US-12623223-B2 - Device for sealing of a reagent container

US12623223B2US 12623223 B2US12623223 B2US 12623223B2US-12623223-B2

Abstract

A sealing for a reagent container and provides a sealing plug which can be adapted to the respective reagent container. Within the meaning of the present disclosure the terms plug, and stopper will be used synonymously. A liquid which is deposited in a reagent container like a vial or tube is protected by a plug from both, evaporation, and oxidation by ambient air during its presence in the reagent container. In addition, when the reagent container is provided to the analyser, the plug reduces evaporation and oxidation of liquids like reagents. A system comprising the plug and a method for using the plug are also disclosed.

Inventors

Waldemar Lukhaub
Martin Trump
Sara Zimmermann

Assignees

STRATEC SE

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230517
Priority Date: 20220520

Claims (15)

1 . A plug for sealing of a reagent container, the plug comprising: a conical funnel having: a conical insertion slope having: a conical insertion slope lower end; a conical insertion slope upper end; a first tongue; an outwardly angled sealing lip having an outwardly angled sealing lip lower end; an annular margin having an annular margin lower surface, an annular margin outer circumference and a sealing edge; a first area around the conical insertion slope lower end; a second area proximal to the sealing edge; an embossed piercing area extending downwards below the annular margin lower surface and having a side wall and a lid; wherein the embossed piercing area surrounding the lid; the first area is surrounded by the annular margin and defines the sealing edge on the annular margin outer circumference; the outwardly angled sealing lip extends from the annular margin lower surface in the second area; and the side wall does not extend below the outwardly angled sealing lip lower end.
2 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the conical insertion slope comprises at least one embossed stirring fin arranged on the annular margin lower surface and wherein the annular margin lower surface is disposed between the outwardly angled sealing lip and the embossed piercing area surrounded by the lid.
3 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the conical insertion slope has a conical insertion slope upper end and further comprises a second tongue extending from the conical insertion slope upper end.
4 . The plug of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing gap between the sealing edge and the outwardly angled sealing lip.
5 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the lid has a first thickness and the annular margin has a second thickness thicker than the first thickness.
6 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the embossed lid has a lid circumference and a polygonal shape.
7 . The plug of claim 1 , wherein the annular margin outer circumference is cylindrical.
8 . The plug of claim 1 , comprising a polymer material or a silicone material.
9 . A system for sealing a reagent container and for handling liquid within the reagent container, the system comprising: the plug according to claim 1 ; and a plurality of pipette tips, each pipette of the plurality of pipette tips comprising a pipette tip lower section having a first diameter and a pipette tip upper section having a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter, and the conical funnel has a conical funnel lower end and a third diameter sized to enable only the pipette tip lower section to pass through the conical funnel lower end and to prevent the pipette tip upper section from passing through the conical funnel lower end.
10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising the reagent container wherein the reagent container has a reagent container inner surface and a stop for the plug at the reagent container inner surface.
11 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising the reagent container wherein the reagent container has a V-shaped reagent container bottom end.
12 . A method of storing and handling liquid in a reagent container using the plug according to claim 1 , the method comprising: introducing a liquid into the reagent container; sealing the reagent container using the plug; arranging a pipette tip on a pipette, wherein the pipette tip has a pipette tip lower end having a first diameter and a pipette tip upper end having a second diameter and the first diameter is smaller than the first diameter; piercing the piercing area using the pipette tip lower end; submerging the pipette tip lower end into the liquid within the reagent container; and aspirating an amount of liquid from the reagent container through the submerged pipette tip lower end.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the pipette tip further comprises a shoulder and a transition area having a transition diameter widening from the first diameter to the second diameter, the method further comprising moving the plug downwards by the shoulder.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising: mixing the liquid by moving the reagent container sealed with the plug and creating turbulence in the liquid using embossed stirring fins.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the liquid comprises solid particles in the liquid in the reagent container and the method further comprises resuspending the solid particles in the liquid in the reagent container.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present invention claims priority to Luxembourg patent application no. LU102954 filed on May 20, 2022. The afore mentioned application is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention relates to a sealing for a reagent container. Brief Description of the Related Art Automated analyser systems for use in clinical diagnostics and life sciences are produced by a number of companies. For example, STRATEC® SE, Birkenfeld, Germany, produces a number of devices for specimen handling and detection for use in automated analyser systems and other laboratory instrumentation. Automatic analyser systems in clinical diagnostics and life science have to be supplied with different reagents to run biochemical processes. The reagents are usually stored in consumable bottles, containers, or vials. The reagent containers can be of different sizes and are transported into the analyser system positioned in a rack. In general, the cover of each of the reagent containers has to be removed prior to loading into the analyser system. Thus, the reagent containers are in an open state supplied in the analyser system. As a result, due to the open state of the reagent containers, reagent evaporates and the concentration of the reagents changes, which may adversely affect the results of an analysis. Typical reagent containers are sealed with a foil or film. The foil is punctured by a pipettor when approaching the reagent container for the first time. Thus, the opening size can be as small as the diameter of a needle of the pipettor. Alternatively, the foil can be removed by a user prior to inserting the particular reagent container into the analyser system or the rack, respectively. Consequently, in foil sealed reagent containers, an open state is always present during their presence in the analyser system. The reagent may evaporate on its entire upper surface because the entire upper surface of the liquid is exposed to the environment. Only disposable needle tips are used when pipetting through the foil, because a contact between the foil and the whole needle of the pipettor cannot be avoided. When using pipettors with fixed needles, a cleaning of the whole needle is inevitable following every use. Such cleaning process is time-consuming, costly, and related to the use of huge amounts of cleaning fluid. An elastic septum which is attached to a lid of the container can also be used for sealing of the reagent container. This septum has either an opening gap or a predetermined breaking point which opens when the pipette pierces the reagent container's septum for the first time. The opening gap or breaking point is usually formed as a line, a cross, or a star. The opening gap of the septum is not completely closed after removing a pipette's tip. However, due to the elasticity of the used material, the septum closes almost completely, when the needle or the pipette's tip is removed from the reagent container. The reagents are thus basically protected from evaporation. It is to be noted that, the use of an elastic septum for sealing of a reagent container results in a contact between the needle of the pipettor and the septum. The use of reusable needles (i.e., pipettors with fixed needles) requires a cleaning of the needle after every use. Such cleaning processes are time-consuming, costly, and related to the consumption of a lot of cleaning fluid. A combination of an elastic septum and an opening mechanism is also known in the prior art for sealing reagent containers, wherein the opening mechanism is attached to the lid of the reagent containers. The lid has an annular wedge-shaped part, by which the septum can be spread. The lid including the wedge-shaped part is biased by a coil spring in an upper position, in which the septum is closed. By pressing the lid against the biasing force of the coil spring towards a lower position, the septum is spread. Thus, the opening of the septum is not accomplished by the needle of the pipettor, but by the lid itself. The needle itself is thus not in contact with the septum. If the resistance holding the lid in the lower position is removed, the lid returns to the upper position by the biasing force of the coil spring. The septum is closed again. However, the opening mechanism for actuating the lid of the reagent container in a pipettor having three axes has a complex structure. Since the reagent containers are located in a single position in the analyser system, a separate drive unit for opening and closing the elastic septum is necessary. It is also known to use a folding or sliding mechanism for opening the lid of a reagent container in the analyser system. These configurations are normally used in analyser systems having the reagent containers arranged in a carousel. In such an arrangement, the pipettor is located at a fixed position and the reagent containers are rotated into the respective position below