Patent ID: 8187460

Claim:
An apparatus for extracting possible molecules of interest from a fluid, comprising: a plurality of aligned one reaction vessels adapted to receive a fluid and a suspension of at least one of magnetic or paramagnetic particles capable to bind molecules of interest, each reaction vessel comprising an upper compartment with a funnel shape that merges into an elongate middle compartment, then into a closed base, wherein the elongate middle compartment of the at least one reaction vessel has a longitudinally extending centerline that is offset from a longitudinally extending centerline of the upper compartment, wherein the upper compartment has a substantially vertically extending sidewall that is substantially aligned with a sidewall of the elongate middle compartment and an opposing substantially vertically extending sidewall that resides above and merges into a floor portion that is inclined to define the funnel shape so that the floor portion directs the fluid toward a channel associated with the elongate middle compartment; at least one separating station to capture the magnetic and/or paramagnetic particles present in the large upper compartment of each reaction vessel characterized in that the at least one separating station comprises at least two magnets, each pole axis of the magnets intersecting in the reaction vessel at an angle different from 180° and are directed to apply magnetic fields substantially concurrently to the upper compartment; at least one washing station to mix the magnetic and/or paramagnetic particles present in the middle compartment of each reaction vessel characterized in that the at least one washing station comprises at last two magnets, a pole axis of the magnets are in-line or parallel one to the other; and at least one concentrating station to mix the magnetic and/or paramagnetic particles present in the base compartment of each reaction vessel.