Channel structure of nucleic acid extracting cartridge
Inventors
Cho, Young Shik • LEE, Hyo Guen • Park, Hae Joon • Lee, Sun Young • LIM, Kwan Hun • Kim, In Ae • Kim, Jae Young • Park, Hyo Lim • Kim, Dong Hun
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11383242-B2
Publication Date
2022-07-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention discloses a flow path structure of a cartridge for nucleic acid extraction comprising: a plurality of elongated grooves formed on the surface of the cartridge body; and a shaft hole formed in the center of the body, wherein the plurality of grooves have a starting point formed around the shaft hole and an ending point extending from the starting point toward the outer region of the body.
Core Innovation
A flow path structure of a cartridge for nucleic acid extraction is defined by a first body and a second body coupled to the lower portion of the first body. The first body has a hole formed in a central region and contains a plurality of chambers for storing one or more reagents or samples, and the second body has a surface formed with a plurality of grooves that cooperate with a piston so that a port on the piston overlaps any one of the plurality of grooves when the piston rotates.
The piston has an integrated upper body and lower body, where the upper body provides an inner space for mixing one or more reagents and one or more samples, and the lower body includes a port configured to overlap one or more selected grooves. A pad is disposed between the first body and the upper surface of the second body, and the pad is formed with a first group of holes arranged at a first circumference and a second group of holes arranged at a second circumference, with different radii.
The grooves form a plurality of respective flow paths connecting a pair of the holes in the pad, and the groove starting points are arranged around a central shaft hole with the same distance from the shaft hole and the same angular spacing, including 45° separation. An optional additional groove is provided with a different radial position such that it is not overlapped by the rotating piston port, and the document also describes use of air flow paths to help control vacuum and prevent contamination during nucleic acid amplification.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent claim describing the overall cartridge flow-path structure, with six inventive features covering the piston-overlapping grooves, the dual-circumference pad-hole arrangement, and the formation of respective flow paths by the grooves.
Cartridge having first body reagent/sample chambers and second body grooves
The cartridge comprises a first body having a central hole and containing a plurality of chambers for storing one or more reagents or samples, and a second body coupled to the lower portion of the first body with a surface formed with a plurality of grooves.
Rotating piston port overlapping grooves for mixing in inner space
A piston with an integrated upper body and lower body provides an inner space where one or more reagents and one or more samples are mixed together, and the lower body includes a port configured to overlap any one of the plurality of grooves when the piston rotates.
Pad with first and second circumferential groups of holes at different radii
A pad disposed between the first body and the upper surface of the second body is formed with a first group of holes arranged at a first circumference of a center of the pad and a second group of holes arranged at a second circumference of the center, where the radius of the first circumference is different from the radius of the second circumference.
Grooves forming respective flow paths connecting hole pairs
The plurality of grooves are configured to form a plurality of respective flow paths connecting a pair of the holes in the pad.
Groove starting-point geometry relative to shaft hole
The flow path structure specifies that the starting points of the plurality of grooves are positioned at the same distance from the shaft hole and that neighboring groove starting points have a same angular spacing, including 45° separation.
Additional groove not overlapped by the rotating piston port
A flow path structure can further comprise an additional groove with a different starting point spaced apart from the shaft hole along the circumferential direction, where the additional groove is not overlapped by the port of the rotating piston.
Across the independent and dependent claim refinements, the inventive structure centers on a rotating piston whose port overlaps selected grooves to mix reagents and samples in the piston inner space, with a pad having two circumferential groups of holes at different radii and grooves forming respective flow paths connecting hole pairs. Further geometric constraints define groove starting-point placement relative to a shaft hole with same-distance and 45° angular separation, and an optional additional groove is not overlapped by the piston port.
Stated Advantages
Controlled mixing and movement of samples/reagents through flow paths formed by the grooves and pad holes.
Air flow paths help control vacuum and prevent contamination during nucleic acid amplification.
Documented Applications
Nucleic acid amplification.
Nucleic acid extraction using the cartridge flow-path structure.
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