METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pressure-tight storage vessel containing a liquid, wherein the storage vessel has an inner floor and an upper side and is closed in a pressure-sealing manner by a closure, and wherein the nature of the storage vessel allows pressure-sealing piercing with at least two hollow needles; and to a method for transferring a liquid from a storage vessel to a reaction vessel, the method comprising the following steps: supplying the storage vessel according to the invention, pressure-sealing piercing with a first hollow needle, which is connected to a rinsing-liquid tank, and pressure-sealing piercing with a second hollow needle, which is connected to the reaction vessel, introducing rinsing liquid from the rinsing-liquid tank, via the first hollow needle, into the storage vessel, the liquid being driven out of the storage vessel, via the second hollow needle, into the reaction vessel; and to an apparatus which is suitable for implementing the method according to the invention.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A pressure-tight storage vessel, comprising: an inner base and an upper side; and a cylindrical interior space; wherein the storage vessel is closed in a pressure-sealing manner by a closure; wherein the nature of the storage vessel allows pressure-sealing plunging of at least two hollow needles; wherein the storage vessel contains a liquid; and wherein the liquid is an aqueous solution comprising beads.

17. The storage vessel as claimed in claim 16, which has an inner height H and the inner base thereof has a diameter D, and the ratio of D to H is at least 1:2.

18. The storage vessel as claimed claim 16, wherein the outer shape of the base and/or upper side of the storage vessel has corners.

19. The storage vessel as claimed in claim 18, wherein the closure allows the pressure-sealing plunging of a hollow needle, and wherein the closure is a lid comprising plastic or aluminium.

20. The storage vessel as claimed in claim 16, comprising a first and a second pressure-sealingly plunged hollow needle.

21. A method for transferring a liquid from a storage vessel to a reaction vessel, comprising: a) providing the storage vessel as claimed in claim 16; b) pressure-sealing plunging of a first hollow needle which is connected to a flushing-liquid reservoir; and c) pressure-sealing plunging of a second hollow needle which is connected to the reaction vessel; d) introducing flushing liquid from the flushing-liquid reservoir into the storage vessel via the first hollow needle with outward driving of the liquid from the storage vessel into the reaction vessel via the second hollow needle.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising: e) contacting of the liquid in the reaction vessel with at least one reactant with execution of a reaction; and f) optionally, at the same time or afterwards: detecting the reaction.

23. A device for transferring a liquid from a storage vessel to a reaction vessel, comprising: a storage vessel as claimed in claim 16, a holder for the storage vessel, a reaction vessel which is connected to a second hollow needle via a feed line, a flushing-liquid reservoir, a pump for pumping the liquid, a plunger for plunging the first hollow needle into the storage vessel, a plunger for plunging the second hollow needle into the storage vessel, optionally, at least one detector for detection of the reaction in the reaction vessel, wherein the first and the second hollow needle are configured for the pressure-sealing plunging into the storage vessel and for transferring liquid, from the flushing-liquid reservoir to the storage vessel via a feed line with the first hollow needle in the case of the first hollow needle and from the storage vessel to the reaction vessel in the case of the second hollow needle.

24. The method for storing, transporting and/or transferring a liquid, comprising: filling said liquid in the storage vessel as claimed in claim 16, wherein the liquid is driven, by introducing a flushing liquid via a first and a second pressure-sealingly plunged hollow needle, from a pressure-tight storage vessel into a reaction vessel.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, comprising the step of concentrating liquid and beads by conduction through a screen which captures the beads, or, if the beads are paramagnetic, concentrating the beads on a surface with the aid of a magnet.

26. The storage vessel as claimed in claim 16, wherein the liquid is a homogeneous liquid phase, comprising a biological or chemical agent in aqueous solution or a liquid sample.

27. The storage vessel as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least the first hollow needle has been or is plunged through the upper side of the storage vessel.

28. The storage vessel as claimed in claim 27, wherein the first and the second hollow needle have been or are plunged in the form of a coaxial needle.

29. The storage vessel as claimed in claim 16, wherein the escape opening of the first hollow needle is located in the bottom quarter of the storage vessel and the escape opening of the second hollow needle is located in the top quarter of the storage vessel.

30. The storage vessel as claimed in claim 16, wherein the escape opening of the first hollow needle is configured such that the flow of the introduced flushing liquid branches, and a portion thereof is directed in the direction of the upper side and another portion thereof is directed in the direction of the inner base.

Description

[0082] The invention will be elucidated below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. In every respect, the described embodiments are to be understood merely as examples and not as limiting, and various combinations of the stated features are encompassed by the scope of the invention.

