초록 ▼

This invention relates to an apparatus for conducting immunoassay test. The apparatus includes a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold a rod-shaped portion of a probe along the vertical direction, and a push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the

This invention relates to an apparatus for conducting immunoassay test. The apparatus includes a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold a rod-shaped portion of a probe along the vertical direction, and a push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the push pin being capable of residing at a first position and a second position. A tip of the push pin is capable of pressing the rod-shaped portion of the probe against the groove when the push pin resides at the first position. The distance between the tip of the push pin and the groove is larger than a diameter of the rod-shaped portion of the probe when the push pin resides at the second position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for loading and releasing at least one probe having a rod-shaped portion, comprising: a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold the rod-shaped portion of the probe along the vertical direction, anda push pin configured to move along a horizontal dire

1. An apparatus for loading and releasing at least one probe having a rod-shaped portion, comprising: a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold the rod-shaped portion of the probe along the vertical direction, anda push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the push pin being capable of residing at a first position and a second position,a ceiling configured to touch a top tip of the probe and to keep the probe in a vertical position relative to the groove unit and the push pin such that the groove unit and the push pin are aligned with a top portion of the rod-shaped portion of the probe;wherein a tip of the push pin is capable of pressing the rod-shaped portion of the probe against the groove when the push pin resides at the first position, andthe distance between the tip of the push pin and the groove is larger than a diameter of the rod-shaped portion of the probe when the push pin resides at the second position. 2. A method for moving at least one probe having a rod-shaped portion to a plurality of locations using the apparatus of claim 1, the method comprising: (a) descending a pair of the groove unit and the push pin down in the vertical direction until a top tip of the probe touches the ceiling,(b) loading the probe between the push pin and the groove,(c) ascending the pair of the groove and the push pin up in an opposite direction of the vertical direction,(d) shifting the pair of the groove and the push pin in a horizontal plane to a location of the plurality of locations,(e) descending the pair of the groove and the push pin down in the vertical direction, and(f) repeating steps (c)-(e) at least one time. 3. An apparatus for loading and releasing a plurality of probes, each probe of the plurality of probes having a rod-shaped portion having a common diameter, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of pairs of groove unit and push pin, each pair comprising: a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold the rod-shaped portion of the probe along the vertical direction, anda push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the push pin being capable of residing at a first position and a second position,a ceiling configured to touch a top tip of the probe and to keep the probe in a vertical position relative to the groove unit and the push pin such that the groove unit and the push pin are aligned with a top portion of the rod-shaped portion of the probe,wherein the tip of the push pin is capable of pressing the rod-shaped portion of the probe against the groove when the push pin resides at the first position,the distance between the tip of the push pin and the groove is larger than the common diameter of the rod-shaped portion of the probe when the push pin resides at the second position, andthe push pins of the pairs are mechanically coupled so that the push pins move along the horizontal direction simultaneously. 4. A method for moving a plurality of probes to a plurality of locations using the apparatus of claim 3, each probe having a rod-shaped portion, the method comprising: (a) descending the plurality of pairs of groove unit and push pin down in the vertical direction until a top tip of the probe touches the ceiling,(b) loading each probe of the plurality of probes between one pair of groove unit and push pin of the plurality of pairs simultaneously,(c) ascending the plurality of pairs of groove unit and push pin up in an opposite direction of the vertical direction,(d) shifting the plurality of pairs of groove and push pin in a horizontal plane to a location of the plurality of locations,(e) descending the plurality of pairs of groove and push pin down in the vertical direction,(f) repeating steps (c)-(e) at least one time, and(g) releasing the plurality of probes simultaneously. 5. A cartridge for an immunoassay test, comprising: a probe well comprising a probe and a cap, wherein the probe includes a monolithic substrate, and a bottom tip of the probe is coated with analyte-binding molecules;a sample well to receive a sample;one or more reagent wells;a plurality of wash wells each containing a first aqueous solution;a measurement well having a light transmissive bottom, the measurement well containing a second aqueous solution; andwherein the openings of the sample well, reagent well, measurement well and wash wells are sealed, and wherein when the cap is in a closed position, the cap is folded over the probe well to enclose the probe in the probe well, but the cap does not cover the sample well, the wash wells or the measurement well. 6. The cartridge of claim 5, further comprising a cushion disposed on an opening of the probe well to secure a flange of the probe when the cap is in a closed position so that the bottom tip of the probe maintains a distance from an inner surface of the probe well;wherein the probe comprises a rod and the flange surrounds the rod. 7. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the cushion has a gasket ring portion to fill in between the opening of the probe well and the flange of the probe, so that the probe well forms an impermeable chamber enclosing the bottom tip of the probe. 8. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the cushion is further configured to prevent the bottom tip of the probe from touching the inner surface of the probe well when the probe experiences a downward force. 9. The cartridge of claim 6, wherein the cushion comprises an elastic material. 10. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the probe has a sleeve under the flange, and a diameter of the sleeve is substantially equal to or less than an inner diameter of an opening portion of the probe well. 11. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the probe well comprises a recess on the opening of the probe well and the cushion is disposed on the recess. 12. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the reagent wells contain dry reagents. 13. The cartridge of claim 12, further comprising one or more reconstitution wells each containing a reconstitution buffer to be dispensed into reagent wells to reconstitute the dry reagents. 14. The cartridge of claim 12, wherein the reagent well is separated by an air space from the wash wells or the measurement wells. 15. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the reagent well containing an analyte-binding molecule labeled with reporter molecules; and wherein the reporter molecules are fluorescent, chemiluminescent, or enzyme molecules. 16. The cartridge of claim 5, comprising a first reagent well containing a biotinylated antibody directed against the analyte, and a second reagent well containing streptavidin labeled with reporter molecules. 17. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the cap is hinged to the probe well via a hinge. 18. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the cap is open and attached to the probe well during an immunoassay test. 19. The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the probe includes: a rod-shaped center segment having a bottom tip;a flange surrounding the rod; anda sleeve under the flange;wherein the bottom tip is coated with analyte-binding molecules and the rod-shaped center segment has a portion extruding from a top side of the flange. 20. The cartridge of claim 19, wherein the sleeve and the flange comprises a plastic holder clipping on the rod-shaped center segment and a fastener ring fastening the plastic holder.