US4871683A — Apparatus and method using a new reaction capsule

Claim 1

Independent Claim 99 words

A reaction capsule for performing a clinical assay comprising a tubular member having first and second ends and a membrane closing the first end, the membrane comprising a porous hydrophobic material having a predetermined pore size such that a liquid retained within the tubular member when the membrane is in a hydrophobic state may be expelled through the membrane in response to the application of a pressure differential across the membrane thereby creating liquid flow through the membrane and said liquid flow may be terminated and the membrane returned to the hydrophobic state by flowing gas through the membrane.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 99 words

A reaction capsule for performing a clinical assay comprising a tubular member having first and second ends and a membrane closing the first end, the membrane comprising a porous hydrophobic material having a predetermined pore size such that a liquid retained within the tubular member when the membrane is in a hydrophobic state may be expelled through the membrane in response to the application of a pressure differential across the membrane thereby creating liquid flow through the membrane and said liquid flow may be terminated and the membrane returned to the hydrophobic state by flowing gas through the membrane.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

A capsule as in claim 1 wherein the membrane has a functional pore size of from about 0.2 microns to about 20 microns.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

A capsule as in claim 1 wherein the membrane has a functional pore size of from about 1 to about 6 microns.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

A capsule as in claim 1 wherein the membrane has a functional pore size from about 10 to about 20 microns.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

A capsule as in claim 1 wherein the capsule includes support ribs fixed at the first end and the membrane is supported by the support ribs.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

A capsule as in claim 5 wherein the capsule further includes solid support means within the tubular member.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 141 words

A clinical assay system comprising: a reaction capsule comprising a tabular member having first and second ends and a membrane closing the first end, the membrane comprising a porous hydrophobic material having a predetermined pore size such that a liquid retained within the tabular member when the membrane is in a hydrophobic state may be expelled through the membrane in response to the application of a pressure differential across the hydrophobic membrane thereby creating liquid flow through the membrane and said liquid flow may be terminated and the membrane returned to the hydrophobic state by flowing gas through the membrane; means for introducing liquid into the capsule above the membrane; means for creating a pressure differential sufficient to cause liquid to flow through the membrane; and means for flowing gas through the membrane to return the membrane to the hydrophobic state.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 141 words

A clinical assay system comprising: a reaction capsule comprising a tabular member having first and second ends and a membrane closing the first end, the membrane comprising a porous hydrophobic material having a predetermined pore size such that a liquid retained within the tabular member when the membrane is in a hydrophobic state may be expelled through the membrane in response to the application of a pressure differential across the hydrophobic membrane thereby creating liquid flow through the membrane and said liquid flow may be terminated and the membrane returned to the hydrophobic state by flowing gas through the membrane; means for introducing liquid into the capsule above the membrane; means for creating a pressure differential sufficient to cause liquid to flow through the membrane; and means for flowing gas through the membrane to return the membrane to the hydrophobic state.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 32 words

A system as in claim 7 further including a turntable for supporting a plurality of reagent capsules and eccentric means for displacing the turntable to create a vortexing action within the capsules.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 72 words

A system as in claim 7 wherein the introducing means and the flowing gas means comprises a pump having a cylinder, the cylinder including a lower and upper end, the lower end being closed and adapted to be in fluid communication with the capsule, a lower liquid inlet and upper gas inlet, a piston movable within the cylinder, and means for displacing the piston through a stroke which includes the upper inlet.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

A system as in claim 7 wherein the membrane has a functional pore size of from about 0.2 to about 20 microns.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

A system as in claim 7 wherein the membrane has a functional pore size of from about 1 to about 6 microns.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 21 words

A system as in claim 7 wherein the membrane has a functional pore size form about 10 to about 20 microns.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 91 words

A method of performing an immunoassay comprising the steps of: adding a solid support coated with a first analyte, a patient sample containing a second analyte and a third analyte having a label attached thereto to a reaction capsule, the reaction capsule having a hydrophobic membrane at a lower end thereof; allowing an immunoassay reaction to occur between the first, second and third analytes; applying pressure to the reaction capsule to initate liquid flow through the membrane; and flowing gas through the membrane to return the membrane to a hydrophobic state.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 91 words

A method of performing an immunoassay comprising the steps of: adding a solid support coated with a first analyte, a patient sample containing a second analyte and a third analyte having a label attached thereto to a reaction capsule, the reaction capsule having a hydrophobic membrane at a lower end thereof; allowing an immunoassay reaction to occur between the first, second and third analytes; applying pressure to the reaction capsule to initate liquid flow through the membrane; and flowing gas through the membrane to return the membrane to a hydrophobic state.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 56 words

A method as in claim 13 wherein the method further includes the steps of introducing a wash solution into the capsule when the membrane is in a nonfluid-conducting state; creating a pressure differential across the membrane to initate wash solution flow therethrough; and flowing gas through the membrane to return the membrane to the hydrophobic state.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 84 words

The method as in claim 14 wherein the method further includes; adding a liquid substrate to the capsule; allowing a reaction to occur within the capsule between the substrate and the label, the reaction creating a predetermined substance; creating a pressure differential across the membrane to initate the flow of the liquid and the substance through the membrane; collecting the substrate and substance in a cell; and measuring the quantity of the substance in the cell to determine an attribute of the patient sample.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 56 words

A method of using a hydrophobic membrane comprising the steps of: placing the hydrophobic membrane across an open end of a vessel; introducing liquid into the vessel; creating a pressure differential across the membrane such that the liquid flows through the membrane; and flowing gas through the membrane to return the membrane to a hydrophobic state.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 56 words

A method of using a hydrophobic membrane comprising the steps of: placing the hydrophobic membrane across an open end of a vessel; introducing liquid into the vessel; creating a pressure differential across the membrane such that the liquid flows through the membrane; and flowing gas through the membrane to return the membrane to a hydrophobic state.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as in claim 16 wherein the membrane is made from a material comprising tetrafluoroethylene in a preselected matrix having a pore size in the range of from about 1 to about 6 microns.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method as in claim 16 wherein the membrane is made form a material comprising tetrafluoroethylene in a preselected matrix having a pore in the range of from about 10 to about 20 microns.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as in claim 16 wherein the membrane is made from a material comprising tetrafluoroethylene in a pre-selected matrix having a pore size in the range of from about 0.2 to about 20 microns.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as in claim 19 wherein the step of creating the pressure differential includes raising the pressure within the vessel above the pressure outside the vessel.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-10-02	1993-04-03	1993-10-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-10-02	1997-04-03	1997-10-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-10-02	2001-04-03	2001-10-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and method using a new reaction capsule

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