Device and method for transferring a target between locations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040062-B2
Application number	US-201414154695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2014
Priority date	Jan 14, 2014
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A device and method are proved for transferring a target from a first location to a second location. The target is bound to solid phase substrate to form a target bound solid phase substrate. The device includes transfer surface for receiving the target bound solid phase substrate thereon for transfer. The transfer surface movable between a first position wherein the transfer surface is aligned with the first location and spaced therefrom by a distance and a second position wherein the transfer surface is aligned with the second location. An alignment structure aligns the transfer surface with respect to the second location, with the transfer surface in the second position. A force is movable between an attraction position wherein the target bound solid phase substrate are drawn toward the transfer surface and a discharge position wherein the target bound solid phase substrate are free of the force.

First claim

We claim:

1. A device for transferring a target received in a first fluid at a first location to a second location, the target being bound to a solid phase substrate to form a target bound solid phase substrate, comprising:
a transfer structure having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface defining a transfer surface including a first region for receiving the target bound solid phase substrate thereon for transfer and being movable between a first position wherein the transfer surface is axially aligned with an apex of the first fluid at the first location and spaced from the apex of the first fluid by a non-liquid air gap and a second position wherein the transfer surface is aligned with the second location which is spaced from the first location;
an alignment structure for aligning the transfer surface with respect to the second location, with the transfer surface in the second position; and
a force generator adjacent the first surface of the transfer structure and being configured to generate a force, the force generator being movable with respect to the transfer surface between a non-attraction position wherein the target bound solid phase substrate is free of the force and an attraction position; wherein, with the transfer surface in the first position and the force generator in the attraction position;
wherein:
the transfer surface is spaced from the first location by a distance such that the force is sufficient to attract the target bound solid phase substrate; and
the target bound solid phase substrate received in the first fluid at the first location exits the first fluid and travels through the non-liquid air gap toward the first region of the transfer surface in response to the attraction of the target bound solid phase substrate to the force.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a sample container at the first location for receiving the first fluid and having an inner surface, the inner surface of the sample container being hydrophobic and causing the first fluid in the sample container to have a non-concave meniscus.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising:
a sample container at the first location for receiving the first fluid and having an inner surface; and
an insert receiveable in the sample container along the inner surface thereof, the insert causing the first fluid in the sample container to have a non-concave meniscus.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second fluid received in a receptacle at the second location, the receptacle having an inner surface and an upper edge.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the alignment structure includes a plate, the transfer surface extending along a first side of the plate and overlapping the upper edge of the receptacle with the transfer surface in the second position.

6. A device for transferring a target received in a first fluid at a first location to a second location, the target being bound to a solid phase substrate to form a target bound solid phase substrate, comprising:
a transfer structure having a first surface and a transfer surface, the transfer surface including a first region for receiving the target bound solid phase substrate thereon for transfer and being movable between a first position wherein the transfer surface is axially aligned with an apex of the first fluid at the first location and spaced from the apex of the first fluid by a non-liquid air gap and a second position wherein the transfer surface is aligned with the second location which is spaced from the first location;
an alignment structure for aligning the transfer surface with respect to the second location, with the transfer surface in the second position; and
a force generator adjacent to the first surface of the transfer structure and being configured to generate a force, the force generator being movable with respect to the transfer surface between a non-attraction position wherein the target bound solid phase substrate is free of the force and an attraction position wherein, with the transfer surface in the first position, the force attracts the target bound solid phase substrate received in the first fluid at the first location exits the first fluid and travels through the non-liquid air gap toward the first region of the transfer surface;
wherein:
the alignment structure includes a plate and a wall depending from the transfer surface, the wall having an inner surface defining the first region of the transfer surface and an outer surface engageable with the inner surface of the receptacle with the transfer surface in the second position; and
the transfer surface extends along a first side of the plate and overlaps the upper edge of the receptacle with the transfer surface in the second position.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein:
the wall is a first wall;
the receptacle includes an outer surface; and
the alignment structure further includes a second wall depending from the transfer surface, the second wall having an inner surface engageable with the outer surface of the receptacle with the transfer surface in the second position and an outer surface.

8. A device for transferring a target received in a first fluid at a first location to a second location, the target being bound to a solid phase substrate to form a target bound solid phase substrate, comprising:
a transfer structure having a first surface and a transfer surface, the transfer surface including a first region for receiving the target bound solid phase substrate thereon for transfer and being movable between a first position wherein the transfer surface is axially aligned with an apex of the first fluid at the first location and spaced from the apex of the first fluid by a non-liquid air gap and a second position wherein the transfer surface is aligned with the second location which is spaced from the first location;
an alignment structure for aligning the transfer surface with respect to the second location, with the transfer surface in the second position;
a force generator adjacent to the first surface of the transfer structure and being configured to generate a force, the force generator being movable with respect to the transfer surface between a non-attraction position wherein the target bound solid phase substrate is free of the force and an attraction position wherein, with the transfer surface in the first position, the force attract the target bound solid phase substrate such that the target bound solid phase substrate received in the first fluid at the first location exits the first fluid and travels through the non-liquid air gap toward the first region of the transfer surface:
a second fluid received in a receptacle at the second location, the receptacle having an inner surface and an upper edge; and
a transfer fluid provided at the first region of the transfer surface; and
wherein:
the receptacle includes an outer surface; and
the alignment structure includes a wall depending from the transfer surface, the wall having an inner wall surface engageable with the outer surface of the receptacle with the transfer surface in the second position and an outer wall surface.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the first region of the transfer surface includes a pinning element extending about the outer periphery thereof, the pinning element retaining the transfer fluid in the first region of the transfer surface.

10. The device of claim 5 wherein the plate includes an upper surface on a second side thereof, the force is adjacent the upper surface of the plate with the force in the attraction position.

11. The device of claim 4 wherein the alignment structure includes a plate and a transfer element depending from a first side t

Assignees

• Wisconsin Alumni Res Found

Inventors

• Beebe David J
• Casavant Ben P
• Guckenberger David J
• Berry Scott M

Classifications

• B01L3/5088

  confining liquids at a location by surface tension, e.g. virtual wells on plates, wires (B01L3/50857 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01L2200/025

  Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other · CPC title

• B01L2200/0657

  Pipetting powder · CPC title

• B01L2400/021

  non contact spotting by inertia, i.e. abrupt deceleration of the nozzle or pin · CPC title

• B01L2200/0668

  Trapping microscopic beads · CPC title