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Assignees
Member
BioneerBioneer is a biotechnology company specializing in molecular biology, offering solutions in nucleic acid synthesis, molecular diagnostics, protein production, and laboratory automation. The company's expertise covers oligonucleotide chemistry, gene synthesis, sample preparation, molecular diagnostics, and analytical services such as mass spectrometry and sequencing, serving clinical, research, and industrial sectors globally.
Bioneer is a biotechnology company specializing in molecular biology, offering solutions in nucleic acid synthesis, molecular diagnostics, protein production, and laboratory automation. The company's expertise covers oligonucleotide chemistry, gene synthesis, sample preparation, molecular diagnostics, and analytical services such as mass spectrometry and sequencing, serving clinical, research, and industrial sectors globally.
Publication Number
US-11045808-B2
Publication Date
2021-06-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention relates to a micro chamber plate, and more particularly, to a micro chamber plate having micro chamber holes formed using a flowable film. Thus, samples can be injected into the micro chamber holes in a smoother manner compared to when samples are injected using a vacuum and/or centrifugal force. In addition, bubbles and excess samples in the micro chamber holes can be efficiently discharged, making it possible to perform reaction and analysis in a more accurate and efficient manner.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a micro chamber plate architecture in which micro chamber holes are formed in a micro chamber plate body for analyzing biological substances. A portion or all of a bottom side of the micro chamber plate body is made of a transparent flowable film that freely changes its shape due to its flexibility when heat, a vacuum, or pressure is applied, and the transparent flowable film is provided at a bottom side of the micro chamber holes.
On the top side of the micro chamber plate body, the plate further includes a body covering part attached to the flowable film. The body covering part has at least one sample inlet per micro chamber hole formed therein, enabling sample to be supplied through the sample inlet into the micro chamber holes while the transparent flowable film can be deformed by applied heat, vacuum, or pressure.
The invention further addresses air removal and discharge of unwanted material by using a deformation cycle of the flowable film. In a process for analyzing biological substances, vacuum and/or pressure are applied to feed sample into the micro chamber holes via the sample inlet and cause the transparent flowable film to sag; after releasing the vacuum and/or pressure, the film is de-sagged to discharge excess sample or bubbles out of the micro chamber holes through the sample inlet.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent claim defining the structural micro chamber plate, with dependent claims refining attachment/bonding, surface coating, porous membrane characteristics, and sample inlet geometry. A further dependent claim defines a sample-processing sequence that uses applied vacuum and/or pressure to sag and de-sag the transparent flowable film while removing bubbles and discharging excess sample through the sample inlet. In total, the inventive coverage centers on two inventive features: a transparent flowable film that changes shape under heat, vacuum, or pressure at the bottom of micro chamber holes, and a top-side covering part with sample inlets attached to that film.
Transparent flowable film on bottom side and attached covering part with sample inlets
A micro chamber plate with a micro chamber plate body and a top-side micro chamber plate body covering part attached to a bottom-side transparent flowable film; micro chamber holes in the micro chamber plate body for analyzing biological substances; and at least one sample inlet per micro chamber hole formed in the covering part, wherein the transparent flowable film freely changes its shape due to its flexibility when heat, a vacuum, or pressure is applied and is located at the bottom side of the micro chamber holes.
Bonding of covering part to flowable film
The micro chamber plate in which the micro chamber plate body covering part is bonded to the flowable film by thermal bonding, laser bonding, or adhesive bonding.
Surface coating using polyester-based resin or polyethylene-based hot-melt adhesive
The micro chamber plate in which a surface of the micro chamber plate body is coated with at least one of a polyester-based polymer resin or a polyethylene-based hot-melt adhesive.
Porous membrane covering part with pore size constraint
The micro chamber plate in which the micro chamber plate body covering part is made of a porous membrane with a pore size of 0.2–5.0 μm.
Sample inlet area fraction constraint
The micro chamber plate configured such that each sample inlet has an area equal to 0.05% to 60% of the total area of each micro chamber hole.
Vacuum/pressure sagging and de-sagging discharge of excess sample or bubbles
A method that processes a sample for analysis by using the micro chamber plate with the transparent flowable film and covering part; applying vacuum and/or pressure to feed sample into micro chamber holes via a sample inlet and cause the transparent flowable film to sag; and releasing the vacuum and/or pressure to de-sag the film and discharge excess sample or bubbles out of the micro chamber holes through the sample inlet.
Overall, the claims cover a micro chamber plate where a transparent flowable film at the bottom of micro chamber holes deforms under heat, vacuum, or pressure, while a top-side covering part attached to the film provides sample inlets per micro chamber hole. Dependent claims refine how the covering part is attached, optionally add coating materials on the plate body, optionally define the covering part as a porous membrane with a pore-size range, and constrain sample inlet geometry. A dependent method claim then applies vacuum and pressure to sag and de-sag the film to discharge excess sample or bubbles via the sample inlet.
Stated Advantages
Facilitates air removal by discharging bubbles through the sample inlet during de-sagging.
Enables discharge of excess sample through the sample inlet after de-sagging.
Documented Applications
Micro chamber plate used for analyzing biological substances, including examples described in the document showing PCR amplification without measurement-interfering bubbles.
Micro chamber plate and sample processing are described in connection with enzymatic reactions and real-time PCR, including LCR (Ligase Chain Reaction) and PCR amplification.
Documented use cases include HBV Quantitative PCR Kit and related HBV kit context.
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