Magnetic assembly
AssigneeArcherDX, Inc.
InventorsJoshua Stahl, Jason Myers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus comprising a magnetic assembly and methods for operating the apparatus are provided. The magnetic assembly may be used to manipulate molecules in a liquid preparation, for example to isolate or separate the molecules from the liquid. The magnetic assembly may be used to wash and/or isolate nucleic acid molecules of interest from a liquid preparation.
Claims18
An apparatus for performing a chemical process, the apparatus comprising:
- a vessel;
- a magnetic assembly positioned adjacent to the vessel, the magnetic assembly comprising one or more retractable magnets, each of the one or more retractable magnets capable of moving between i) a deployed position that is sufficiently proximate to a plurality of magnetic particles disposed in the vessel to force a magnetic particle present in the vessel against a wall of the vessel and ii) a retracted position.
The apparatus of any prior claim, wherein the chemical process is a nucleic acid purification.
The apparatus of any prior claim, further comprising a sample fluid disposed in the vessel, the sample fluid comprising a plurality of magnetic particles having bound molecules of interest.
An apparatus for performing a chemical process, the apparatus comprising:
- a vessel;
- a sample fluid disposed in the vessel, the sample fluid comprising a plurality of magnetic beads having bound nucleic acid;
- a magnetic assembly positioned adjacent to the vessel, the magnetic assembly comprising:
- one or more magnets;
- one or more independently-controllable linear actuators coupled to the one or more magnets, each of the one or more independently-controllable linear actuators capable of moving the one or more magnets to a deployed position sufficiently proximate to the plurality of magnetic beads to draw the plurality of magnetic beads to a wall of the vessel, and a retracted position;
- and
- one or more magnet lifting apparatuses coupled to the one or more magnets, each of the one or more magnet lifting apparatuses capable of moving the one or more magnets to an extended position and a contracted position;
- and
- a heating assembly positioned adjacent to the vessel, the heating assembly comprising:
- one or more heating pins, wherein each of the heating pins defines a hollow portion in which one of the one or more magnets is positioned;
- a heating block defining one or more through holes, each through hole positioned to receive one of the one or more heating pins therethrough;
- an insulating liner positioned to surround at least a portion of the heating block, the insulating liner defining one or more through holes, each through hole positioned to receive one of the one or more heating pins therethrough;
- a cartridge heater disposed proximate to the heating block;
- and
- a thermistor disposed proximate to the heating block.
A method for performing a chemical process, the method comprising:
- introducing a sample fluid containing a nucleic acid to a vessel;
- introducing a plurality of magnetic beads to the sample fluid in the vessel;
- mixing the sample fluid to form a homogenous mixture comprising the plurality of magnetic beads with bound nucleic acid and a remainder portion;
- deploying one or more retractable magnets into a position sufficiently proximate to the plurality of magnetic beads to draw the plurality of magnetic beads with bound nucleic acid to a wall of the vessel;
- and
- removing the remainder portion from the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.