Apparatus and method for performing chemical analyses and immunoassays

Claim 1

An apparatus for performing chemical analyses and immunoassays comprising (a) a base having therein a plurality of wells, each well containing a reagent for use in a multi-step process for detecting the presence of an analyte in a test sample, said base and wells comprising a material impervious to said reagents, (b) means for sealing each of said wells so as to retain the reagent therein, said sealing means being a puncturable film or foil, and (c) a testing stick having a sharp pointed reactive end comprising a material to which the analyte in the test sample can bind specifically, and which is capable of piercing the sealing means covering said reagent filled wells, such that the reactive end of said testing stick can come into contact with the reagent in the well, thereby allowing the analyte bound to said testing stick to be brought sequentially into contact with the reagents in the wells in order to produce a detectable reaction, thereby detecting the presence of the analyte.

Claim 2

An apparatus for performing chemical analyses and immunoassays comprising (a) a base having therein a plurality of wells, each well containing a reagent for use in a multi-step process for detecting the presence of an analyte in a test sample, said base and wells comprising a material impervious to said reagents, (b) means for sealing each of said wells so as to retain the reagent therein, said sealing means being a puncturable film or foil, and (c) a testing stick having a sharp pointed reactive end comprising a material to which the analyte in the test sample can bind specifically, and which is capable of piercing the sealing means covering said reagent filled wells, such that the reactive end of said testing stick can come into contact with the reagent in the well, thereby allowing the analyte bound to said testing stick to be brought sequentially into contact with the reagents in the wells in order to produce a detectable reaction, thereby detecting the presence of the analyte.

Claim 10

A method for performing an immunoassay for detecting the presence of an analyte in a test sample comprising the steps of (a) incubating a testing stick having a sharp pointed reactive end comprised of a material to which an analyte in the test sample can bind specifically such that the analyte in the test sample binds to the sharp pointed reactive end of the testing stick; (b) inserting in a predetermined order the testing stick of step (a) into a plurality of separately contained reagents for performing an immunoassay and forming a visually or spectrophotometrically detectable complex on the test stick by piercing sealed coverings on reagent-containing wells in a test base with said sharp pointed reactive end of said testing stick; (c) allowing said reagents to bind to the analyte on the testing stick whereby a bound detectable complex is formed if the analyte is present in the test sample; and (d) visually or spectrophotometrically detecting said bound detectable complex as an indication of the presence of the analyte in the test sample.

Claim 11

A method for performing an immunoassay for detecting the presence of an analyte in a test sample comprising the steps of (a) incubating a testing stick having a sharp pointed reactive end comprised of a material to which an analyte in the test sample can bind specifically such that the analyte in the test sample binds to the sharp pointed reactive end of the testing stick; (b) inserting in a predetermined order the testing stick of step (a) into a plurality of separately contained reagents for performing an immunoassay and forming a visually or spectrophotometrically detectable complex on the test stick by piercing sealed coverings on reagent-containing wells in a test base with said sharp pointed reactive end of said testing stick; (c) allowing said reagents to bind to the analyte on the testing stick whereby a bound detectable complex is formed if the analyte is present in the test sample; and (d) visually or spectrophotometrically detecting said bound detectable complex as an indication of the presence of the analyte in the test sample.

Claim 20

A method for performing a chemical assay for detecting the presence of an analyte in a test sample comprising the steps of (a) incubating a testing stick having a sharp pointed reactive end the surface of which is comprised of a material to which the analyte in the test sample can adsorb such that the analyte in the test sample adsorbs to the surface of the sharp pointed reactive end of the testing stick; (b) inserting in a predetermined order the testing stick of step (a) into a plurality of separately contained reagents for performing chemical assay by piercing sealed coverings on reagent-containing wells in a test base with said sharp pointed reactive end of said testing stick; (c) allowing said reagents to react with the analyte on the testing stick to produce a detectable product and; (d) visually or spectrophotometrically detecting said product as an indication of the presence of the analyte in the test sample.

Claim 21

A method for performing a chemical assay for detecting the presence of an analyte in a test sample comprising the steps of (a) incubating a testing stick having a sharp pointed reactive end the surface of which is comprised of a material to which the analyte in the test sample can adsorb such that the analyte in the test sample adsorbs to the surface of the sharp pointed reactive end of the testing stick; (b) inserting in a predetermined order the testing stick of step (a) into a plurality of separately contained reagents for performing chemical assay by piercing sealed coverings on reagent-containing wells in a test base with said sharp pointed reactive end of said testing stick; (c) allowing said reagents to react with the analyte on the testing stick to produce a detectable product and; (d) visually or spectrophotometrically detecting said product as an indication of the presence of the analyte in the test sample.