Nucleic acid analysis apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10654038-B2
Application number	US-201715700791-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2017
Priority date	Sep 12, 2016
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A nucleic acid analysis apparatus with isothermal based amplification includes a chamber, a fluid delivery unit, a thermal unit, a rotational driven unit and at least one optical unit. The chamber includes a cartridge mounted therein. The fluid delivery unit is connected with the chamber and adapted to transport reagents within the cartridge for sample purification and/or nucleic acid extraction. The thermal unit is disposed in the chamber and adapted to provide a predefined temperature for nucleic acid amplification. The rotational driven unit is connected with the chamber and capable of rotating the cartridge with a predefined program. The at least one optical unit is disposed on the chamber and includes plural optical components for detection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nucleic acid analysis apparatus, comprising:
a chamber comprising a cartridge mounted therein, wherein the cartridge comprises a detection chip and a reagent storing body, the detection chip comprises plural detection wells, and the reagent storing body comprises plural reagent cells used to store reagents for sample purification and/or nucleic acid extraction and plural channels connected with the reagent cells for fluid delivery;
a fluid delivery unit connected with the chamber and adapted to transport reagents within the cartridge for sample purification and/or nucleic acid extraction, wherein the fluid delivery unit comprises plural microchannels for connecting with the cartridge and a pump adapted to provide pneumatic force to transport the reagents stored within the cartridge;
a thermal unit disposed in the chamber and comprising a heater to provide a predefined temperature for nucleic acid amplification;
multiple optical units fixed on the chamber, each optical unit comprising a light source and an optical detector and offering a unique color of illumination to detect multiple targets; and
a rotational driven unit connected with the chamber and comprising a motor capable of rotating the cartridge with a predefined program,
wherein the chamber comprises at least one clip, and during sample purification and/or nucleic acid extraction, the cartridge is locked on the chamber by the at least one clip to contact the fluid delivery unit;
wherein the rotational driven unit comprises a cartridge clamp mounted on a shaft of the rotational driven unit to clamp the cartridge apart from the fluid delivery unit and rotate the cartridge to align the detection wells of the cartridge with the optical units during nucleic acid amplification and/or detection.

2. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber is able to be opened and comprises a top chamber and a bottom chamber.

3. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the cartridge is mounted in a cavity of the bottom chamber.

4. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge comprises a lock slot capable of being engaged with the clip.

5. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the lock slot is disposed on a cylindrical surface of the reagent storing body.

6. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the chamber further comprises a release actuator to unlock the cartridge.

7. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge clamp comprises a magnet, and the cartridge comprises an embedded magnetic material, so that a magnetic force between the magnet and the magnetic material attracts the cartridge to move toward the cartridge clamp.

8. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises a step motor to rotate the cartridge at a predefined angle.

9. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft of the rotational driven unit and the cartridge clamp are in line with a central axis of the cartridge to clamp and rotate the cartridge during nucleic acid amplification and/or detection.

10. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the cartridge clamp comprises a magnet, and the cartridge comprises an embedded magnetic material disposed on a central location of the detection chip in line with the cartridge clamp mounted on the shaft of the rotational driven unit, so that a magnetic force between the magnet and the magnetic material attracts the cartridge to move toward the cartridge clamp to clamp and rotate the cartridge during nucleic acid amplification and/or detection.

11. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal unit comprises a heat spreader, and plural fan blades.

12. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the fan blades are mounted on and driven by the rotational driven unit, and a rotation of the fan blades generates air flow towards the heat spreader to accelerate the thermal mixing within the chamber.

13. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein detection chip is disposed on the top of the reagent storing body.

14. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the detection chip is a planar fluidic chip and comprises the plural detection wells and at least one microchannel connected with the detection wells.

15. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein each of the detection wells has at least one planar surface.

16. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the shape of the detection chip is substantially a regular polygon.

17. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the chamber further comprises at least one positioning pin, and the detection chip comprises at least one alignment slot capable of being aligned with the at least one positioning pin on the chamber.

18. The nucleic acid analysis apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the detection chip further comprises at least one opening at a top surface of the detection chip for adding sample to the cartridge.

Assignees

• Delta Electronics Intl Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Liang Qian
• Ma Bo
• An Shuwen
• Zhang Weishi

Classifications

• B01L7/52

  with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples · CPC title

• B01L3/527

  for a plurality of reagents · CPC title

• B01L3/502715 Primary

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title

• B01L2300/0803

  Disc shape · CPC title

• B01L2200/143

  Quality control, feedback systems · CPC title