Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Assignees
Member
CepheidCepheid is a global leader in molecular diagnostics, dedicated to improving healthcare by developing, manufacturing, and marketing automated, easy-to-use molecular systems and tests. Their mission is to provide rapid, accurate, and actionable genetic testing for a wide range of infectious diseases, oncology, and human genetics. Cepheid's flagship GeneXpert System delivers scalable, sample-to-answer PCR testing for institutions of any size, supporting both centralized and decentralized care. The company is committed to expanding access to high-quality diagnostics worldwide, supporting public health initiatives, driving innovation in molecular testing, and advancing sustainability and responsible business practices.
Cepheid is a global leader in molecular diagnostics, dedicated to improving healthcare by developing, manufacturing, and marketing automated, easy-to-use molecular systems and tests. Their mission is to provide rapid, accurate, and actionable genetic testing for a wide range of infectious diseases, oncology, and human genetics. Cepheid's flagship GeneXpert System delivers scalable, sample-to-answer PCR testing for institutions of any size, supporting both centralized and decentralized care. The company is committed to expanding access to high-quality diagnostics worldwide, supporting public health initiatives, driving innovation in molecular testing, and advancing sustainability and responsible business practices.
Publication Number
US-12054320-B2
Publication Date
2024-08-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
A lid apparatus for a multi-chambered container. The lid apparatus has a top-lid that is hingedly attached to a bottom-cap. The top-lid includes one or more openings for fluid filling multiple passages that extend from the bottom-cap. A lower bottom-cap includes welding features for welding to the multi-chambered container. The bottom-cap further includes one or more auxiliary ports for injecting a reagent when the lid apparatus is in a closed configuration sealingly attached to the multi-chambered sample container.
Core Innovation
Some embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus with a top lid having a major opening, wherein the top lid includes a hinged end and a snap-fit end. A bottom-cap is hingedly attached to the top lid and comprises an upper side and a lower side. The lower side includes interfacing features for sealingly coupling with a multi-chambered container. The top side includes a plurality of passages and openings to facilitate automated use of the lid and container and further includes an auxiliary port to allow addition of a third-party reagent by a user.
The upper side can comprise a plurality of chimneys upwardly extending from a lower surface of the upper side. Each chimney includes a passage that extends to an opening at the top of the chimney, wherein each chimney mates with a corresponding opening of the top lid. The bottom-cap further includes at least one auxiliary port having an opening that is larger than the openings atop each of the chimneys and is disposed in a location corresponding to an opening of the top lid. The auxiliary port allows a user to inject a third-party reagent when the lid apparatus is in the closed configuration and sealingly attached to the multi-chambered sample cartridge.
Multi-chambered containers having hinged lids are used in the sample testing industry. The unique physical properties and user requirements for such multi-chambered lid apparatus has resulted in difficulties, both in the manufacture and use thereof. Often, such lids are suited for use with a particular container and reagent filling system and have limited versatility in use, for example, such lids typically do not allow for the addition of third-party reagents by a user. The instant invention addresses these and other concerns.
Claims Coverage
Two independent claims were identified. The following inventive features are extracted from those independent claims.
Top lid with hinged end and snap-fit end
a top lid having a major opening, wherein the top lid includes a hinged end and a snap-fit end;
Bottom-cap with plurality of chimneys mating with top lid openings
a bottom-cap hingedly attached to the top lid so as to move between an open configuration and closed configuration, the bottom-cap comprising an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side comprises: a plurality of chimneys upwardly extending from a lower surface of the upper side, wherein each chimney includes a passage extending to a top opening and each chimney mates with a corresponding opening of the top lid,
Auxiliary port larger than chimney openings for reagent injection when closed
at least one auxiliary port having an opening larger than each top opening of the plurality of chimneys to facilitate fluid-injection of a reagent therethrough when the top lid and bottom-cap are in the closed configuration;
Lower side with outermost edge and walls defining separate cavities
wherein the lower side of the bottom-cap comprises: a lower side main surface; an outermost edge extending downward from the lower side main surface; and a plurality of walls defining separate cavities for each opening of the plurality of chimneys and the at least one auxiliary port.
Top lid with plurality of openings and hinged and snap-fit ends
a top lid having a plurality of openings, wherein the top lid includes a hinged end and a snap-fit end;
Bottom-cap openings with surrounding lip that mate with top lid
a bottom-cap hingedly attached to the top lid, the bottom-cap comprising an upper side and a lower side, wherein the upper side comprises: a plurality of openings, each having a surrounding lip upwardly extending from a lower surface of the upper side, wherein each opening is smaller than and mates with a corresponding opening of the top lid,
Auxiliary port between openings larger than corresponding top lid opening to facilitate injection when closed and sealed
at least one auxiliary port disposed between opening of the plurality of openings and having an opening larger than a corresponding opening of the top lid to facilitate injection of an additional reagent therethrough when the lid apparatus is in the closed configuration and sealingly attached to a multi-chambered container;
Lower side main surface and outermost edge with snap-fit engagement in closed configuration
wherein the lower side of the bottom-cap comprises: a lower side main surface; and an outermost edge extending downward from the lower side main surface, wherein in an open configuration the top lid is hinged away from the bottom-cap, and wherein in a closed configuration the top lid is engaged with the bottom-cap, wherein in the closed configuration the snap-fit end of the top lid engages a snap portion of the outermost edge of the lower side of the bottom-cap.
The independent claims describe a lid apparatus comprising a top lid with hinged and snap-fit ends and a hingedly attached bottom-cap whose upper side includes chimneys or openings that mate with the top lid and an auxiliary port larger than the chimney/top openings to facilitate reagent injection when closed; the lower side includes a lower side main surface, an outermost edge, and walls defining separate cavities.
Stated Advantages
Allows addition of a third-party reagent by a user.
Facilitates automated use of the lid and container.
Provides additional clearance to allow a user to inject a third-party reagent via a needle or pipette when the lid is closed, enabling insertion and removal and accommodating angled insertion.
Non-circular auxiliary port shape reduces friction-fit issues encountered with circular openings and reduces build-up of pressure during injection.
Nearly uniform wall thickness throughout the bottom-cap enables welding to the container using relatively low power [procedural detail omitted for safety] and results in a fluid-tight welded interface that fluidically seals the chambers from one another [procedural detail omitted for safety].
Documented Applications
Lysis of a cell or microorganism.
Preparation of a sample within a fluid cartridge to isolate or purify an analyte of interest.
Detecting an analyte of interest.
Analytes of interest selected from the group consisting of cells, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Use of an enzyme or a binding moiety in a method carried out in a fluid container as disclosed herein.
A method for filling a fluid container with liquid reagents, wherein the fluid container is mated with a lid as disclosed herein, including filling one or more chambers of the fluid cartridge with a reagent.
Reagents present in a variety of forms including a solution, a dry powder, or a lyophilized bead for purposes such as chemical and/or enzymatic reactions, sample preparation, and/or detection.
Interested in licensing this patent?