Method and apparatus for analyte processing

摘要

A system for processing analytes in samples includes an instrument and a cartridge. The cartridge includes fluid inputs, input and output valve assemblies, processing devices, fluid reservoirs, and channels for carrying samples from the fluid inputs to the fluid reservoirs. The valve assemblies include valves adapted to form a sealed fluid chamber in response to force applied by a movable head assembly of the instrument. Each fluid reservoir is adapted to mate and align with an air displacement pump interface member. A valve assembly includes a recess wall surrounding a recess and a valve assembly wall surrounding both the recess and the recess wall. The recess wall and the valve assembly walls are adapted to mate with and seal against a flexible sheet covering the recess, the recess wall, and the valve assembly wall. The cartridge and instrument include complementary features for finely and coarsely aligning instrument assemblies with portions of the cartridge.

主权项

1. A cartridge for processing a fluid sample, comprising:
a plurality of fluid inputs defined in the cartridge; an input valve assembly defined in the cartridge, the input valve assembly comprising a plurality of input valves, each input valve defined by:
a recess defined in the cartridge, the recess extending into the cartridge from a surface of the cartridge;a wall defined by the cartridge at an intersection of an outer edge of the recess and the surface of the cartridge,an input valve inlet defined in the recess, the input valve inlet extending from a surface of the recess into the cartridge, andan input valve outlet defined in the recess adjacent the input valve inlet, the input valve outlet extending from the surface of the recess into the cartridge,wherein the input valve assembly comprises a membrane disposed over the plurality of input valves, the membrane mating with the wall of each input valve,wherein the membrane includes a resting state and an expanded state, (i) the membrane in the resting state, the wall of the input valve, and the recess defining, for each input valve, an input valve fluid chamber through which the fluid sample flows from the input valve inlet to the input valve outlet, and (ii) the membrane in the expanded state protruding into the recess, mating with the surface of the recess, and sealing the input valve inlet from the input valve outlet; an output valve assembly defined in the cartridge, the output valve assembly comprising a plurality of first output valves and a plurality of second output valves, each output valve defined by:
a recess defined in the cartridge, the recess extending into the cartridge from a surface of the cartridge,a wall defined by the cartridge at an intersection of an outer edge of the recess and the surface of the cartridge,an output valve inlet defined in the recess, the output valve inlet extending from a surface of the recess into the cartridge, andan output valve outlet defined in the recess adjacent the output valve inlet, the output valve outlet extending from the surface of the recess into the cartridge,wherein the output valve assembly comprises a second membrane disposed over the plurality of first output valves and the plurality of second output valves, the second membrane mating with the wall of each output valve,wherein the second membrane includes a resting state and an expanded state, (i) the second membrane in the resting state, the wall of the output valve, and the recess defining, for each output valve, an outlet valve fluid chamber through which the fluid sample flows from the output valve inlet to the output valve outlet, and (ii) the membrane in the expanded state protruding into the recess, mating with the surface of the recess, and sealing the output valve inlet from the output valve outlet; a plurality of fluid reservoirs defined in the cartridge; and a plurality of processing devices disposed on a surface of the cartridge, each processing device defining a processing device fluid chamber, a processing device inlet, and a processing device outlet, each processing device inlet in fluid communication with the input valve outlet of at least one input valve of the plurality of input valves, each processing device outlet in fluid communication with the output valve inlet of one first output valve of the plurality of first output valves, each first output valve outlet in fluid communication with one fluid reservoir of the plurality of fluid reservoirs and the output valve inlet of one second output valve of the plurality of second output valves; a plurality of channels defined in the cartridge, each channel configured to transport the fluid sample from a fluid input of the plurality of fluid inputs, through one input valve of the plurality of input valves, through one processing device of the plurality of processing devices, through one first output valve of the plurality of first output valves to one fluid reservoir of the plurality of fluid reservoirs and through one second output valve of the plurality of second output valves.