Fluid transferring apparatus

A fluid transferring apparatus includes a frame, a sample inlet chamber, a filling channel, a plurality of filling passageways, a plurality of test wells, and a plurality of venting passageways. The sample inlet chamber is disposed within the frame. The filling channel is disposed on the frame and connected to the sample inlet chamber, wherein the filling channel has a top part above the outlet of the sample inlet chamber. The filling passageways are disposed on the frame and connected to the filling channel. The test wells are disposed within the frame and connected to the filling passageways respectively, wherein the test wells are below the top part of the filling channel. The venting passageways are connected to the test wells respectively.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a fluid transferring means. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus having means for volumetrically transferring a sample fluid.

2. Description of Related Art

The concentration of analytes in blood in many cases must be monitored regularly. This is especially the case when regular drug treatment is required in relation to the concentration of the particular substance. The most important example is diabetes. Patients with diabetes should constantly monitor their blood-glucose level to match their insulin injections to their need at the time and thereby keep their blood-glucose levels within specified limits.

Laboratory biochemical analyses are often carried out to obtain the concentration of analytes in blood or other fluid samples. However, such laboratory biochemical analyses are not available for patients or users who are not familiar with chemical techniques. Even if the laboratory biochemical analyses were carried out by the patients or users, the result would be unreliable due to their poor pipetting technique. Moreover, since it becomes more and more important for the determination of multiple biomarkers simultaneously by a simple and reliable means, the process will be more difficult and complicated when users must deal with multiple markers analysis. Therefore, there is a need for a fluid transferring apparatus to replace the complex pipetting operation in many biochemical analyses.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a fluid transferring apparatus includes a frame, a sample inlet chamber, a filling channel, a plurality of filling passageways, a plurality of test wells, and a plurality of venting passageways. The sample inlet chamber is disposed within the frame. The filling channel is disposed on the frame and connected to the sample inlet chamber, wherein the filling channel has a top part above the outlet of the sample inlet chamber. The filling passageways are disposed on the frame and connected to the filling channel. The test wells are disposed within the frame and connected to the filling passageways respectively, wherein the test wells are below the top part of the filling channel. The venting passageways are connected to the test wells respectively.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a fluid transferring apparatus includes a frame, a sample inlet chamber, a filling channel, a pump, a plurality of filling passageways, a plurality of test wells, and a plurality of venting passageways. The sample inlet chamber is disposed within the frame. The filling channel is disposed on the frame and connected to the sample inlet chamber, wherein the filling channel has a top part. The pump pumps a sample fluid from the sample inlet chamber over the top part of the filling channel. The filling passageways are disposed on the frame and connected to the filling channel. The test wells are disposed within the frame and connected to the filling passageways respectively, wherein the test wells are below the top part of the filling channel. The venting passageways are connected to the test wells respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

There have been various gravity-driven fluid transferring apparatuses applied in many biochemical analysis processes to reduce the manipulations required for the fluid specimen. However, those gravity-driven fluid transferring apparatuses have one common problem, which is, the timing of when the fluid specimen is filled into the fluid transferring apparatus cannot be exactly obtained because the filling operation is usually manual and complex. Uncertain filling timing results in uncertain reaction time, and thus the analysis result will be unreliable. Accordingly, the following embodiment of the present invention will provide a solution to the above-mentioned problem.

FIG. 1is a front view of a fluid transferring apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 2is a rear view of the frame ofFIG. 1. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, a fluid transferring apparatus includes a frame110, an sample inlet chamber120, a filling channel130, a plurality of filling passageways140, a plurality of test wells150, and a plurality of venting passageways160(shown inFIG. 2). The sample inlet chamber120is disposed within the frame110. The filling channel130is disposed on the frame110and connected to the sample inlet chamber120, wherein the filling channel130has a top part132above the outlet of the sample inlet chamber120. The filling passageways140are disposed on the frame110and connected to the filling channel130. The test wells150are disposed within the frame110and connected to the filling passageways140respectively, wherein the test wells150are below the top part132of the filling channel130. The venting passageways160are connected to the test wells150respectively.

