The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 19, 2013
Filed:
Aug. 06, 2001
Thomas Augustinus Maria Beumer, Oss, NL;
Petrus Franciscus Hendrikus M. Verheijden, Eersel, NL;
Hendrik Sibolt Van Damme, Hertogenbosch, NL;
Thomas Augustinus Maria Beumer, Oss, NL;
Petrus Franciscus Hendrikus M. Verheijden, Eersel, NL;
Hendrik Sibolt van Damme, Hertogenbosch, NL;
Biomerieux B.V., Boxtel, NL;
Abstract
The present invention concerns a method for the detection of an analyte in a droplet of fluid comprising the steps of providing a solid phase with a hydrophobic surface comprising at least one capture zone on which at least one binding agent with affinity for the analyte is immobilized, applying said droplet to the surface of said solid phase, applying a force that makes the droplet travel along the surface of said solid phase along a predetermined path thereby allowing the droplet to repeatedly contact said binding agent on the capture zone, applying conditions wherein said analyte is allowed to bind to said binding agent and detecting a complex of analyte and binding reagent at the position of the capture zone. The effect of a moving droplet is that the reactants in the droplet are well mixed which eliminates the risk of diffusion limitation. Such advantageous mixing is not obtained with conventional assays in which the surface is continuously exposed to the liquid. The use of a droplet eliminates the need for external mixing and also circumvents the need to dilute the sample in order to obtain sufficient volume to wet a large surface area.