Reagent channel mixing system and method

US10625260B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Illumina, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Bradley Kent Drews · San Diego, US
• Michael Dai Wang · San Diego, US
• Umberto Ulmanella · Foster City, US
• Stephen Wayne Clark · Fort Worth, US
• Johanna Lynn Whitacre · San Diego, US
• Steven Phelps · San Diego, US
• Michelle L. Alvarez · Orlando, US
• Michael Adalbert Niziolek · San Diego, US
• Debra Sue Bryan · San Diego, US
• Joshua Augustin Darland · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 13, 2017
• Grant date: Apr 21, 2020
• Expiry date: Dec 13, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2035/1034
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An analysis system may perform operations on an analyte that may be combined with multiple regents prior to being introduced into a flow cell. The instrument may include a volume into which the reagents to be combined with the analyte are aspirated one-by-one. The volume may be formed as a serpentine channel in a valve manifold associated with sippers for aspirating the reagents. The reagents may then be mixed by cycling a pump to move the reagents within the mixing volume or channel. For this, the reagents may be aspirated from a recipient into the volume or channel, ejected back into the recipient, and this process may be performed repeatedly to enhance mixing.