# US 10,857,538 B2 · Sample preparation system and cartridge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,857,538 B2 - Document ID: US10857538B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/780,814 - Filed: 2016-12-05 - Published: 2019-09-05 - Granted: 2020-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-04 - Assignees: TTP Plc - Applicants: TTP Plc - Inventors: Piers Sebastian Harding; Gary Stephen Howard; Gary Keith Jepps - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10857538B2 ## CPC - B01L 7/52: {with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples} - C12N 15/1003: {Extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples, e.g. pure separation or isolation methods; Conditions, buffers or apparatuses therefor} - G01N 35/0098: {involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation (magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C)} - G01N 35/04: Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} - G01N 35/1079: {with means for piercing stoppers or septums} - G01N 35/1083: {with one horizontal degree of freedom} - B01L 3/021: {Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids} - B01L 3/545: {for laboratory containers} - B01L 2200/04: Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs - B01L 2200/0647: Handling flowable solids, e.g. microscopic beads, cells, particles - B01L 2200/0684: Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles - B01L 2200/141: Preventing contamination, tampering - B01L 2300/021: Identification, e.g. bar codes - B01L 2300/022: Transponder chips - B01L 2300/043: Hinged closures - B01L 2300/044: pierceable, e.g. films, membranes - B01L 2300/0672: Integrated piercing tool - B01L 2300/0681: Filter - B01L 2300/0841: Drums - B01L 2300/0867: Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution - B01L 2300/0887: Laminated structure - B01L 2400/0421: electrophoretic flow - G01N 35/00732: {Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers} - G01N 2035/00465: {Separating and mixing arrangements} - G01N 2035/0403: {Sample carriers with closing or sealing means} - G01N 2035/0436: {with pre-packaged reagents, i.e. test-packs} - G01N 2035/0446: {Combinations of the above} - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A sample preparation cartridge for use with a sample preparation device, the cartridge includes a housing defining plural separate segments, at least one of said segments comprising a fixed section of a pipette component; and a moveable head comprising a pipette tip, the head being configured, in use, to be moved between a position in which the pipette tip is in sealed engagement with the fixed section of pipette component and a position in which pipette tip is positioned adjacent to another of said plural segments. With the present invention a disposable sample preparation cartridge and corresponding analytical reader can be provided in a very cost effective and simple manner whilst still ensuring high quality sample preparation for analysis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sample preparation cartridge for use with a sample preparation device, the cartridge comprising: a housing defining a plurality of separate segments containing analytes, beads, or analytes and beads in use; and a moveable pipette positioned above the plurality of separate segments, wherein the pipette is arranged to transfer, in use, analytes, beads, or analytes and beads from one segment of the plurality of segments to another segment of the plurality of segments in order to prepare a sample for analysis; wherein the pipette comprises: a reservoir section capable of supporting fluids, and a nozzle section capable of dispensing and aspirating fluids including the analytes, beads, or analytes and beads from the plurality of segments; wherein the plurality of segments are arranged around a central axis of the housing and the moveable pipette is arranged to rotate around the central axis and lower towards, or raise from, a desired segment of the plurality of segments when it has been rotated to be positioned above the desired segment of the plurality of segments. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of segments has a fluid seal and the moveable pipette further comprises a piercing component arranged to pierce the fluid seal when the pipette is moved to the at least one respective segment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a shaft attached to the pipette and positioned at the central axis, the shaft being arranged to engage, in use, with a drive member in an analytical reader of the sample preparation device when the sample preparation cartridge is inserted therein so that the drive member can rotate the shaft and raise and lower the pipette, the shaft comprising a passageway for allowing fluid communication between the pipette and the analytical reader. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the shaft further comprises a vent to allow an interior of the housing to be balanced to atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the pipette is pneumatically connected to a programmable control system for providing a positive and negative flow of air through the pipette in use, to provide the dispensing and aspirating of fluids from the plurality of segments through the pipette. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least one segment of the plurality of segments contains reagents and at least one segment of the plurality of segments contains paramagnetic beads. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the segment containing paramagnetic beads has a tapering V-shaped floor so as to provide a drainage point to extract fluids. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 6, further comprising: an arrangement of magnets moveable to a position, in use, where a magnetic field of the arrangement of magnets attracts the paramagnetic beads to a plurality of surfaces of the at least one segment, the arrangement of magnets and the at least one segment being arranged such that they can be used to provide a zone clear of paramagnetic beads for the pipette to aspirate fluid from the at least one segment; and that by aspirating fluid from the at least one segment thus, bringing the paramagnetic beads closer to the magnetic field and increase the rate of paramagnetic bead capture. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a coded tag. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 9, wherein the coded tag comprises a communication interface operable to convey real time information between the sample preparation cartridge and an instrument into which the sample preparation cartridge can be removably inserted. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said segments of the plurality of segments comprises a fixed section of a pipette component and the moveable pipette comprises a nozzle, the pipette being configured, in use, to be moved between a position in which the nozzle is in sealed engagement with the fixed section of pipette component and a position in which nozzle is positioned adjacent to another segment of said plurality of segments. ### Claim 12 A sample preparation cartridge for use with a sample preparation device, the cartridge comprising: a housing defining a plurality of separate segments, at least one of said plurality of segments comprising a fixed section of a pipette component; and a moveable pipette arm comprising a pipette tip, the pipette arm being configured to be moved between a position in which the pipette tip is in sealed engagement with the fixed section of the pipette component and a position in which pipette tip is positioned adjacent to another segment of said plurality of segments; wherein the plurality of segments are arranged around a central axis of the housing and the moveable pipette arm is arranged to rotate around the central axis and lower towards, or raise from, a desired segment of the plurality of segments when it has been rotated to be positioned above the desired segment of the plurality of segments. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the segments of the plurality of segments has a fluid seal and the moveable pipette arm further comprises a piercing component arranged to pierce the fluid seal when the pipette arm is moved to the at least one respective segment. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sample preparation cartridge of claim 13, wherein the pipette arm is configured to provide a rotary movement such that the piercing component can produce an elongated hole that does not seal around the piercing component in use. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 12, further comprising a shaft attached to the pipette arm and positioned at the central axis, the shaft being arranged to engage, in use, with a drive member in an analytical reader of the sample preparation device when the sample preparation cartridge is inserted therein so that the drive member can rotate the shaft and raise and lower the pipette arm, the shaft comprising a passageway for allowing fluid communication between the pipette arm and the analytical reader. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The sample preparation cartridge of claim 12, wherein the pipette tip is configured to aspirate and dispense fluids, and the fixed section of the pipette component provides a fluid path into the at least one respective segment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 12, wherein at least one segment of the plurality of segments contains reagents and at least one segment of the plurality of segments contains paramagnetic beads. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 12, further comprising a coded tag. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 18, wherein the coded tag comprises a communication interface operable to convey real time information between the sample preparation cartridge and an instrument into which the sample preparation cartridge can be removably inserted. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The sample preparation cartridge according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of segments have a respective fixed section of a respective pipette component.