# US 12,758,966 B2 · System and method for sequestered wash buffer reuse > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,758,966 B2 - Document ID: US12758966B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/744,268 - Filed: 2024-06-14 - Published: 2024-10-03 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-05 - Assignees: Illumina, Inc. - Applicants: Illumina, Inc. - Inventors: Wesley A. Cox-Muranami; Kay Klausing; Bradley Kent Drews; Nicholas Watson; Jennifer Olivia Foley; Murphy Hitchcock; Paul Sangiorgio; Sz-Chin Steven Lin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758966B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/502: {with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures} - B01L 2200/141: Preventing contamination, tampering - B01L 2200/16: Reagents, handling or storing thereof - B01L 2300/047: Additional chamber, reservoir - B01L 2300/06: Auxiliary integrated devices, integrated components - B01L 2400/0487: fluid pressure, pneumatics - B01L 2400/0644: rotary valves - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE ## Abstract A system includes a fluidic device, a flow control valve, a first reagent fluid reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, a first fluid buffer reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, and a common fluid buffer source fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve. The flow control valve permits flow comprising: (i) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, (ii) flow from the common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device, (iii) flow from the fluidic device to the first fluid buffer reservoir, (iv) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (v) flow from the first fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: (a) moving a volume of a first reagent from a first reagent fluid reservoir to a fluidic device, (b) after step (a), moving a volume of a buffer fluid from a common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device to flush at least a portion of the first reagent from the fluidic device, (c) after step (b), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the fluidic device to a first fluid buffer reservoir, (d) after step (c), moving a volume of the first reagent from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (e) after step (d), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the first fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device to flush at least a portion of the first reagent from the fluidic device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: (f) moving a volume of a second reagent from a second reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, (g) after step (f), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device to flush at least a portion of the second reagent from the fluidic device, (h) after step (g), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the fluidic device to a second fluid buffer reservoir, wherein steps (f), (g), and (h) occur after step (c), and before step (d) or after step (e), (i) after step (h), moving a volume of the second reagent from the second reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (j) after step (i), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the second fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device to flush at least a portion of the second reagent from the fluidic device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first fluid buffer reservoir comprises a cache channel comprising a consistent cross-sectional dimension across a length thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first fluid buffer reservoir is fluidly connected to the fluidic device by a channel, and the first fluid buffer reservoir comprises a cache reservoir comprising a cross-sectional dimension larger than a cross-sectional dimension of the channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: prior to step (a), adjusting a flow control valve to select the first reagent fluid reservoir, wherein the flow control valve is a rotary valve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting the flow control valve comprises: transmitting, by a controller, a command to the flow control valve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first fluid buffer reservoir holds a first volume of fluid that is at least 30% of a volume of fluid held by the fluidic device. ### Claim 8 A computer readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer controller of an automated system, causes the system to execute the following system processes: (a) moving a volume of a first reagent from a first reagent fluid reservoir to a fluidic device, (b) after step (a), moving a volume of a buffer fluid from a common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device to flush at least a portion of the first reagent from the fluidic device, (c) after step (b), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the fluidic device to a first fluid buffer reservoir, (d) after step (c), moving a volume of the first reagent from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (e) after step (d), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the first fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device to flush at least a portion of the first reagent from the fluidic device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the system processes further comprise: (f) moving a volume of a second reagent from a second reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, (g) after step (f), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device to flush at least a portion of the second reagent from the fluidic device, (h) after step (g), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the fluidic device to a second fluid buffer reservoir, wherein steps (f), (g), and (h) occur after step (c), and before step (d) or after step (e), (i) after step (h), moving a volume of the second reagent from the second reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (j) after step (i), moving a volume of the buffer fluid from the second fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device to flush at least a portion of the second reagent from the fluidic device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first fluid buffer reservoir comprises a cache channel comprising a consistent cross-sectional dimension across a length thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first fluid buffer reservoir is fluidly connected to the fluidic device by a channel, and the first fluid buffer reservoir comprises a cache reservoir comprising a cross-sectional dimension larger than a cross-sectional dimension of the channel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the system processes further comprise: prior to step (a), adjusting a flow control valve to select the first reagent fluid reservoir, wherein the flow control valve is a rotary valve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein adjusting the flow control valve comprises: transmitting, by the computer controller, a command to the flow control valve. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first fluid buffer reservoir holds a first volume of fluid that is at least 30% of a volume of fluid held by the fluidic device.