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US 5,658,723 AGranted
Immunoassay system using forced convection currents
AssigneeCardiovascular Diagnostics, Inc.
InventorBruce Oberhardt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An analytical system for performing an immunoassay is provided wherein the system contains an element that uses capillary action to draw a sample into a reaction chamber charged with reagent containing an immobilized antibody or immobilized antigen, where reaction between the liquid sample and the reagent is monitored, and optionally contains a method for controlling the moment that transport of the sample from the sample well to the reaction chamber is initiated.
Claims5
An analytical system for performing an immunoassay, comprising:
- (i) a reaction element comprising (1) a base and (2) a cover assembled to generate (a) a sample well for receiving a liquid sample, and (b) a reaction chamber containing therein at least one immobilized antibody or antigen, wherein said cover has a sample receiving opening over said sample well and a vent opening over said reaction chamber, (3) a liquid absorbing means, connected to said base or said cover by a flexible support means such that said liquid absorbing means must be caused to enter said vent opening in order to remove liquid from said reaction chamber and (4) means for inducing forced convention currents within said reaction chamber;
- said sample well and said reaction chamber being in fluid connection through a transport zone of geometry such that a volume of liquid sample placed in said sample well and corresponding to the volume of said reaction chamber is transported from said sample well to said reaction chamber by capillary action, wherein said reaction element is of a geometry sufficient to provide immobility of said sample once said reaction chamber has been filled, in an absence of external forces;
- and
- (ii) means for optically monitoring said reaction chamber.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.