Cartridge assembly

Abstract

A cartridge assembly comprises a housing having an illumination chamber and a well plate. The well plate is maintained within the housing and has liquid wells to receive desired amounts of liquids. The well plate includes a fluidics analysis station aligned with the illumination chamber, and an interface window and interface ports located at the fluidics analysis station. The well plate includes a valve station and pump station. A piercer unit is provided in the housing and positioned proximate to the wells. The piercer unit includes a piercer element and is to be moved to a piercing position where the piercer element pierces a cover for the corresponding well. A pump assembly on the well plate at the pump station manages fluid flow through the channels between the pump station and the fluidics analysis station. The housing includes a flow cell chamber to receive a removable flow cell cartridge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a cartridge assembly, comprising:
 a housing comprising an instrument engaging surface defining an opening, a front face that includes a flow cell chamber, and a peripheral wall that forms an illumination chamber; 
 a well plate comprising wells and a fluidics analysis station; and 
 a rotary valve assembly rotatably mounted on the well plate, the opening providing access to the rotary valve assembly. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wells each have a filling end, further comprising a cover covering the filling ends of the wells. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a piercing unit within the housing and positioned proximate the wells. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the piercing unit comprises piercing elements arranged in a circular pattern. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the instrument engaging surface comprises piercer access openings. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotary valve assembly selectively couples the wells to the fluidics analysis station. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sample well and wherein the cartridge assembly comprises a heating element proximate to the sample well. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotary valve assembly selectively couples the wells to the fluidics analysis station. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a flow cell cartridge receivable within the flow cell chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein a snap-in arrangement is provided between the flow cell chamber and the flow cell cartridge when the flow cell cartridge is received within the flow cell chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a syringe pump assembly mounted onto the well plate. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the syringe pump assembly and the rotary valve assembly control flow from the corresponding wells to the fluidics analysis station. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the well plate comprises a mating surface, further comprising a waste tray comprising a ridge that is sealed to the mating surface of the well plate. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the ridge comprises a vent. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flow cell chamber comprises a key feature comprising a channel. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising reagent contained within the wells. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the well plate comprises a valve station, a pump station, ports, and channels, the channels providing a first fluidic path between the valve station and one of the ports and a second fluidic path between the pump station and one of the ports. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the well plate comprises an optical interface window, channels, and ports that correspond to the channels positioned proximate the optical interface window. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the illumination chamber extends along an illumination axis that extends through the optical interface window. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a flow cell cartridge receivable within the flow cell chamber, the flow cell cartridge comprises a flow cell window and an analysis circuit comprising an active area and active area ports that communicate with the active area, the active area ports to commute with the ports of the well plate when the flow cell cartridge is received within the flow cell chamber and the illumination axis extends through the flow cell window and the active area when the flow cell cartridge is received within the flow cell chamber. 
     
     
         21 . A fluidics system, comprising:
 a cartridge assembly having a housing that includes an illumination chamber and a well plate,   the well plate maintained within the housing and having liquid wells to receive desired amounts of liquids, the well plate including a fluidics analysis station aligned with the illumination chamber, the well plate including an interface window and interface ports located at the fluidics analysis station; and   a flow cell cartridge having a frame that contains an analysis circuit therein, the frame including a flow cell window aligned with the analysis circuit, the frame including flow cell ports that are fluidly coupled to an active area in the analysis circuit,   the housing including a flow cell chamber to receive the flow cell cartridge, the flow cell chamber to position the flow cell cartridge at the fluidics analysis station with the flow cell window and ports aligned with the corresponding interface window and ports, respectively.   
     
     
         22 . The fluidics system of  claim 21 , wherein the flow cell chamber includes side rails and an end stop, at least one of which has an end limit to position the flow cell cartridge, when in a fully loaded position, at a predetermined datum point such that the flow cell window and ports aligned with the corresponding interface window and ports, respectively. 
     
     
         23 . The fluidics system of  claim 22 , wherein the flow cell chamber includes a biasing arm that is oriented to extend along at least one of the side rails, the biasing arm extending inward toward the flow cell chamber, the biasing arm to apply a lateral biasing force upon the flow cell cartridge to maintain the flow cell cartridge at the predetermined datum point. 
     
     
         24 . The fluidics system of  claim 23 , wherein the biasing arm includes a latch element positioned to fit with a notch provided in a lateral side of the flow cell cartridge, the latch element to maintain the flow cell cartridge at an X datum point. 
     
     
         25 . The fluidics system of  claim 21 , wherein the flow cell cartridge includes top and bottom frames, the top frame including the flow cell window and ports, the top frame including a rib extending upward from the top frame by a predetermined height to define a Z datum point. 
     
     
         26 . The fluidics system of  claim 21 , wherein the flow cell cartridge includes gaskets formed in a monolithic manner from an elastomer material. 
     
     
         27 . The fluidics system of  claim 21 , wherein the well plate includes a valve station, a pump station, and interface channels, the interface channels providing a first fluidic path between the valve station and one of the interface ports and a second fluidic path between the pump station and one of the interface ports. 
     
     
         28 . The fluidics system of  claim 21 , wherein the illumination chamber is oriented to extend along an illumination axis that extends through the interface window, flow cell window and the active area within the analysis circuit.