Patent attributes
A cartridge (1) comprises a working film (10) for manipulating samples in liquid droplets with an electrode array (20) when the working film (10) of the cartridge (1) is placed on said electrode array (20). The cartridge (1) comprises a body (2,2′,2″) with a number of wells (5) configured to hold therein reagents (6) or samples (6′); a flexibly deformable top structure (7) impermeable to liquids and configured to seal a top side of the wells (5); a piercable bottom structure (8) impermeable to liquids and configured to seal a bottom side of the wells (5); a working film (10) located below a lower surface (4) of the body (2,2′,2″), the working film (10) being impermeable to liquids and comprising a hydrophobic upper surface (11); a peripheral spacer (9,9′,9″) located below the lower surface (4) of the body (2,2′,2″) and connecting the working film (10) to the body (2,2′,2″); a gap (12) between the lower surface (4) of the body (2,2′,2″) and the hydrophobic upper surface (11) of the working film (10), the gap (12) being defined by the peripheral spacer (9,9′,9″); and a number of piercing elements (13) located below piercable bottom structures (8) and configured to pierce the piercable bottom structures (8) for releasing reagents or samples (6,6′) from the wells (5) into the gap (12). Also disclosed is a system (40) with an electrode array (20) onto which the cartridge (1) can be placed.
