EP0057110A2 — Reaction vessel and method for combining liquids …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 187 words

A reaction vessel (20-20h) comprising members (42-42h, 44-44h, 30-30h) which form a first zone (22-22h) and a second zone (24-24h) for receiving a liquid, at least one of said zones (22-22h, 24-24h) containing a reagent capable of interacting with a material of a liquid introduced therein, inlet means (46-46h) for receiving liquid into said first zone (22-22h), and a passageway (60-60h) connecting said zones (22-22h, 24-24h) and having a cross section of capillary size characterized in that said members (42-42h, 44-44h, 30-30h) forming said zones (22-22h, 24-24h) include opposed surfaces (26-26h, 28-28h) spaced apart a distance that is effective to induce capillary flow of said liquid at least in a portion of said first zone (22-22h) contiguous to said passageway (60-60h), said passageway (60-60h) including meniscus control means (62-62h), for controlling the meniscus forming the leading edge of the capillary flow so as to stop the liquid from proceeding by capillary attraction from said first zone (22-22h) into said second zone (24-24h) and to permit flow of liquid into said second zone (24-24h) only when sufficient pressure is applied to the liquid in the first zone (22-22h).

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 187 words

A reaction vessel (20-20h) comprising members (42-42h, 44-44h, 30-30h) which form a first zone (22-22h) and a second zone (24-24h) for receiving a liquid, at least one of said zones (22-22h, 24-24h) containing a reagent capable of interacting with a material of a liquid introduced therein, inlet means (46-46h) for receiving liquid into said first zone (22-22h), and a passageway (60-60h) connecting said zones (22-22h, 24-24h) and having a cross section of capillary size characterized in that said members (42-42h, 44-44h, 30-30h) forming said zones (22-22h, 24-24h) include opposed surfaces (26-26h, 28-28h) spaced apart a distance that is effective to induce capillary flow of said liquid at least in a portion of said first zone (22-22h) contiguous to said passageway (60-60h), said passageway (60-60h) including meniscus control means (62-62h), for controlling the meniscus forming the leading edge of the capillary flow so as to stop the liquid from proceeding by capillary attraction from said first zone (22-22h) into said second zone (24-24h) and to permit flow of liquid into said second zone (24-24h) only when sufficient pressure is applied to the liquid in the first zone (22-22h).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 59 words

A reaction vessel (20-20h) according to claim 1, characterized in that said members (42-42h, 44-44h, 30-30h) include sidewall surfaces (32-32h, 34-34h) which cooperate with said opposed surfaces (26-26h, 28-28h) to define said zones (22-22h, 24-24h) and said passageway (60-60h), and said passageway (60-60h) having a length in the direction of liquid flow therethrough that is no greater than 0.03cm.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

A reaction vessel (20-20h) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one of said members (42-42h) having an opposed surface is substantially rigid.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

A reaction vessel (20-20h) according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that said distance is effective to induce capillary flow of said liquid from said inlet means (46-46h) to said passageway (60-60h).

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 55 words

A reaction vessel (20-20h) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that at least one of said opposed surfaces (26-26h, 28-28h) comprises, in either or both of said zones (22-22h, 24-24h), a relatively non-wettable material coated with a surfactant soluble in the liquid and capable of making said surfaces wettable by the liquid.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 77 words

A reaction vessel (20-20b, 20f-20h) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the vessel includes sidewall surfaces (32-32b, 32f-32h, 34-34b, 34f-34h) which cooperate with said opposed surfaces (26-26b, 26f-26h, 28-28b, 28f-28h) to define said zones (22-22b, 22f-22h, 24-24b, 24f-24h), said sidewall surfaces (32-32b, 34f-32h, 34-34b, 34f-34h) having edges (62-62b, 62f-62h) in said passageway (60-60b, 60f-60h) which form an energy barrier to meniscus flow such that the liquid meniscus stops in said passageway (60-60b, 60f-60h).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 47 words

A reaction vessel (20-20b, 20f-20h) according to claim 6, characterized in that said sidewall surfaces (32-32b, 32f-32h, 34-34b, 34f-34h) in said second zone (24-24b, 24f-24h) adjacent to said passageway (60-60b, 60f-60h) diverge from said edges (62-62b, 62f-62h) into said second zone (24-24b, 24f-24h) at a constant rate.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 43 words

A reaction vessel (20-20b, 20f-20h) according to claim 6, characterized in that said sidewall surfaces (32-32b, 32f-32h, 34-34b, 34f-34h) of said second zone (24-24b, 24f-24h) diverge from said edges (62-62b, 62f-62h) at a rate which increases with distance from said edges (62-62b, 62f-62h)..

