Claims
- 1. An apparatus for screening for at least one analyte in a sample, which apparatus comprises:a reservoir for a fluid; a conduit to transport the fluid to a port; the port being positioned to draw the sample thereto and to pump fluid therethrough; a means to draw at least a portion of the sample to the port; a means to pump the fluid through the port; a first section having connecting means for a cartridge holding at least one capillary tube so that one end of the capillary tube is in fluid communication with the port; a second section having means to hold a tray having at least one well to communicate with the other end of the capillary tube, the second section also having a means to create a changing magnetic field so that a magnetizable metallic object held within the well of the tray is moved sufficiently to agitate a sample when placed in the well; a means to hold the cartridge and capillary tube to permit the capillary tube to be exposed to a signal generation means; the signal generation means; and a signal detection means positioned to detect a signal emitted from the capillary tube as a result of exposure to the signal from the signal generation means.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means to dry the capillary tube while in the cartridge, which drying occurs prior to detection of the emitted signal.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means to dry the capillary tube comprises a centrifuge with a means to secure and spin the cartridge for a sufficient time and at a sufficient speed to dry the capillary tube, wherein the means to secure and spin the cartridge is arranged such that each capillary tube can be positioned in the path of the signal generation means so that the signal detection means can collect the emitted signal.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means to dry the capillary tube comprises means for aspirating the capillary tube with a stream of gas.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises:a frame for holding a plurality of capillary tubes in a spaced-apart manner; at least one region in said frame to expose at least a portion of each capillary tube to enable a signal from the signal generating means to contact a portion of each tube; and a holder located in the frame for sealingly holding one end of each of the capillary tubes and designed so that fluid can pass therethrough.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the holder is defined by a cap and a receptacle such that the cap in conjunction with the receptacle defines a chamber that connects each of the capillary tubes in fluid communication and leads to a chamber port that is associated with the first port.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tray comprises,a reservoir sufficient to hold a quantity of fluid, a shelf for holding multiple portions of a sample, the shelf having a plurality of spaced-apart wells therein, at least one of the wells having a reagent therein so that a portion of a sample to be tested for an analyte can be placed in each well.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one well in the tray has a metallic object held therein for mixing the contents of the well by creating an oscillating magnetic field under the well.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generation means is selected from the group consisting of a laser and a tungsten lamp.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the signal detection means comprises a fluorescence detector.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the amount of the analyte is determined from the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for performing data analysis of the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus also includes a data presentation means connected to said means for performing data analysis that comprises a digital display, a printout, a computer storable file, an output to an external device, or any combination of the foregoing.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for performing data analysis of the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
- 15. An apparatus for screening for at least one analyte in a sample, which apparatus comprises:a port; a first section having connecting means for a cartridge holding at least one capillary tube so that one end of the capillary tube is in fluid communication with the port; a second section having means to hold a tray having at least one well adapted to contain sample therein to communicate with the other end of the capillary tube; means communicating with the port to draw at least a portion of the sample in the well of the tray to the port and into the capillary tube; means communicating with the port to evacuate the sample from the capillary tube; signal generation means; a means to hold the cartridge and capillary tube to permit the capillary tube to be exposed to the signal generation means; and a signal detection means positioned to detect a signal emitted from the capillary tube as a result of exposure to the signal from the signal generation means.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means to dry the capillary tube while in the cartridge, which drying occurs prior to detection of the emitted signal.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means to dry the capillary tube comprises a centrifuge with a means to secure and spin the cartridge for a sufficient time and at a sufficient speed to dry the capillary tube, wherein the means to secure and spin the cartridge is arranged such that each capillary tube can be positioned in the path of the signal generation means so that the signal detection means can collect the emitted signal.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means to dry the capillary tube comprises means for aspirating the capillary tube with a stream of gas.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cartridge comprises:a frame for holding a plurality of capillary tubes in a spaced-apart manner; at least one region in said frame to expose at least a portion of each capillary tube to enable a signal from the signal generating means to contact a portion of each tube; and a holder located in the frame for sealingly holding one end of each of the capillary tubes and designed so that fluid can pass therethrough.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the holder is defined by a cap and a receptacle such that the cap in conjunction with the receptacle defines a chamber that connects each of the capillary tubes in fluid communication and leads to a chamber port that is associated with the first port.