Patent ID: 9121057
Filing Date: 2015-09-01
Classification: B01L,C12Q,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of filling a cartridge, wherein the cartridge comprises a reaction chamber and a biochip mounted in the reaction chamber, a filling nozzle connected so as to communicate with the reaction chamber, a compensation chamber connected so as to communicate with the reaction chamber, and a compensation line section and a filling line section communicating among the reaction chamber, a filling level indicator and the compensation chamber such that before filling, normal pressure exists within the compensation line section, the filling line section, the reaction chamber, the filling nozzle and the compensation chamber of the cartridge, wherein the reaction chamber, the compensation chamber and said compensation and filling line sections are sealed, wherein the filling nozzle forms a free passage to the reaction chamber from outside the cartridge, and a stopper is provided which fits positively and tightly in the filling nozzle such that, when pressed in over a certain distance, fluid is displaced from the filling nozzle towards the reaction chamber, wherein the filling nozzle has a filling section, which allows the biological sample to be introduced from outside, and which leads into a cylindrical compression section, wherein the filling section has a larger cross-section than the compression section and the compression section is connected to the reaction chamber via the free passage, and the stopper is designed so that it is held tightly in the compression section, and wherein the reaction chamber is bounded on an upper side by a transparent, flexible film, which forms a viewing window, the method comprising: placing the filling nozzle facing upwards; filling a liquid biological sample into the filling nozzle; and pressing a stopper into the filling nozzle in order to force sample liquid into the reaction chamber, so that the reaction chamber is filled from bottom to top, and an air bubble remains in the compensation chamber downstream of the reaction chamber.