Abstract:
A magnetic biological particle separation device comprising positioning a magnetic arrangement comprising a first magnet to generate a first north-south magnetic field in a plane co-planer with a horizontal cross-sectional plane of a container, positioning a second magnet in the magnetic arrangement to generate a second north-south magnetic field substantially opposing the first north-south magnetic field in a plane co-planer with the horizontal cross-sectional plane of the container, positioning a third magnet in the magnetic arrangement to generate a third north-south magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the first and the second north-south magnetic fields, directed radially away from the container, in a plane co-planer with the horizontal cross-sectional plane of the container, and pouring from the container a fluid containing magnetic beads, without a substantial loss of the magnetic beads.

Description:
[0001]    This is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/527,797, filed Mar. 17, 2000. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to an arrangement of permanent magnets that separates particles from a solution in a vessel, as utilized in the field of biology to remove cells from a sample contained in a test tube or the like.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Co-pending patent application Ser. No. 08/868,598, filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Jun. 4, 1997, describes a magnetic device that surrounds a vessel, such as a test tube, containing a liquid sample. The liquid sample may be a colloidal suspension or at least a fluid mixture. The magnetic device provides an external magnetic field within a liquid sample for the purpose of causing separation of magnetized particles or cells from the liquid sample. The magnetic device has four polar magnets and a plurality of interpolar magnets positioned to provide an external magnetic field having a high flux density gradient within the liquid sample. However, the uniform magnetic field gradient generated within the liquid sample impedes the ability to easily pour off the liquid after a significant amount of cell separation has occurred, without suffering the loss of magnetized particles as well. Moreover, the magnet structure, in surrounding the vessel, fails to provide a viewing window through which to view the liquid sample, for example, to detect the degree of separation of the magnetized particles from the liquid sample.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    An apparatus for biological particle separation, comprising a vessel containing a plurality of biological particles suspended in a liquid. The vessel has a proximate open end, and a distal closed end. A number of magnetic beads are biologically attached to the biological particles. The beads, generally spherical, may range from 50 nanometers to 10 microns mean diameter. The magnet structure substantially surrounds all but a portion of a wall of the vessel to draw the particles to the wall of the vessel and allow the liquid to be poured off the portion of the wall not surrounded by the magnet structure, without losing the magnetic beads and particles attached thereto.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 provides a three dimensional view of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 provides a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]    An embodiment  100  of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Three dipole permanent magnets  101 ,  102  and  103  are mounted proximate a non-magnetic shell  120 . Magnets  101  and  103  are termed herein as north polar magnets because they are dipole magnets with their north pole directed radially, inward toward an aperture or gap  140 . Magnet  102  is termed herein a south polar magnet given that its south pole is directed inward toward the gap  140 . A vessel, such as a test tube (not shown) may be inserted into the gap so that the external magnetic field generated by the magnet structure  100  may act upon the contents of the vessel in the manner described herein below.  
         [0011]    A number of bucking magnets, termed herein interpolar magnets  110  and  111 , are situated between the polar magnets as illustrated, to complete a magnetic circuit between the polar magnets. In other words, the magnetic field orientation of the interpolar magnets is situated essentially perpendicular to the aperture to best facilitate a magnetic circuit between the polar magnets. The superpositioning of the magnetic fields of the polar and interpolar magnets provides maximum external field strength for the given magnetic material utilized in the magnet structure  100 .  
         [0012]    The magnet structure  100  is utilized in an embodiment of the present invention to separate a magnetized substance from a non-magnetized substance. For example, in the field of biology, it may be desired to separate a particle, cell, nucleic acid or DNA molecule from another substance such as a bodily fluid or substance. The separation of the magnetized substance may be for diagnostic or testing purposes, or for harvesting a particular substance for therapeutic purposes.  
         [0013]    The magnetic structure  100 , with its combination of polar magnets, and interpolar magnets positioned therebetween, creates an external magnetic field of maximum field strength and gradient in the aperture  140 . More specifically, the structure provides for a substantially uniform flux gradient over a liquid sample in a vessel placed within aperture  140 .  
         [0014]    The magnetic structure is illustrated as having three polar magnets with interpolar magnets adjacent the polar magnets. However, it is appreciated that more or less polar and interpolar magnets may be utilized to form a partially enclosed aperture  140  in which a vessel comprising a liquid may be placed. It is further appreciated that a single magnet with a multipole magnetization may be utilized. The substantially uniform external magnetic field gradient illustrated in FIG. 2 provides radial movement of magnetized particles in the fluid to the inner wall of the vessel other than to that part of the wall of the vessel through which is provided a viewing window. Additionally, the aperture, and vessel, while illustrated herein as forming a cylinder, it is appreciated that other polygonal shapes may be utilized, ranging from smooth uniform circular shapes to irregular, multidimensional, multisided shapes, the primary point being that the aperture accommodate insertion of a vessel such as a test tube containing a liquid sample. Moreover, the closer the magnetic structure to the vessel, and the thinner the vessel, the more efficient the external magnetic field is in separating the sample from the liquid.  
         [0015]    The magnets may be comprised of iron, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth materials such as neodymium and samarium, or combinations or derivatives thereof, such as neodymium iron boron. These and other high coercivity materials with an intrinsic coercivity greater than the flux density provided by the magnetic structure may be used.  
