Liquid Transfer Devices

Europaisches Patentamt European Patent Office © Publication number: 0 590 695 A3 Office europeen des brevets

EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

® Priority: 23.03.89 GB 8906833 Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 9HE(GB) 06.10.89 GB 8922513 Applicant: WALKER, Matthew Robert 51 Frederick Road @ Date of publication of application: Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6NX(GB) 06.04.94 Bulletin 94/14 @ Inventor: Bunce, Roger Abraham ® Publication number of the earlier application in 117 Berberry Close, accordance with Art.76 EPC: 0 417 243 Bournville Birmingham B30 1TB(GB) © Designated Contracting States: Inventor: THORME, Gary Harold Gregory AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB IT LI LU NL SE Henry 84 Newcombe Road ® Date of deferred publication of the search report: Handsworth, Birmingham B21 8BX(GB) 13.07.94 Bulletin 94/28 Inventor: Gibbons, John Edwin Charles 40 St. Peters Close Hall Green, Birmingham B28 OEF(GB) @ Applicant: Bunce, Roger Abraham Inventor: KEEN, Louise Jane 117 Berberry Close, 30 Alpha Close Bournville Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 9HE(GB) Birmingham B30 1TB(GB) Inventor: WALKER, Matthew Robert Applicant: THORME, Gary Harold Gregory 51 Frederick Road Henry Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6NX(GB) 84 Newcombe Road Handsworth, Birmingham B21 8BX(GB) Applicant: Gibbons, John Edwin Charles 0 Representative: Parker, Geoffrey 40 St. Peters Close Patents Department Hall Green, Birmingham B28 OEF(GB) British Technology Group Ltd Applicant: KEEN, Louise Jane 101 Newington Causeway 30 Alpha Close London SE1 6BU (GB)

© Liquid transfer devices. 00 © A liquid transfer device of disposable one-time least from an hydraulic point of view during opera- use form to conduct a biochemical diagnostic or tion relative to the flow in the common channel. Oi other assay comprises two liquid flow channels Typically respectively different reagents (11,111,211; CO (10,110,210; 20,120,220) leading from a respective 21,121,221) are incorporated in the two channels, pair of channel ends to a site (30,130,230) in a and a third reagent (31,131,231) at the common site, common channel portion into which the channels whereby a sample to be assayed in respect of a merge, and operable to deliver liquid to this site in particular content can be applied to the site, im- sequentially timed manner following simultaneous mobilised by the third reagent, subsequently sub- application of such liquid to the channel ends, at jected to one channel reagent to detect any of the least the one of the channels delivering liquid with a content of interest, and finally subjected to the other relative delay being connected to the common chan- channel reagent to exhibit for the user any detected nel portion in a substantially symmetrical manner, at content.

Rank Xerox (UK) Business Services (3. 10/3.09/3.3.4) cr U 33U 030 AO J) uropean Patent )ffice !P 93 11 9395

)OCUM ENTS COINSIUKKIOJ 1U BE Killil v Af> i Citation of document with indication, where appropnace, kVIt V Hill Application Category of relevant passages a claim (int.ci.S) [P-A-O 186 799 (BEHRINGWERKE AG; iUlLJ/UU * page 4, line 1 - page 8, line 20 !01N33/52 101N33/543 [P-A-0 212 314 (BIOTRACK INC) ,3,4 * page 6, line 28 - page 7, line 38 * page 11, line 1 - page 13, line 33 page 37, line 1 - page 44, line 10; igures *

1 !P-A-0 262 328 (ABBOTT LABORATORIES) -4,B \ ; column 9, line 1 - column 11, line 20 * ,10,13 r column 14, line 53 - column 15, line 55

; column 19, line 20 - column 27, line 57; r igures 3A,4A,6A *

Y ;p-a-0 239 174 (pb diagnostics systems -

ro-A-88 07666 (CARDIOVASCULAR DIAGNOSTICS INC) * page 74, line 18 - page 76, line 1; :laims; figure 71 *

JS-A-4 094 647 (DEUTSCH ET AL.) * column 5, line 27 - line 63; figures 5-8

The present search report has been drawn up tor all claims Place of searca THE HAGUE 4 May 1994 Bindon, C CATEGORY Or CI 1 EU UUCUMfclN la l : ineury ur prinupic uiiuciiyiug iuc E : earlier patent document, but published on, or X : particularly relevant if taken alone after the filing date V : particularly relevant if combined with another D : document cited in the application document of the same category I. : document cited for other reasons A : technological background O : non-written disclosure & : member of the same patent family, corresponding P : intermediate document document