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 41 words

A reaction vessel (20c) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that said meniscus control means comprises a pair of opposed edges (62c) in said two opposed surfaces (26c, 28c) that provide a reduction in said spaced-apart distance (h").

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

A reaction vessel (20c) according to claim 9, characterized in that said distance reduction between said two surfaces (26c-28c) increases in rate as said meniscus control means (62c) is approached from said inlet means (46c).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 114 words

A reaction vessel (20-20e) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that said members (42-42e, 44-44e, 30-30e) which form said zones (22-22e, 24-24e) include a support member (44-44e) and a cover member (42-42e) which are spaced apart a first distance (h'-h e ') in said second zone (24-24e) and a second distance (h-h ) in said first zone (22-22e), said first distance (h'-h ') being less than said second distance (h-he) by an amount effective to preferentially attract said liquid, in response to said application of pressure on the liquid, into said second zone (24-24e) from said first zone (22-22e) and to confine the liquid thus attracted within the second zone (24-24e).

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 68 words

A reaction vessel (20d, 20e) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that said meniscus control means comprises a channel (100; 100', 100") in at least one of said opposed surfaces (26d-26e, 28d-28e) having a depth (h 2 , h 3 , h 4 ) and width (w 2 , w 3 ) sufficient to stop the meniscus from flowing into said second zone (24d, 24e).

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 37 words

A reaction vessel (20d) according to claim 12, characterized in that said channel (100) has a depth (-h2) which is at least 0.02mm greater than said distance (h d ) between said two opposed surfaces (26d, 28d).

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 49 words

A reaction vessel (20e) according to claim 12, characterized in that said meniscus control means comprises two opposed channels (100', 100") having a combined depth (h 3 + h 4 ) that is at least 0.015mm greater than said distance (h ) between said two opposed surfaces (26e, 28e).

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 70 words

A reaction vessel (20f) according to claim 1, characterized in that said vessel (20f) is used as a test device, said reagent is immobilized in said first zone (22f) and is capable of binding with a material of the liquid and with a labeled material, said second zone (24f) being adapted to receive liquid and material contained therein that is not bound to said reagent from said first zone (22f).

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 39 words

A reaction vessel (20f) according to claim 15, characterized in that said material is an immunogen present in a biological liquid, said reagent is the immunogen complement, and said second zone (24f) is adapted for detection of labeled material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

A reaction vessel (20f) according to claim 16, characterized in that both of said zones (22f, 24f) are adapted for detection of said labeled material.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 111 words

A reaction vessel (20g, 20h) according to claim 1, characterized in that said vessel is used as a test device for the measurement of an analyte of whole blood, said first zone (22g, 22h) containing a cell-agglutinating reagent immovably adhered to at least one of i) said opposed surfaces and ii) spacer means (30g, 30h), said inlet means (46g, 46h) permitting the introduction of whole blood into said first zone (22g, 22h); said second zone (24g, 24h) being adapted to receive plasma from said first zone (22g, 22h) and containing a detection element (120, 120h) including at least one detection reagent specific to the analysis of an analyte of the plasma.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 57 words

A reaction vessel (20h) according to claim 18, characterized in that a third zone (160) is disposed between said first zone (22h) and said second zone (24h) and a meniscus control means (62h) is disposed between said third zone (160) and said first zone (22h) and (163) between said third zone (160) and said second zone (24h).

