Method and device for sonicating a biological sample

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12350633-B2
Application number	US-202318137677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2023
Priority date	Apr 5, 2018
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device for sonicating a biological sample. In one embodiment, a sample tube holder is pivotally suspended in a mount of a sonication device, thus allowing for a rotational degree of freedom and/or lateral movement that provides an optimized contact area between the sonotrode and the sample tube. Also disclosed is a method for sonicating a biological sample using the device described herein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sonication device for sonicating one or more biological samples in at least two sample tubes, the at least two sample tubes each having an essentially round-shaped side wall, the sonication device comprising:
a. a sample tube holder pivotally suspended in a mount configured to hold the at least two sample tubes, wherein the mount permits rotational movement of the sample tube holder about an x-axis, wherein the sample tube holder is configured, in the absence of a rotational movement about the x-axis, to hold the sample tube in a substantially vertical orientation along a z-axis, the z-axis being perpendicular to the x-axis, and wherein the sample tube holder comprises an opening on at least one side, wherein the sample tube holder comprises a support element having at least two concave surfaces, where each concave surface is configured to individually contact a side wall of each of the at least two sample tubes, and wherein the support element protrudes from a back wall of the sample tube holder;
b. a sonotrode comprising a transmittal unit having at least two sonicating areas for applying ultrasound to a side wall of each of the at least two sample tubes, the at least two sonicating areas each comprising a concave surface, wherein the sonotrode is mounted on a guiding rail, wherein the mount is fixed to one end of the guiding rail such that the opening on the at least one side of the sample tube holder faces the sonicating areas; and,
c. an actuator for moving the sonotrode on the guiding rail along a y-axis towards or away from the sample tube holder.

2. The sonication device of claim 1 , wherein the sample tube holder is removable.

3. The sonication device of claim 1 , wherein the mount for the sample tube holder comprises an immobile base portion and a rotatable portion comprising a pivot and a base for holding the sample tube holder, wherein the pivot is a hinge pivotally suspended within a corresponding pivot bearing of the immobile base portion.

4. The sonication device of claim 1 , wherein the mount for the sample tube holder further comprises a height adjustment for adjusting positions of the at least two sample tubes in the sample tube holder on the z-axis.

5. The sonication device of claim 1 , wherein the guiding rail comprises a sled.

6. The sonication device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to apply a variable force to the sonotrode.

7. The sonication device of claim 6 , wherein the actuator is configured to apply a force of 10 N, 50 N, 100 N, 500 N, 750 N, 1000 N, 2500 N, or 5000 N to the sonotrode.

8. The sonication device of claim 7 , wherein the force is about 800 N.

9. The sonication device of claim 1 , wherein the mount is configured to permit movement of the sample tube holder along the x-axis.

10. The sonication device of claim 1 , wherein the sample tube holder is configured to permit movement of the at least two sample tubes within the sample tube holder along the x-axis.

11. A method for sonicating a biological sample contained in a sample tube using the sonication device of claim 1 , the method comprising the following steps:
a) in any order, inserting the at least two sample tubes into the sample tube holder, and inserting the sample tube holder into the mount;
b) moving the sonotrode on the guiding rail along the y-axis towards the sample tube holder via the actuator until the at least two sonicating areas contact the side walls of the at least two sample tubes through the opening on the at least one side;
c) applying a pre-defined force from the actuator via the sonotrode to the at least two sample tubes and/or the sample tube holder along the y-axis such that each of the at least two sonicating areas contacts the side wall of each of the at least two sample tubes and pushes the at least two sample tubes against an inner wall of the sample tube holder, thereby firmly holding the at least two sample tubes in place and adjusting positions of the at least two sample tubes along the x-axis by centering the at least two sample tubes with the concave surfaces comprised by the at least two sonicating areas, the movement of the sonotrode further causing a rotational movement of the sample tube holder about the x-axis until reaching an arresting point; and, d) applying ultrasound to the at least two sample tubes from the sonotrode through the contact areas between the at least two sonicating areas and the side wall of each of the at least two sample tubes.

12. A sonication device for sonicating one or more biological samples disposed in at least two sample tubes, each of the at least two sample tubes having an essentially round-shaped side wall, the sonication device comprising:
a. a sample tube mount comprising (i) an immobile first portion; and (ii) a second portion comprising a pivot member and a base for holding a sample tube holder, wherein the second portion is pivotally suspended from the immobile first portion, and wherein the second portion is pivotable about the pivot member along an x-axis, wherein the sample tube holder comprises a support element having at least two concave surfaces, where each concave surface is configured to individually contact a side wall of each of the at least two sample tubes, and wherein the support element protrudes from a back wall of the sample tube holder;
b. a sonotrode coupled to a guiding rail, the sonotrode comprising a transmittal unit having at least two sonicating areas, the at least two sonicating areas each comprising a concave surface, wherein the sonotrode is movable on the guiding rail along a y-axis toward or away from the sample tube holder, wherein the immobile first portion of the sample tube mount is coupled to a first end of the guiding rail such that an opening on at least one side of the sample tube holder faces the at least two sonicating areas of the sonotrode; and
c. an actuator for moving the sonotrode along the guiderail;
wherein the sample tube holder is configured to hold the at least two sample tubes in a position offset from the z-axis when the essentially round-shaped side wall of each of the at least two sample tubes is not in physical contact with the concave surfaces of the at least two sonicating areas of the sonotrode; and wherein the sample tube holder is configured to rotate counter-clockwise about the x-axis to a position substantially parallel with the z-axis when the essentially round-shaped side wall of each of the at least two sample tubes is in physical contact with the concave surfaces of the at least two sonicating areas of the sonotrode.

13. The sonication device of claim 12 , wherein the sample tube holder is removable.

14. The sonication device of claim 12 , wherein the pivot member comprises a hinge pivotally suspended within a corresponding pivot bearing of the immobile first portion.

15. The sonication device of claim 12 , wherein the sample tube mount further comprises a height adjustment mechanism for adjusting positions along the z-axis of the at least two sample tubes in the sample tube holder.

16. The sonication device of claim 12 , wherein the guiding rail comprises a sled.

17. The sonication device of claim 12 , wherein the actuator is configured to apply a variable force to the sonotrode.

18. The sonication device of claim 12 , wherein the sample tube holder is configured such that the at least two sample tubes are permitted to slide within the sample tube holder over the at least two concave surfaces of the support element along the x-axis as the concave surface of each of the at least two sonicati

Assignees

• Roche Molecular Systems Inc

Inventors

• Birkner Patrick
• Holzer Manfred
• Loetscher Pirmin Hans
• Nilsson Ulf

Classifications

• B01F2101/23

  Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials · CPC title

• B01F35/42

  Clamping or holding arrangements for mounting receptacles on mixing devices · CPC title

• B01J19/10 Primary

  employing sonic or ultrasonic vibrations · CPC title

• B06B1/0611

  in a pile · CPC title

• G01N1/286

  involving mechanical work, e.g. chopping, disintegrating, compacting, homogenising (microtomes G01N1/06; pulverising in general B02C; mixing in general B01F) · CPC title