Method of piercing seal for sample testing

A sample testing system, comprising:

• a cartridge body to receive a biological or environmental sample into a sample preparation fluid contained in the cartridge body for preparation of a sample fluid therefrom;
• at least one reaction chamber coupled to the cartridge body;
• at least one seal to prevent fluid movement between the cartridge body and the at least one reaction chamber, the at least one seal is situated between the cartridge body and the at least one reaction chamber, the at least one seal that, during operation of the sample testing system, is punctured by a piercing tip to thereby enable fluid movement between the cartridge body and the at least one reaction chamber;
• and
• a sample dispensing mechanism for insertion into the cartridge body,
• wherein the sample dispensing mechanism is operable to disrupt the at least one seal to allow sample fluid to enter the at least one reaction chamber from the cartridge body, and to dispense a predetermined sub-volume of the sample fluid from the cartridge body into the at least one reaction chamber for testing therein while preventing further fluid movement between the cartridge body and the at least one reaction chamber,
• wherein the sample dispensing mechanism comprises a dispense rod comprising at least one piercing tip that disrupts the at least one seal by forming at least one opening therein, and wherein the at least one piercing tip comprises a geometry configured to generate a large opening in the at least one seal,
• wherein the at least one opening grows larger in size as the at least one piercing tip moves into at least a portion of the at least one reaction chamber.

A sample testing system, comprising:

• a cartridge body to receive a biological or environmental sample into a sample preparation fluid contained in the cartridge body for preparation of a sample fluid therefrom;
• at least one reaction chamber coupled to the cartridge body;
• at least one seal to prevent fluid movement between the cartridge body and the at least one reaction chamber, the at least one seal is situated between the cartridge body and the at least one reaction chamber, the at least one seal punctured during operation of the sample testing system by a piercing tip to thereby enable fluid movement between the cartridge body and the at least one reaction chamber;
• and
• a sample dispensing mechanism for insertion into the cartridge body,
• wherein the sample dispensing mechanism is operable to disrupt the at least one seal to allow sample fluid to enter the at least one reaction chamber from the cartridge body, and to dispense a predetermined sub-volume of the sample fluid from the cartridge body into the at least one reaction chamber for testing therein while preventing further fluid movement between the cartridge body and the at least one reaction chamber,
• wherein the sample dispensing mechanism comprises a dispense rod comprising at least one piercing tip that disrupts the at least one seal by forming at least one opening therein, and wherein the at least one piercing tip comprises a geometry configured to generate a large opening in the at least one seal, and
• wherein the sample dispensing mechanism comprises an overmolded layer disposed on the surface of at least a portion of the dispense rod.