         [0016]    The portion of the aperture providing for a viewing window  150  serves another important purpose. Separation of the biological material from suspension in the liquid sample is facilitated by the magnetic structure. Upon sufficient separation, the liquid needs to be removed to recover the sample. In the embodiment of the present invention, the liquid is removed by pouring the liquid from the vessel while the vessel remains in the aperture  140 . When separating the liquid from the sample by pouring, care must be taken to minimize sample loss when the fluid flows over the magnetic beads and particles attached thereto. Thus, there must be a sufficient arc on the vessel where no magnetized particles collect on the inner wall. The biological sample with embedded magnetic beads, under the force applied by the external magnetic field, gathers along the inner walls of vessel other than at that portion of the vessel through which the viewing window is provided. Thus, the liquid may be poured out from the open proximate end of the vessel by tipping the open end of the vessel in the direction of the viewing window  150 .  
         [0017]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic structure extends no more than 270 degrees around the vessel, thus providing a “no separation zone”. This zone where no particles collect is the portion of the vessel over which the sample is viewed and liquid is poured to separate the liquid from the magnetized biological sample. In alternative embodiments, the magnetic structure extends perhaps 300 degrees or more, or as little as 180 degrees, to provide more or less viewing window, pouring capability, and rate of sample separation.  
       Appendix A  
       [0018]    I hereby appoint BLAKELY, SOKOLOFF, TAYLOR &amp; ZAFMAN LLP, a firm including: William E. Alford, Reg. No. 37,764; Farzad E. Amini, Reg. No. 42,261; Amy M. Armstrong, Reg. No. 42,265; Aloysius T. C. AuYeung, Reg. No. 35,432; William Thomas Babbitt, Reg. No. 39,591; Carol F. Barry, Reg. No. 41,600; Jordan Michael Becker, Reg. No. 39,602; Bradley J. Bereznak, Reg. No. 33,474; Michael A. Bernadicou, Reg. No. 35,934; Roger W. Blakely, Jr., Reg. No. 25,831; Gregory D. Caldwell, Reg. No. 39,926; Ronald C. Card, Reg. No. 44,587; Thomas M. Coester, Reg. No. 39,637; Donna Jo Coningsby, Reg. No. 41,684; Michael Anthony DeSanctis, Reg. No. 39,957; Daniel M. De Vos, Reg. No. 37,813; Robert Andrew Diehl, Reg. No. 40,992; Matthew C. Fagan, Reg. No. 37,542; Tarek N. Fahmi, Reg. No. 41,402; James Y. Go, Reg. No. 40,621; James A. Henry, Reg. No. 41,064; Willmore F. Holbrow III, Reg. No. 41,845; Sheryl Sue Holloway, Reg. No. 37,850; George W Hoover II, Reg. No. 32,992; Eric S. Hyman, Reg. No. 30,139; Dag H. Johansen, Reg. No. 36,172; William W. Kidd, Reg. No. 31,772; Eric T. King, Reg. No. 44,188; Erica W. Kuo, Reg. No. 42,775; Michael J. Mallie, Reg. No. 36,591; Paul A. Mendonsa, Reg. No. 42,879; Darren J. Milliken, Reg. No. 42,004; Chun M. Ng, Reg. No. 36878; Thien T. Nguyen, Reg. No. 43,835; Thinh V. Nguyen, Reg. No. 42,034; Dennis A. Nicholls, Reg. No. 42,036; Lisa A. Norris, Reg. No. 44,976; Daniel E. Ovanezian, Reg. No. 41,236; Babak Redjaian, Reg. No. 42,096; William F. Ryann, Reg. No. 44,313; James H. Salter, Reg. No. 35,668; William W. Schaal, Reg. No. 39,018; James C. Scheller, Reg. No. 31,195; Jeffrey S. Smith, Reg. No. 39,377; Maria McCormack Sobrino, Reg. No. 31,639; Stanley W. Sokoloff, Reg. No. 25,128; Judith A. Szepesi, Reg. No. 39,393; Vincent P. Tassinari, Reg. No. 42,179; Edwin H. Taylor, Reg. No. 25,129; George G. C. Tseng, Reg. No. 41,355; Joseph A. Twarowski, Reg. No. 42,191; Lester J. Vincent, Reg. No. 31,460; Glenn E. Von Tersch, Reg. No. 41,364; John Patrick Ward, Reg. No. 40,216; Charles T. J. Weigell, Reg. No. 43,398; Kirk D. Williams, Reg. No. 42,229; James M. Wu, Reg. No. P45,241; Steven D. Yates, Reg. No. 42,242; and Norman Zafman, Reg. No. 26,250; my attorneys; and Andrew C. Chen, Reg. No. 43,544; Justin M. Dillon, Reg. No. 42,486; Paramita Ghosh, Reg. No. 42,806; Sang Hui Kim, Reg. No. 40,450; and John F. Travis, Reg. No. 43,203; my patent agents, with offices located at 12400 Wilshire Boulevard, 7th Floor, Los Angeles, Calif. 90025, telephone (714) 557-3800, with full power of substitution and revocation, to prosecute this application and to transact all business in the Patent and Trademark Office connected herewith.