Reagent chamber for test apparatus and test apparatus
AssigneeCharm Sciences, Inc.
InventorsRichard Skiffington, Eliezer Zomer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A single use reagent chamber and a test apparatus for the detection of test samples, particularly by a chemiluminescent test. The chamber includes a cylinder sealed with probe-puncturable membranes into a sealed compartment with a reagent composition therein for the test used. The reagent chamber is used in a test unit of the test apparatus.
Claims23
A unit dose reagent chamber for use in a test apparatus for the detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) in a test sample, and wherein a moveable probe is employed to obtain a test sample and to release reagents from the reagent chamber to a test unit, which unit dose chamber comprises:
- a) a cylinder having a one open end and an other opposite open end;
- b) a probe-puncturable membrane seal over the one end and the other end of the cylinder to form a sealed compartment;
- and
- c) a reagent composition for use in the detection of the test sample and sealed within the sealed compartment, which composition consists essentially of and is selected from the group consisting of:
- i) a detergent-containing buffered solution to release adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) from the test sample into the solution for testing;
- ii) a reaction stopping solution having a pH of 8 to 11;
- and
- iii) a luciferin-luciferase or phosphatase substrate reagent tablet.
A test apparatus for the detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) in a test sample, by luminescence or color, which test apparatus comprises:
- a) a longitudinal test apparatus housing having a one end and an other end;
- b) a moveable probe within the housing to collect a test sample and arranged to puncture a membrane seal;
- c) a transparent test unit having a one end and a closed bottom end extending from the one end of the housing for use in detecting luminescence or color in the test sample, and a reagent tablet to detect adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP), by color or luminescence, at the closed bottom end;
- and
- d) one or more unit dose reagent chambers longitudinally-positioned in the test unit, which reagent chamber comprises:
- i) a cylinder having a one open end and an other opposite open end;
- ii) a probe-puncturable membrane seal at and over the one end and the other end of the cylinder to form a sealed compartment;
- and
- iii) a reagent composition for use in the detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) in the test sample and sealed within the sealed compartment, which reagent composition comprises a buffered solution to release adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) from the test sample into the solution for subsequent reaction with the reagent tablet.
A transparent test unit for use in a test apparatus, for the detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP), and which test unit comprises:
- a one open end;
- a closed bottom end;
- a probe-puncturable membrane over the one end;
- and the one end having threads for threadable attachment of the test unit to the test apparatus, and the test unit having one or more separate, longitudinally-aligned unit dose reagent chambers, which unit dose chamber comprises:
- a) a cylinder having a one open end and an other opposite open end;
- b) a probe-puncturable membrane seal over the one end and the other end of the cylinder to form a sealed compartment;
- c) a reagent composition for use in the detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) in the test sample and sealed within the sealed compartment, which comprises a buffered solution to release adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) from the test sample into the solution;
- and
- d) a reagent tablet at the bottom end to detect the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or alkaline phosphatase (AP) in the solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.