[0083] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the device according to the invention having an upper side (13) and an inner base (14) and having a flushing-liquid reservoir (1) containing flushing liquid (2). Said reservoir is connected via a feed line and via a pumping means (3) to the first hollow needle (6), which protrudes with its escape opening (7) into the storage vessel (4) , which contains the liquid to be transferred (5) containing beads (8). The second plunged hollow needle (10) with its escape opening (9) is connected to the reaction vessel (11). The arrows show the direction of the liquid flow.

[0084] FIGS. 2A-2G shows the storage vessel according to the invention with different variants for arranging the plunged hollow needles. The arrows show the direction of the liquid flow.

[0085] In FIG. 2A, the first and the second hollow needle have been plunged through the upper side, but the first hollow needle protrudes deep into the storage vessel such that its escape opening is situated close to the inner base.

[0086] In FIG. 2B, the first hollow needle has been plunged through the upper side and the second hollow needle has been plunged through the inner base, so the liquid flow runs from top to bottom.

[0087] In FIG. 2C, a partition wall (12) has been inserted into the storage vessel, which partition wall prevents a short circuit of the flow between the escape openings of the first and of the second hollow needle, which are both located close to the upper side.

[0088] In FIG. 2D, the first hollow needle has been plunged through the upper side and the second has been plunged through the side wall close to the inner base. Since both needles only barely protrude into the vessel, the escape openings are located close to the upper side or close to the inner base.

[0089] In FIG. 2E, both hollow needles have been plunged centrally relative to the longitudinal axis of the vessel. Owing to the branching of the flow at the escape opening of the first hollow needle, a short circuit is prevented, however, and one portion of the flow is directed in the direction of the upper side and another portion is directed in the direction of the inner base.

[0090] In FIG. 2F, a third plunged hollow needle is additionally used to introduce the flushing liquid in addition to the first hollow needle; the flow of the flushing liquid escaping therefrom is directed in the direction of the upper side or of the inner base in order to prevent the deposition of beads. The second hollow needle has been plunged centrally relative to the longitudinal axis of the storage vessel.

[0091] In FIG. 2G, both hollow needles have, from the same direction, been plunged centrally relative to the longitudinal axis of the vessel. A short circuit is prevented owing to the branching of the flow at the escape opening of the first hollow needle and owing to the fact that one of the hollow needles has been plunged only barely beyond the wall and the second has been inserted further until just before the wall opposing the plunge site.

[0092] FIG. 3 shows a photo of the storage vessel according to the invention. The first and the second hollow needle have been plunged centrally relative to the longitudinal axis and perpendicularly to one another, projected onto the base plane. The arrows show the direction of the liquid flow.

[0093] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary coaxial needle usable according to the invention. It can be plunged into the upper side of the storage vessel. The first hollow needle, through which flushing liquid is introduced, is arranged in the interior of the second hollow needle; at the same time, the first hollow needle protrudes distinctly further into the storage vessel in order to prevent a short circuit of the introduced flushing liquid and of the liquid driven out via the entrance opening of the second hollow needle.

[0094] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary double needle usable according to the invention, which can likewise be plunged into the upper side of the storage vessel, for example through a film sealing the upper side. Again, the first hollow needle protrudes distinctly further into the storage vessel in order to prevent a short circuit of the introduced flushing liquid and of the liquid driven out via the entrance opening of the second hollow needle.

[0095] FIG. 6 illustrates the central plunging of the two hollow needles. Point P on the longitudinal axis that is between the plunge point of the first hollow needle P1 and the plunge point of the second hollow needle P2 and has the same distance D from the two plunge points on the longitudinal axis, also has the same distance from the two ends of the storage vessel along the longitudinal axis thereof, wherein, in the case of the latter distance, a deviation is possible, i.e., an extension of the distance of the plunge site of the first hollow needle from the end of the storage vessel that is facing it D1 and a corresponding shortening of the distance of the plunge site of the second hollow needle from the other end of the storage vessel D2.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0096] 1 Flushing-liquid reservoir [0097] 2 Flushing liquid [0098] 3 Means for pumping [0099] 4 Storage vessel [0100] 5 Liquid [0101] 6 First hollow needle [0102] 7 Escape opening of the first hollow needle [0103] 8 Beads [0104] 9 Escape opening of the second hollow needle [0105] 10 Second hollow needle [0106] 11 Reaction vessel [0107] 12 Partition wall [0108] 13 Upper side [0109] 14 Inner base