel and proximate to the stabilization feature, where the encapsulating liquid is immiscible with the carrier liquid, floats on top of the carrier liquid, and is immobilised by the stabilization feature. The controller then draws a sample liquid and discharges the sample liquid so that the sample liquid is immiscible with the encapsulating liquid and with the carrier liquid, such that the sample liquid does not mix with the encapsulating liquid or with the carrier liquid.
The integrated system positions the liquid metering system and the reusable device relative to one another so that an actuator is capable of moving a dispensing element to a dispensing location coincident with a stabilization feature. This arrangement enables coordinated liquid metering and composite-liquid-cell formation using the liquid-handling system, while the capillary metering system dispenses an aqueous solution from the distal end driven by positive pressure and influenced by the air sheath.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00011. The inventive features across these claims focus on seven features: hydrophobic exterior with hydrophilic metering region, positive-pressure-driven aqueous dispensing, external air sheath, actuator-movable dispensing element with metering controller, reusable composite-liquid-cell device with stabilization-feature tray, immiscible encapsulating liquid floating and immobilized by the stabilization feature, immiscible sample liquid not mixing with encapsulating liquid and carrier liquid, and dispensing location coincident with stabilization feature.
Hydrophobic exterior with hydrophilic metering region adjacent distal end
At least one capillary tube having an outer surface substantially hydrophobic and an inner surface including a metering region that is substantially hydrophilic and adjacent to the distal end of the tube.
Positive pressure driven aqueous dispensing from the distal end
A pressure source in fluid communication with the proximal end of the capillary tube, and a capillary controller programmed to cause the pressure source to apply sufficient positive pressure to the proximal end of the capillary tube to drive an aqueous solution out of the distal end of the capillary tube.
External air sheath applied to the capillary tube
An air sheath that applies an external air flow to the capillary tube.
Actuator-movable dispensing element with metering controller
A liquid metering system having a dispensing element, and an actuator operably connected to the dispensing element and configured to move the dispensing element to a range of locations; and a metering controller programmed to instruct the actuator to move the dispensing element, instruct the dispensing element to draw liquid from a liquid input, and instruct the dispensing element to dispense liquid.
Reusable composite-liquid-cell device with stabilization-feature tray
A reusable device comprising a highly thermally conductive vessel sized and shaped to contain a bath of carrier liquid, a tray comprising at least one stabilization feature configured to stabilize a composite liquid cell on a free surface of the carrier liquid, the tray being affixed to the vessel, and a heating element in thermal contact with the stabilization feature and affixed to both the vessel and the tray.
Immiscible encapsulating liquid floating and immobilized by stabilization feature
A composite-liquid-cell-forming system comprising a sample-liquid input, an encapsulating-liquid input, a liquid-handling system, and a cell-forming controller programmed to cause the liquid-handling system to draw an encapsulating liquid from the encapsulating-liquid input and discharge the drawn encapsulating liquid onto a free surface of a carrier liquid in the vessel and proximate to the stabilization feature, the encapsulating liquid being immiscible with the carrier liquid, so that the discharged encapsulating liquid does not mix with the carrier liquid, floats on top of the carrier liquid, and is immobilised by the stabilisation feature.
Immiscible sample liquid not mixing with encapsulating liquid and carrier liquid
The cell-forming controller programmed to cause the liquid-handling system to draw a sample liquid from the sample-liquid input and discharge the drawn sample liquid, the sample liquid being immiscible with the encapsulating liquid and with the carrier liquid, so that the sample liquid does not mix with the encapsulating liquid or with the carrier liquid.
Dispensing location coincident with stabilization feature
The liquid metering system and reusable device are located relative to one another so that the actuator is capable of moving the dispensing element to a dispensing location coincident with a stabilization feature.
Together, the independent claims require a capillary system with a substantially hydrophobic outer surface and a substantially hydrophilic metering region adjacent the distal end, dispensing an aqueous solution using sufficient positive pressure from a proximal end, and using an air sheath applying external air flow. The broader system claim further requires an integrated arrangement with a reusable thermally conductive composite-liquid-cell vessel and a stabilization-feature tray, plus a composite-liquid-cell-forming controller that forms immiscible, floating-and-immobilized encapsulating liquid layers and immiscible sample layers without mixing, coordinated so dispensing can occur at a dispensing location coincident with the stabilization feature.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
DNA library preparation (Ion Torrent Ampliseq exemplar).
Genotyping.
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