Reagent pump assembly

A unified flow circuit assembly for use in an analytical instrument comprising:

• a reagent pump assembly in which precise amounts of reagents are to be mixed with precise sample volumes for analysis of a sample, comprising:
• a top layer having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a middle layer having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a bottom layer having a top surface and a bottom surface,
• a plurality of diaphragm pumps formed at a plurality of locations in an interface between the middle layer bottom surface and the bottom layer top surface, each diaphragm pump having a valve chamber and a pump chamber demarcated by a flexible membrane, each diaphragm valve having a first state corresponding to a filled pump containing a predetermined precision volume and a second state corresponding to an empty pump containing substantially no volume;
• a plurality of pressure control lines in said bottom layer, each pressure control line extending through said bottom layer to control the state of the diaphragm pump between said first and second states;
• a plurality of fluid input lines connecting said plurality of pump chambers to a like plurality of fluid supplies, wherein each fluid input line further comprises a first passage through said top layer, a second passage through said middle layer, and a first one-way valve interposed between said first and second passages, wherein the first and second passages and first one-way valve provide for flow of one of said fluid supplies into said pump chamber in response to the diaphragm pump changing from said second state to said first state, and no flow from said pump chamber to said fluid supply in response to the diaphragm pump changing from the first state to the second state, each diaphragm pump having an input line;
• and
• a plurality of fluid output lines connecting said plurality of pump chambers to a like plurality of output ports, wherein, for a given diaphragm pump, each fluid outlet line further comprises a third passage extending through said top layer, a fourth passage extending from the top of the middle layer and connecting to said second passage between said first one-way valve and said pump chamber and a second one-way valve interposed between said third and fourth passages, wherein the third and fourth passages and second one-way valve provide for flow of a precise fluid volume in said pump chamber to said output port in response to the diaphragm pump changing from said first state to said second state, and no flow from said pump chamber to said outlet port in response to the diaphragm pump changing from the second state to the first state;
• and a unified flow circuit comprising a second plurality of acrylic plates secured together into the unified flow circuit, said second plurality of plates having therein:
• a plurality of reaction chambers, each chamber having a predetermined size, at least one inlet, a first plurality of sample inlet passages corresponding to a first number of sample aliquots;
• and
• a second plurality of fluid inlet passages corresponding to a second number of fluids;
• a third plurality of outlet passages;
• a plurality of vent passages;
• a network of diaphragm valves and pneumatic lines connecting said sample inlets, fluid inlets, reaction chamber inlets and outlets, vent passages, and outlet passages, each of said diaphragm valves having an open state and a closed state in response to an application of one of pressure and vacuum, wherein the network is operable to control the flow of selected ones of said sample aliquots and selected ones of said number of fluids through said unified flow circuit to form reaction mixtures in selected ones of said plurality of reaction chambers;
• wherein the plurality of fluid output lines of said reagent pump assembly are respectively coupled to different ones of said second plurality of fluid inlet passages in the unified flow circuit.