# US 2010/0167304 A1 · Variable valve apparatus and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0167304 A1 - Document ID: US20100167304A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/719,704 - Filed: 2010-03-08 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2003-12-12 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: William Bedingham; Barry W. Robole; Ranjani V. Parthasarathy; Katya Ericson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167304A1 ## CPC - B01L 3/502738: {characterised by integrated valves (throttle valves in microfluidic sample containers B01L3/502746)} - B01L 2300/0806: Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format - B01L 2400/0409: centrifugal forces - B01L 2400/0677: phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE ## Abstract Sample processing devices with variable valve structures and methods of using the same are disclosed. The valve structures allow for removal of selected portions of the sample material located within the process chamber. Removal of the selected portions is achieved by forming an opening in a valve septum at a desired location. The valve septums may be large enough to allow for adjustment of the location of the opening based on the characteristics of the sample material in the process chamber. If the sample processing device is rotated after the opening is formed, the selected portion of the material located closer to the axis of rotation exits the process chamber through the opening. The remainder of the sample material cannot exit through the opening because it is located farther from the axis of rotation than the opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A valved process chamber on a sample processing device, the valved process chamber comprising: a process chamber comprising a process chamber volume located between opposing first and second major sides of the sample processing device, wherein the process chamber occupies a process chamber area on the sample processing device, and wherein the process chamber includes an axis; and a valve chamber located at least partially within the process chamber area, the valve chamber located between the process chamber volume and the second major side of the sample processing device, wherein the valve chamber is isolated from the process chamber by a valve septum separating the valve chamber and the process chamber, wherein a portion of the process chamber volume lies between the valve septum and the first major side of the sample processing device, and wherein the valve septum includes a length that extends along or substantially parallel to the axis of the process chamber, such that the valve septum is configured to provide fluid communication between the process chamber and the valve chamber at a variety of selected locations along the length. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A valved process chamber according to claim 1, wherein the axis of the process chamber is oriented radially with respect to an axis of rotation of the sample processing device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A valved process chamber according to claim 1, further comprising a detection window located at least partially within the process chamber area, wherein the detection window is transmissive to selected electromagnetic energy directed into and/or out of the process chamber volume. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A valved process chamber according to claim 3, wherein the detection window is coextensive along the length of the process chamber with the valve septum. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A valved process chamber according to claim 3, wherein the detection window is formed through the first major side of the sample processing device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) A valved process chamber according to claim 3, wherein the detection window is formed through the second major side of the sample processing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) A valved process chamber according to claim 3, wherein the valve chamber and the detection window occupy mutually exclusive portions of the process chamber area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A valved process chamber according to claim 1, wherein the length is a first length, wherein the process chamber includes a second length that extends along or substantially parallel to the axis, and wherein the first length is less than the second length. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A valved process chamber according to claim 1, wherein the length is a first length, wherein the process chamber includes a second length that extends along or substantially parallel to the axis, and wherein the first length includes at least a portion that extends along at least 30% of the second length. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A valved process chamber according to claim 1, wherein the valve septum extends along a length of the process chamber area for 30% or more of a maximum length of the process chamber area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A valved process chamber according to claim 1, wherein the valve septum extends for a length of 1 millimeter or more along the length of the process chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A valved process chamber according to claim 1, wherein the sample processing device is opaque between the process chamber volume and the first major side of the sample processing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A valved process chamber according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the valve chamber is located within a valve lip extending into the process chamber area, and wherein the valve septum is formed in the valve lip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A valved process chamber according to claim 13, wherein the valve lip occupies only a portion of the width of the process chamber area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A valved process chamber according to claim 14, further comprising a detection window located within the process chamber area, wherein the detection window is transmissive to selected electromagnetic energy directed into and/or out of the process chamber volume, and wherein the detection window occupies at least a portion of the width of the process chamber area that is not occupied by the valve lip. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) A method of isolating nucleic acid from whole blood, the method comprising: providing a device comprising a loading chamber and a variable valved process chamber according to claim 2; placing whole blood in the loading chamber; transferring the whole blood to a valved process chamber; centrifuging the whole blood in the valved process chamber to form a plasma layer, a red blood cell layer, and an interfacial layer comprising white blood cells; removing at least a portion of the interfacial layer comprising white blood cells; and lysing the white blood cells in the separated interfacial layer and optionally lysing the nuclei therein to release inhibitors and/or nucleic acid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the device further comprises a separation chamber comprising a solid phase material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the solid phase material comprises capture sites, a coating reagent coated on the solid phase material, or both; wherein the coating reagent is selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a strong base, a polyelectrolyte, a selectively permeable polymeric barrier, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising contacting the lysed sample with the solid phase material in the separation chamber to preferentially adhere at least a portion of the inhibitors to the solid phase material; wherein lysing can occur before, simultaneous with, or after contacting the solid phase material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising separating at least a portion of the nuclei and/or nucleic acid from the solid phase material having at least a portion of the inhibitors adhered thereto. ### Claim 21 (depends on 2) A method of isolating nucleic acid from whole blood, the method comprising: providing a device comprising a loading chamber and a variable valved process chamber according to claim 2; placing whole blood in the loading chamber; transferring the whole blood to a valved process chamber; contacting the whole blood with a density gradient material; centrifuging the whole blood and density gradient material in the valved process chamber to form layers, at least one of which contains cells of interest; removing at least a portion of the layer comprising the cells of interest; and lysing the separated cells of interest to release nucleic acid. ### Claim 22 (depends on 2) A method of isolating nucleic acid from whole blood comprising one or more pathogens, the method comprising: providing a device comprising a loading chamber, a variable valved process chamber according to claim 2, and a separation chamber comprising pathogen capture material; placing whole blood in the loading chamber; transferring the whole blood to a valved process chamber; centrifuging the whole blood in the valved process chamber to form a plasma layer comprising one or more pathogens, a red blood cell layer, and an interfacial layer comprising white blood cells; transferring at least a portion of the plasma layer comprising one or more pathogens to the separation chamber comprising pathogen capture material; separating at least a portion of the one or more pathogens from the pathogen capture material; and lysing the one or more pathogens to release nucleic acid. ### Claim 23 A method of selectively removing sample material from a process chamber, the method comprising: providing a sample processing device comprising: a process chamber comprising a process chamber volume, wherein the process chamber occupies a process chamber area on the sample processing device, and wherein the process chamber includes an axis; and a valve chamber located at least partially within the process chamber area, wherein the valve chamber is isolated from the process chamber by a valve septum located between the valve chamber and the process chamber, and wherein the valve septum includes a length that extends along or substantially parallel to the axis, such that the valve septum is configured to provide fluid communication between the process chamber and the valve chamber at a variety of selected locations along the length; providing sample material in the process chamber; forming an opening in the valve septum at a selected location along the length of the valve septum; and moving only a portion of the sample material from the process chamber into the valve chamber through the opening formed in the valve septum. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, wherein moving only a portion of the sample material from the process chamber into the valve chamber comprises rotating the sample processing device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, wherein the process chamber area comprises a length and a width transverse to the length, and further wherein the length is greater than the width. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, wherein the sample processing device further includes a detection window located at least partially within the process chamber area, wherein the detection window is transmissive for selected electromagnetic energy, and further comprising: detecting a characteristic of the sample material in the process chamber through the detection window. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A method according to claim 26, wherein the selected location is correlated to a detected characteristic of the sample material, wherein the detected characteristic comprises a free surface of the sample material, and wherein the portion of the sample material moved from the process chamber into the valve chamber comprises a selected volume of the sample material. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, further comprising rotating the sample processing device to separate components of the sample material in the process chamber. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) A method according to claim 28, wherein the selected location is correlated to a detected characteristic of the sample material, wherein the detected characteristic of the sample material comprises a boundary between the separated components of the sample material, and wherein the portion of the sample material moved from the process chamber into the valve chamber comprises a portion of a selected component of the sample material. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, wherein moving only a portion of the sample material from the process chamber into the valve chamber comprises moving a selected volume of the sample material from the process chamber into the valve chamber.