# US 2013/0280698 A1 · Rapid multiplex lateral flow assay device

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- Number: US 2013/0280698 A1
- Document ID: US20130280698A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/869,913
- Filed: 2013-04-24
- Published: 2013-10-24
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-24
- Assignees: Arizona Board of Regents acting for and on behalf of Northern Arizona University
- Applicants: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS, acting for and on behalf of NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
- Inventors: Catherine R. Propper; John T. Tester; Timothy L. Vail; Niranjan Venkatraman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130280698A1

## CPC

- G01N 33/5302: {Apparatus specially adapted for immunological test procedures}
- B01L 3/5027: {by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip}
- B01L 2200/025: Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
- B01L 2300/021: Identification, e.g. bar codes
- B01L 2300/0636: Integrated biosensor, microarrays
- B01L 2300/0654: Lenses; Optical fibres
- B01L 2300/0816: Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
- B01L 2300/0825: Test strips
- B01L 2300/0864: comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
- B01L 2400/0406: capillary forces
- 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)
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE

## Abstract

Disclosed herein are devices, systems and methods for simultaneously conducting multiple assays on a liquid sample for the presence of, and/or quantification of, analytes in the liquid sample. The device, which is referred to herein as a multi-assay cartridge or multi-strip assay cartridge (MSC), may be used in a system comprised of the cartridge and a reading device or reader for reading the assays in the cartridge.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device, for simultaneously conducting multiple assays on a liquid sample, comprising the following:
(a) a housing;
(b) an inlet in the housing for introducing the liquid sample into the housing;
(c) a diversion dam within the housing and in communication with the inlet;
(d) a diversion dam channel within the housing and in communication with the diversion dam;
(e) a first assay chamber and a second assay chamber within the housing, wherein the first assay chamber comprises a first assay for detecting the presence of an analyte in the liquid sample, and the second assay chamber comprises a second assay for detecting the presence of an analyte in the liquid sample; and
(f) a first flow channel and a second flow channel, wherein
the first flow channel is in communication with the diversion dam channel and the first assay chamber, and
the second flow channel is in communication with the diversion dam channel and the second assay chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein each assay chamber further comprises an assay viewing window in the housing for reading the progress or results of the assay.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein each assay chamber further comprises an indicium viewing window in the housing for viewing a machine-readable indicium associated with the assay.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the indicium is on the assay.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, wherein the indicium is a bar code.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4, wherein the indicium is readable by a CCD camera or smart phone.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the assays are lateral flow assays.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is capable of being opened and closed by a user to remove and replace the first and second assays with third and fourth assays.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising seven or more assay chambers and seven or more flow channels.

### Claim 10

A device for conducting assays on a liquid sample, comprising:
(a) a housing;
(b) an inlet in the housing for introducing the liquid sample into the housing;
(c) an assay chamber within the housing comprising an assay for detecting the presence of an analyte in the liquid sample; and
(d) means to join the device to a second device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, wherein the means to join the device to a second device comprises projections on two opposite and substantially parallel sides of the housing, said projections capable of interlocking the housing with housing on a second device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the assay chamber further comprises an assay viewing window in the housing for reading the progress or results of the assay.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein each assay chamber further comprises an indicium viewing window in the housing for viewing a machine-readable indicium on the assay.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the indicium is a bar code.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, wherein the indicium is readable by a CCD camera or smart phone.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A system for simultaneously conducting multiple assays on a liquid sample,
comprising the device according to claim 1 and a reader for reading the results of the assays in the device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the reader is a hand-held unit comprising a digital camera and processing hardware and software for interpreting and displaying results of the assays.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein each assay has an associated indicium that identifies the assay.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the indicium is on the assay.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the reader has a receptacle into which the device is inserted.

### Claim 21

A method for simultaneously conducting multiple assays on a liquid sample, comprising:
(i) introducing a liquid sample into a device comprising
(a) a housing;
(b) an inlet in the housing for introducing the liquid sample into the housing;
(c) a diversion dam within the housing and in communication with the inlet;
(d) a diversion dam channel within the housing and in communication with the diversion dam;
(e) a first assay chamber and a second assay chamber within the housing, wherein the first assay chamber comprises a first assay for detecting the presence of an analyte in the liquid sample, and the second assay chamber comprises a second assay for detecting the presence of an analyte in the liquid sample; and
(f) a first flow channel and a second flow channel, wherein
the first flow channel is in communication with the diversion dam channel and the first assay chamber, and
the second flow channel is in communication with the diversion dam channel and the second assay chamber; and
(ii) reading results of each assay.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the step of reading results is performed by a CCD camera or smart phone.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the liquid sample is selected from the group consisting of a biological sample obtained from an animal, a biological sample from a plant, or an environmental water sample.