The term “above” is interpreted “has/have more gravitational potential energy than something else”. On the other hand, the term “below” is interpreted “has/have less gravitational potential energy than something else”.

More specifically, the opening of the sample inlet chamber120, the filling channel130, and the filling passageways140may be formed on the front surface112of the frame110. The test wells150may pass through the frame110. The venting passageways160may be formed on the rear surface114of the frame110, and the outlet of the venting passageways160may be located above the inlet of the filling passageways140. Furthermore, there may be a transparent film, such as sticky tape, covering the front surface112of the frame110and the rear surface114of the frame110. It is easily understood that the above-mentioned arrangement is only one example. Other arrangements may also be proper (for example, the venting passageways may be formed on the front surface of the frame).

In use, test reagents and a sample fluid may be put into the test wells150and the sample inlet chamber120respectively. Then, the pump200shown inFIG. 1is turned on to pump the sample fluid from the sample inlet chamber120over the top part132of the filling channel130. Once the sample fluid passes through the top part132of the filling channel130, the pump200may be turned off. Then, the sample fluid will flow through the filling passageways140into the test wells150by gravity to react with the test reagents. Undoubtedly, the timing of when the pump200is turned on can be obtained, and the time needed for the sample fluid to pass through the filling channel130and the filling passageways140can be calculated by fluid mechanics theory. Therefore, the timing of when the sample fluid flows into the test wells150can be exactly obtained.

In some cases, the pumping flow of the sample fluid may be unstable due to the mechanism of the pump200. In order to stabilize the flow of the sample fluid, the filling channel130may include at least one filling buffer134between the top part132of the filling channel130and the filling passageways140. This filling buffer134can tolerate the pump instability phenomenon and make sure that once the sample fluid enters into the filling buffer134, the sample fluid will be driven down by gravity successfully to the test wells150. The size of the filling buffer134should depend on the volume of the sample fluid and the output of the pump200.

Furthermore, the fluid transferring apparatus ofFIG. 1may include at least one sample fluid inlet170disposed on the frame110and connected to the sample inlet chamber120. Particularly, this sample fluid inlet170may be located on the top edge116of frame110. In use, the user may drip the sample fluid into the sample fluid inlet170, and then the sample fluid will be collected in the sample inlet chamber120by gravity for the following operations (e.g. pumping).

Furthermore, there may be at least one cap180put on the sample fluid inlet170.FIG. 3is a top view of the fluid transferring apparatus ofFIG. 1when the cap180is opened. The cap180may include a body182inserted into the sample fluid inlet170and a lid184connected to the body182. The lid184may have a hole186located thereon, such that the pump200can inject gas into the sample inlet chamber120through the hole186to push the sample fluid when pumping. In the present embodiment, the cap180may be made of a flexible material, such as polypropylene (PP), to make sure that the connection between the lid184and the body182can be folded to put the lid184on the body182. Furthermore, this flexibility will allow a tight connection when inserting the cap180into the sample fluid inlet170.

In order to prevent the sample fluid from being pushed into the filling passageways140by the action of closing the cap180, the filling channel130may include at least one first inlet buffer136between the sample inlet chamber120and the top part132of the filling channel130. The capacity of the first inlet buffer136should depend on the volume of the sample fluid and the inner volume of the lid184.

In some cases, the sample fluid may quickly pass through the first inlet buffer136without being buffered. In order to fully buffer the sample fluid, the filling channel130may further include at least one second inlet buffer138between the first inlet buffer136and the top part132of the filling channel130. Specifically, the filling channel130shown inFIG. 1may include a shrinking channel139connecting the first inlet buffer136and the second inlet buffer138. This shrinking channel139can stay the sample fluid in the first inlet buffer136and the second inlet buffer138to wait for the pumping operation. The size of the shrinking channel139should depend on the material of the frame110.