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the tray comprises,a reservoir sufficient to hold a quantity of fluid, a shelf for holding multiple portions of a sample, the shelf having a plurality of spaced-apart wells therein, at least one of the wells having a reagent therein so that a portion of a sample to be tested for an analyte can be placed in each well.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least one well in the tray has a metallic object held therein for mixing the contents of the well by creating an oscillating magnetic field under the well.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the signal generation means is selected from the group consisting of a laser and a tungsten lamp.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the signal detection means comprises a fluorescence detector.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the amount of the analyte is determined from the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for performing data analysis of the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the apparatus also includes a data presentation means connected to said means for performing data analysis that comprises a digital display, a printout, a computer storable file, an output to an external device, or any combination of the foregoing.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising means for performing data analysis of the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
- 29. An apparatus for screening for at least one analyte in a sample, which apparatus comprises:a reservoir for a fluid; a port in fluid communication with the reservoir; a first section having connecting means for a cartridge holding at least one capillary tube so that one end of the capillary tube is in fluid communication with the port; a second section having means to hold a tray having at least one well adapted to contain sample therein to communicate with the other end of the capillary tube; means communicating with the port to draw at least a portion of the sample in the well of the tray to the port and into the capillary tube; means communicating with the port to evacuate the sample from the capillary tube; means communicating with the port to pass fluid through the port and into the capillary tube; signal generation means; a means to hold the cartridge and capillary tube to permit the capillary tube to be exposed to the signal generation means; and a signal detection means positioned to detect a signal emitted from the capillary tube as a result of exposure to the signal from the signal generation means.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising means to dry the capillary tube while in the cartridge, which drying occurs prior to detection of the emitted signal.
- 31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means to dry the capillary tube comprises a centrifuge with a means to secure and spin the cartridge for a sufficient time and at a sufficient speed to dry the capillary tube, wherein the means to secure and spin the cartridge is arranged such that each capillary tube can be positioned in the path of the signal generation means so that the signal detection means can collect the emitted signal.
- 32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means to dry the capillary tube comprises means for aspirating the capillary tube with a stream of gas.
- 33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the cartridge comprisesa frame for holding a plurality of capillary tubes in a spaced-apart manner; at least one region in said frame to expose at least a portion of each capillary tube to enable a signal from the signal generating means to contact a portion of each tube; and a holder located in the frame for sealingly holding one end of each of the capillary tubes and designed so that fluid can pass therethrough.
- 34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the holder is defined by a cap and a receptacle such that the cap in conjunction with the receptacle defines a chamber that connects each of the capillary tubes to each other in fluid communication and leads to a chamber port that can be associated with the first port.
- 35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the tray comprises,a reservoir sufficient to hold a quantity of fluid, a shelf for holding multiple portions of a sample, the shelf having a plurality of spaced-apart wells therein, at least one of the wells having a reagent therein so that a portion of a sample to be tested for an analyte can be placed in each well.
- 36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein at least one well in the tray has a metallic object held therein for mixing the contents of the well by creating an oscillating magnetic field under the well.
- 37. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the signal generation means is selected from the group consisting of a laser and a tungsten lamp.
- 38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the signal detection means comprises a fluorescence detector.
- 39. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the amount of the analyte is determined from the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
- 40. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising means for performing data analysis of the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
- 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the apparatus also includes a data presentation means connected to said means for performing data analysis that comprises a digital display, a printout, a computer storable file, an output to an external device, or any combination of the foregoing.
- 42. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising means for performing data analysis of the signal emitted from the capillary tube.
CROSS-REFERENCE
“This is a divisional of co-pending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 08/688,043, filed Jul. 29, 1996, now U.S. Pat No. 5,976,896, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 08/254,032, filed Jun. 6, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,850, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.”
US Referenced Citations (12)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/254032 |
Jun 1994 |
US |
Child |
08/688043 |
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US |