Devices and methods for dispensing reagents into samples
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorJeffrey D. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Devices and methods of dispensing and mixing reagents with samples in an enclosed container in which the amounts of the reagents dispensed into the sample are predetermined. The devices include dispensing covers attached to a funnel that feeds into a sample chamber. The dispensing covers may contain off-axis dispensing chambers that are sealed and that can be opened and any reagent(s) located therein dispensed into the at selected times. The off-axis dispensing chambers are preferably offset from a main axis of the device, such that the reagents dispensed from the dispensing chambers fall, under the force of gravity, onto the funnel wall and are then directed into the sample chamber.
Claims32
A self-contained device for dispensing reagents into a sample, the device comprising:
- a sample chamber comprising a collection well and an inlet;
- a funnel comprising an outlet attached to the inlet of the sample chamber, wherein the funnel further comprises a mouth larger than the outlet and a funnel wall extending between the mouth and the outlet;
- and
- a dispensing element located over the mouth of the funnel, the dispensing element comprising a plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers, wherein each off-axis dispensing chamber of the plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers comprises an enclosed volume containing a reagent;
- wherein the collection well, the inlet of the sample chamber, the outlet of the funnel and the mouth of the funnel are located along a main axis, and wherein the plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers are offset from the main axis;
- and wherein, when the main axis is aligned with the force vector of gravity and the device is oriented such that the sample chamber is located below the funnel outlet relative to the force vector of gravity, the plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers are offset from the main axis by a distance large enough such that the reagent dispensed from the off-axis dispensing chambers falls under the force of gravity onto the funnel wall before entering the sample chamber.
A self-contained device for dispensing reagents into a sample, the device comprising:
- a sample chamber comprising a collection well and an inlet;
- a funnel comprising an outlet attached to the inlet of the sample well, wherein the funnel further comprises a mouth larger than the outlet, wherein the mouth comprises a mouth area and the outlet comprises an outlet area, and wherein the mouth area to outlet area ratio is 1.5:1 or higher, and further wherein material dispensed into the mouth of the funnel is directed through the outlet into the inlet of the sample well when the sample well is located below the funnel relative to the force vector of gravity;
- and
- a dispensing element located over the mouth of the funnel, the dispensing element comprising a plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers, wherein each off-axis dispensing chamber of the plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers comprises an enclosed volume containing a reagent;
- wherein the collection well, the inlet of the sample chamber, the outlet of the funnel and the mouth of the funnel are located along a main axis, and wherein the plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers are not located along the main axis.
A method of dispensing one or more reagents into a sample, the method comprising:
- depositing a sample into a sample chamber of a device, wherein the sample chamber comprises a collection well and an inlet, and wherein the device further comprises a funnel that comprises an outlet attached to the inlet of the sample well, wherein the funnel further comprises a mouth larger than the outlet and a funnel wall extending from the mouth to the outlet;
- attaching a dispensing element over the mouth of the funnel, wherein the dispensing element comprises a plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers, and wherein the dispensing element encloses a volume defined by the dispensing element, the funnel, and the sample chamber, wherein the collection well, the inlet of the sample chamber, the outlet of the funnel and the mouth of the funnel are located along a main axis, and wherein the plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers are offset from the main axis;
- dispensing a reagent from at least one off-axis dispensing chamber of the plurality of off-axis dispensing chambers, wherein, when the main axis is aligned with the force vector of gravity and the device is oriented such that the sample chamber is located below the funnel outlet relative to the force vector of gravity, the reagent dispensed from the off-axis dispensing chambers falls under the force of gravity onto the funnel wall before entering the sample chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.