Magnetic system for particle attraction in a plurality of chambers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9304131-B2
Application number	US-201414580664-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2014
Priority date	Sep 17, 2010
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a magnetic sample-processing device, particularly a sensor device ( 100 ), that comprises two electromagnets ( 110, 120 ) for generating a magnetic field (B) in a first and a second sample chamber (SC 1 , SC 2 ) located adjacent to each other in an x-direction. The poles of the electromagnets are disposed below the first and the second sample chamber (SC 1 , SC 2 ), respectively, next to each other in a perpendicular y-direction. Moreover, the electromagnets are individually controlled by a control unit ( 130 ). In a preferred embodiment, the distance between the electromagnets ( 110, 120 ) in x-direction is so large that magnetic cross talk can be neglected. In another embodiment, said distance is close, and the electromagnets are operated in a synchronized way.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sample-processing device for generating a magnetic field (B) in a first sample chamber and a second sample chamber that are located adjacent to each other in an x-direction, the sample-processing device comprising:
a) a first electromagnet having a first pair of poles disposed below the first sample chamber, and adjacent to the first sample chamber in a y-direction which is substantially perpendicular to the x-direction;
b) a second electromagnet having a second pair of poles disposed below the second sample chamber, and adjacent to the second sample chamber in the y-direction; and
c) a control unit configured to control the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet individually.

2. A method for processing a sample with a sample-processing device in a first sample chamber and a second sample chamber that are located adjacent to each other in an x-direction, the method comprising:
a) disposing below the first sample chamber a first electromagnet with a first pair of poles which are arranged next to each other in a y-direction that is substantially perpendicular to the x-direction;
b) disposing below the second sample chamber a second electromagnet with a second pair of poles that are arranged next to each other in the y-direction; and
c) controlling the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet individually to generate a magnetic field (B) in at least one of the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber.

3. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that wherein an exchangeable cartridge hosts the first and second sample chambers.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and the second sample chambers are physically separated from each other.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electromagnet and the second electromagnet comprises a core with a horse-shoe shape.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pairs of poles of the first and second electromagnets, respectively, are separated in x-direction by a distance (D) that is larger than a distance (A) between the poles of one pair of poles.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pairs of poles of the first and second electromagnets, respectively, are separated in x-direction by a distance (D) that is less than half a distance (A) between the poles of one pair of poles.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein neighboring poles of different electromagnets are configured to have in average opposite polarity for a predetermined percentage of time.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the neighboring poles of different electromagnets are configured to always have opposite polarity.

10. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor module for detecting particles in at least one of the first and second sample chambers, the first and second sample chambers having a sensing surface adjacent to the first and second electromagnets.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the sensor module for detecting the particles comprises one of an optical, magnetic, mechanical, acoustic, thermal or electrical sensor module.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the sensor module comprises a light source configured to illuminate sensing regions of both the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber, respectively.

13. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the sensor module comprises a light detector configured to measure light coming from sensing regions of both the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber, respectively.

14. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
performing one of molecular diagnostics, biological sample analysis, chemical sample analysis, food analysis, or forensic analysis using the processed sample.

15. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the distance (D) is greater than about 1.2 mm.

16. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the distance (D) is less than about 0.5 mm.

17. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
detecting particles in at least one of the first and second sample chambers at a sensing surface of the first and second sample chambers adjacent to the first and second electromagnets.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein detecting the particles in at least one of the first and second sample chambers comprises:
illuminating the sensing surface with an input light beam from a light source; and
measuring frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) of the input light beam at the sensing surface.

Assignees

• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Ovsyanko Mikhail Mikhaylovich

Classifications

• H01F7/064

  Circuit arrangements for actuating electromagnets (circuit arrangements for obtaining special operating characteristics H01F7/18; driving circuits for electromagnets making use of a switching regulator H01H47/325) · CPC title

• G01N2201/061

  Sources · CPC title

• G01N21/55

  Specular reflectivity · CPC title

• G01N35/0098

  involving analyte bound to insoluble magnetic carrier, e.g. using magnetic separation (magnetic particles used in immunoassays G01N33/54326; magnetic separation in general B03C) · CPC title

• G01N33/54333 Primary

  Modification of conditions of immunological binding reaction, e.g. use of more than one type of particle, use of chemical agents to improve binding, choice of incubation time or application of magnetic field during binding reaction · CPC title