US 8,052,929 B2Granted

Gravity-assisted mixing methods

AssigneesGen-Probe Incorporated, Qualigen, Inc.

InventorsScott S. Breidenthal, Sara H. Fan, Richard S. Lee, Norman C. Nelson, Matthew J. Scott, Jason A. Taylor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A receptacle having a plurality of interconnected chambers arranged to permit multiple process steps or processes to be performed independently or simultaneously. The receptacles are manufactured to separate liquid from dried reagents and to maintain the stability of the dried reagents. An immiscible liquid, such as an oil, is included to control loading of process materials, facilitate mixing and reconstitution of dried reagents, limit evaporation, control heating of reaction materials, concentrate solid support materials to prevent clogging of fluid connections, provide minimum volumes for fluid transfers, and to prevent process materials from sticking to chamber surfaces. The receptacles can be adapted for use in systems having a processing instrument that includes an actuator system for selectively moving fluid substances between chambers and a detector.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method of mixing substances within a receptacle having a plurality of interconnected chambers, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) orienting the receptacle in an analyzer so that gravity can draw the contents of a first chamber of the receptacle into a second chamber of the receptacle when fluid communication is established between the first and second chambers;
(b) establishing fluid communication between the first and second chambers;
(c) applying a compressive force to the contents of the second chamber so that the contents of the second chamber are moved into the first chamber;
(d) removing the compressive force of step (c) so that gravity draws the contents of the first chamber into the second chamber without applying a compressive force to the first chamber,
(e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times;
and
(f) detecting with an optical detector positioned adjacent to the first camber an optical signal emitted by the contents of the first chamber.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/078,348Filed 1 Apr 2011 · division
Priority: 21 Jun 2007
Published: US 2011/0189661 A14 Aug 2011
Granted: 8 Nov 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification59 codes

B01F 31/00
Mixers with shaking, oscillating, or vibrating mechanisms
B01F 23/59
Mixing liquids with solids: mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
B01F 31/31
Comprising a receptacle to only a part of which the shaking, oscillating, or vibrating movement is imparted: using receptacles with deformable…
B01F 31/65
Mixers with shaking, oscillating, or vibrating mechanisms: the materials to be mixed being directly submitted to a pulsating movement, e.g. by…

Family

Application60/945,520Us provisional application · filed 21 Jun 2007
PCT/US2008/007685Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Jun 2008
Application12/333,335Parent of this division · filed 12 Dec 2008
US 2011/0189661 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Aug 2011
Application12/333,335Parent of this continuation
US 2009/0136913 A1Published application
US 8,048,375 B2Related patent
US 8,052,929 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.