Referring toFIG. 2, there may be a venting buffer190between the venting passageways160and the outside of the frame110. This venting buffer190can stop the sample fluid from gushing out to contaminate user space. The capacity of the venting buffer190should depend on the volume of the sample fluid.

Referring toFIG. 1, in order to diminish the capillary action of the filling passageways140, the frame110may be made of a hydrophobic material. Accordingly, once the sample fluid enters the filling buffer134, the sample fluid will be driven down smoothly without interference (bubble) from the capillary action of the filling buffer134. In the present embodiment, the frame110is made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). It is easily understood that the above-mentioned material is only one example. Other materials, e.g. a hydrophilic material, may also be proper when the sample fluid has to flow fast.

In some cases, the reaction result of the sample fluid with the test reagents may be read by detecting the absorption of visible or ultraviolet light. In order to eliminate the interference of external light, the color of the frame110may be black. It is easily understood that the above-mentioned color is only one example. Other colors may be proper as well. For example, the reaction may also be read by the fluorescence or luminescence methods.

Furthermore, there may be a groove210located on the side surface of the frame110. In use, the fluid transferring apparatus may be inserted into an analysis machine, and the groove210may match with a protrusion on the analysis machine to make sure that the location of the fluid transferring apparatus in the analysis machine is correct.

In the present embodiment, the frame110, the sample inlet chamber120, the filling channel130, the filling passageways140, the test wells150, the venting passageways160, the sample fluid inlet170, the venting buffer190, and the groove210may be fabricated by injection molding. Alternatively, the sample inlet chamber120, the filling channel130, the filling passageways140, the test wells150, the venting passageways160, the sample fluid inlet170, the venting buffer190, and the groove210may be formed on the frame110by machining. Furthermore, the cap180may be fabricated by injection molding as well.

Moreover, the fluid transferring apparatus may further include at least one glass bead220restrained in the sample inlet chamber120. That is, the size of the glass bead220is larger than the size of the filling channel130so that the glass bead220can only stay in the sample inlet chamber120.

In use, the glass bead220may have a first biomolecule coated thereon, and a second biomolecule connected with a labeling molecule is also located in the sample inlet chamber120. The labeling molecule can be a small molecule such as FITC dye, TRITC dye, or Alexa dyes, or a large molecule such as an enzyme.

When the sample fluid is added into the sample inlet chamber120, the first and the second biomolecule will bind with the analyte in the sample fluid to form a complex after a suitable reaction time. This complex (with the labeling molecule) and the glass bead220will eventually be bound together and thus retained in the sample inlet chamber120. After the complex formation, the pump pumps the sample fluid into the test wells150. There is no labeling molecule can be detected in the test wells150since the complex (with the labeling molecule) is retained in the sample inlet chamber120.

However, if there is no analyte in the sample fluid, the second biomolecule (connected with the labeling molecule) will not bind with the glass bead220and will be pumped into the test wells150. As a result, the labeling molecule will be detected in the test wells150by absorbance, fluorescence or luminescence methods.

Therefore, the detected signal will be inversely proportional to the analyte amount in the sample fluid and thus quantify the analyte concentration of the sample fluid. When the labeling molecule is an enzyme, the enzyme substrate, which can react with the labeling molecule to result in a detectable signal, may be previously loaded in the test wells150.

The present embodiment may be used to accomplish the immunoassay of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in a human sample fluid. Where the first biomolecule, coated on the glass bead220, may be the mouse anti-human PSA antibody. The second biomolecule connected with the labeling molecule may be the horse radish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled goat anti-human PSA antibody. When the PSA analyte is not present in the human sample fluid, the complex will not be formed, and the second biomolecule connected with the labeling molecule can enter the test wells150to react with the 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), which is the HRP substrate. Finally, the color can be detected by absorbance method, and the color signal will has a relationship to the PSA concentration.