Methods for loading a digital pcr chip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022011200-A1
Application number	US-202016924204-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 9, 2020
Priority date	Jul 9, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and devices for loading a liquid sample into an array substrate with a plurality of compartments, for example, a dPCR chip. The method uses a loading device having a single flat surface to efficiently load a liquid sample into a plurality of compartments in the array substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for loading a liquid sample to a digital PCR chip with a plurality of compartments, comprising the steps of:
1) spreading a liquid sample onto a flat surface of a loading device, wherein the loading device uses a single flat surface for holding and delivering the liquid sample; 2) sandwiching the liquid sample between the loading device and a digital PCR chip at an angel between 0 to 90 degree; and 3) moving the loading device relative to the digital PCR chip to distribute the liquid sample into the plurality of compartments of the digital PCR chip.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flat surface of the loading device is non-absorbent to water.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the flat surface of the loading device is treated to be hydrophilic.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the hydrophilic flat surface of the loading device has a hydrophobic line to limit the spread of the liquid sample.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the loading device can be moved relative to the digital PCR chip in a circular or unidirectional mode.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the loading device comprises a flat sheet.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the loading device comprises a loading part with a flat surface and a handle.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the loading device is composed of a material of the group consisting of polycarbonate, polyethylene, polystyrene, acrylic, polylactic acid, polypropylene, polyolefins, and polyvinyl chloride

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid sample comprises one or more components selected from a group consisting of BSA, Triton X-100, Tween-20, NP-40, TMAC, Ethanol, PEG, and KCl.

Assignees

• Wang Yan
• Yang Raymond

Inventors

• Wang Yan
• Yang Raymond

Classifications

• C12Q1/686

  Polymerase chain reaction [PCR] · CPC title

• G01N1/2813 Primary

  Producing thin layers of samples on a substrate, e.g. smearing, spinning-on (G01N1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C12Q1/6806

  Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay (C12Q1/6804 takes precedence) · CPC title