Target material extraction apparatus with replacement of magnetic bar block allowed
Inventors
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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-12012592-B2
Publication Date
2024-06-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention relates to an extraction apparatus capable of simultaneously extracting target materials from multiple biological samples and, more particularly, to a target material extraction apparatus in which magnetic bar blocks can be replaced according to kinds of multi-well plates to be inserted into a cartridge. When used, the target material extraction apparatus of the present invention is operated in such a manner that among various plates multi-well having different numbers of wells, multi-well plates suitable for a use purpose are loaded into a cartridge within the apparatus and magnetic bar blocks equipped with magnetic bars suitable therefor are selected and loaded. Thus, the apparatus has the advantage of selectively applying various multi-well plates to one installment according to the number of samples from which a target material is extracted or to the amount of the target material to be extracted.
Core Innovation
An extraction apparatus extracts a target material using a multi-well plate. The apparatus includes a magnetic bar block replacement unit in which a magnetic bar block has a plurality of magnetic bars configured to be introduced into each well of a multi-well plate, and the magnetic bar block is mounted to a magnetic bar block holder and fixed to the holder using a fixing member. A magnetic bar cover block is fastened outside the magnetic bars to prevent contamination of the magnetic bars.
The magnetic bar cover block is mounted to a magnetic bar cover block holder, and the magnetic bar cover block and the magnetic bar cover block holder are fixed to each other through male female coupling. The apparatus also includes a cartridge mounting unit configured such that a plurality of cartridges, each having a multi-well plate inserted, are stacked, with each cartridge mounted to a cartridge transfer tray.
The arrangement supports repeating multi-well plate operations while maintaining a defined relation between the multi-well plate and the magnetic bar block replacement unit. The target material is nucleic acid, and the description indicates that the approach can extend to other magnetic-particle-extractable materials.
The apparatus enables selecting an appropriate multi-well plate size on a single piece of equipment based on sample number or desired yield, including 96-well, 64-well, 32-well, 24-well, 16-well, and 8-well plate formats.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim defines two major inventive features. The apparatus includes a magnetic bar block replacement unit and a cartridge mounting unit.
Magnetic bar block replacement unit with contamination-preventing magnetic bar cover block
A magnetic bar block replacement unit comprising a magnetic bar block with a plurality of magnetic bars configured to be introduced into each well of a multi-well plate, a magnetic bar block holder for mounting the magnetic bar block, a fixing member for fixing the magnetic bar block to the holder, and a magnetic bar cover block fastened outside the magnetic bars and configured to prevent contamination of the magnetic bars.
Cartridge mounting unit stacking cartridges on a transfer tray
A cartridge mounting unit configured such that a plurality of cartridges, into each of which a multi-well plate can be inserted, is stacked, in which each cartridge is mounted to a cartridge transfer tray.
Male female coupling between magnetic bar cover block and holder
The magnetic bar cover block is mounted to a magnetic bar cover block holder, and the magnetic bar cover block and the magnetic bar cover block holder are fixed to each other through male female coupling therebetween.
Plate well-count formats
The multi-well plate is one of a 96-well plate, 64-well plate, 32-well plate, 24-well plate, 16-well plate, or 8-well plate.
Magnetic bar count matches well count
Each of the magnetic bar block and the magnetic bar cover block has an identical number of magnetic bars to the number of wells of the mounted multi-well plate.
Detachable magnetic bar block and magnetic bar cover block
The magnetic bar block and the magnetic bar cover block are detachable.
Fixing member implemented by selectable fastening means
The fixing member is configured to fix the magnetic bar block to the magnetic bar block holder using one of: permanent magnet fastening means, an electromagnet, a vacuum suction member, pliers, a jig, a bolt, a pin, a snap ring, a ball plunger, or a combination thereof.
Target material nucleic acid
The apparatus extracts a target material in which the target material is nucleic acid.
Overall claim coverage centers on a magnetic bar block replacement unit with a contamination-preventing magnetic bar cover block secured via male female coupling, together with a cartridge mounting unit that stacks cartridges carrying inserted multi-well plates. Dependent claims further constrain the multi-well plate formats, require the magnetic bar count to match the number of wells, specify detachable components, enumerate alternative fixing-member constructions, and limit the target material to nucleic acid.
Stated Advantages
Enables selecting an appropriate multi-well plate size on a single piece of equipment based on sample number or desired yield.
Prevents contamination of the magnetic bars through the magnetic bar cover block.
Documented Applications
Extracting target material from multiple biological samples using stacked cartridges with multi-well plates, using magnetic bars introduced into wells.
Nucleic acid extraction using multi-well plates with magnetic bar insertion and contamination prevention for the magnetic bars.
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