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 47 words

"20. A reaction vessel (20h) according to claim 19, characterized in that said detection element (120h) comprises detection reagents sufficient to generate a color change proportional to the amount of plasma ammonia as well as the amount of plasma creatinine that are present in the whole blood.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of combining together in a reaction vessel a reagent and a liquid containing a material, said reaction vessel having first and second zones interconnected by a passageway and inlet means in said first zone, said method comprising the steps of introducing a quantity of said liquid into said first zone characterized by transporting said liquid through said first zone by means of capillary action, retaining said liquid with the meniscus forming the leading edge of the capillary flow contiguous to said passageway while the reagent interacts with said material, applying to said liquid in the first zone a pressure sufficient to push the meniscus of the liquid from the first zone into the second zone, and transporting said liquid through said second zone by means of capillary action.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 130 words

A method of combining together in a reaction vessel a reagent and a liquid containing a material, said reaction vessel having first and second zones interconnected by a passageway and inlet means in said first zone, said method comprising the steps of introducing a quantity of said liquid into said first zone characterized by transporting said liquid through said first zone by means of capillary action, retaining said liquid with the meniscus forming the leading edge of the capillary flow contiguous to said passageway while the reagent interacts with said material, applying to said liquid in the first zone a pressure sufficient to push the meniscus of the liquid from the first zone into the second zone, and transporting said liquid through said second zone by means of capillary action.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 127 words

A method according to claim 21 characterized in that said reagent is capable of bonding with said material and is immobilized in said first zone, said quantity of liquid introduced into said first zone contains i) a liquid containing an unknown amount of unlabeled material, and ii) a liquid containing a known amount of labeled material, said quantity of liquid is retained within said first zone while the reagent binds with said labeled material and said unlabeled material, said pressure is sufficient to force the liquid and the material therein that is free of said reagent to start flowing into said second zone, and further comprising the step of detecting the free labeled material in said second zone after the liquid has moved into the second zone.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method according to claim 22, characterized in that instead of said last recited step, the bound immobilized labeled material in said first zone is detected.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method according to claim 22, characterized in that said material is an immunogen found in a biological liquid, and said reagent is the complement of said immunogen.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method according to claim 22, 23_ or 24, followed by the steps of comparing the amount of labeled material detected against said known amount, and calculating the amount of unknown, unlabeled material that competed with the labeled material for said reagent.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 124 words

A method according to claim 21, characterized in that said liquid is whole blood and said material is an analyte of whole blood, said reagent is a cell-agglutinating reagent that is immobilized in said first zone, said second zone contains at least one detection reagent specific to said analyte, said whole blood is retained in said first zone a length of time sufficient to cause blood cells to bind to said cell-agglutinating reagent and thus to separate from the blood plasma, said pressure is sufficient to force the plasma, but not the cells, to flow into said second zone, and further comprising the step of detecting within said second zone a radiometric change resulting from the interaction between said detection reagent and said analyte.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 70 words

A method according to claim 26, characterized in that said vessel includes a third zone disposed between and connected to said first and second zones, said third zone containing a gas-releasing reagent, and further comprising the step of forcing said plasma into said third zone before it is forced into said second zone so that gas is released from the plasma before the plasma is forced into said second zone.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 161 words

A method according to claim 21, characterized in that said reagent is an ammonia gas-releasing reagent and is in said first zone, said second zone includes i) a detection reagent that decomposes creatinine into at least ammonia gas and ii) an indicator that generates a radiometrically detectable change in response to said gas, said liquid is plasma containing ammonia and creatinine, said plasma is retained in said first zone while said ammonia gas is released by said gas-releasing reagent and allowed to flow into said second zone, said pressure is sufficient to force the plasma to start flowing into said second zone, and further comprising the steps of detecting the gas in said second zone with said indicator before applying said pressure, and as said plasma is being transported through said second zone, reacting (i) the plasma with said detection reagent to form additional ammonia gas, and (ii) the additional gas with said indicator, whereby the concentration of creatinine is detected.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 113 words

A method according to claim 28, characterized in that said reaction vessel has a third zone disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with said first zone, said third zone containing a cell-agglutinating reagent that is immobilized therein and further comprising the steps, performed prior to the previously-recited steps, of placing a quantity of whole blood within said third zone; retaining said quantity of whole blood in said third zone a length of time sufficient to cause blood cells to bind to said cell-agglutinating reagent and thus to separate from the blood plasma; applying to the third zone an externally-generated pressure in an amount sufficient for introducing said plasma into said first zone.

Reaction vessel and method for combining liquids and reagents

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