Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for preparation and/or treatment of a biological sample comprising a set of storage chambers and/or reaction chambers intended for receiving a fluid, the chambers being separated by walls so as to constitute a set of adjacent chambers. It also relates to an analysis apparatus capable of using such a device and also a method of using this device. The device comprises a base and a drawer comprising the set of adjacent chambers, the drawer being movable relative to the base, the drawer comprising a contact surface on which emerge first means for placing in fluidic communication linked to the volume of at least one chamber, the contact surface of the drawer being intended to be positioned facing a contact surface of the base comprising at least one position at which there are arranged second fluidic communication means linked to detection means. The invention has a preferred application in the field of medical diagnosis.

Abstract: Device for aliquoting and filtering blood, comprising: an element (1, 10) for collecting blood (S); a capillary conduit (2) which has a capillary force greater than that of said collecting element and is in fluid communication therewith; and a dispensing element (3) which has a capillary force greater than that of the capillary conduit and is in fluid communication therewith; characterized in that said dispensing element comprises a filtering device (3) for separating blood cells from plasma.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for taking blood by capillarity and incorporating a filter and downstream therefrom, an absorbent material for separating a plasma phase of the blood from a cell phase. The device is characterized in that the filter comprises in succession: a prefilter (6) for spreading the blood over the surface of a first membrane (2) having pores of dimension lying in the range 0.1 ?m to 5 ?m, said membrane having no clumping agent; and said first membrane (2).

Abstract: A device for extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the device being characterized in that it comprises: a main duct for conveying a flow of said suspension, the duct being of a length that is sufficient to enable a layer of said suspension to develop that is depleted in solid phase; flow disturbance means for disturbing the flow of said suspension, said means being provided in the main duct and being adapted to cause at least one recirculation vortex to form so as to increase locally the thickness of said depleted layer; and liquid extraction means disposed in a region of the device where said suspension is enriched in liquid phase as a result of said recirculation vortex. A method of extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the method comprising injecting said suspension into such a device at a flow rate suitable for causing at least one recirculation vortex to be formed, and extracting a fraction of said suspension that is enriched in liquid as a result of said vortex.

Abstract: A method of extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the method comprising: injecting said suspension into a duct presenting a first section that is straight and a second section that is curved; and at the outlet from said curved section of the duct, extracting a liquid-enriched fraction of said suspension that is spatially separated from a particle-enriched fraction of the suspension; the method being characterized in that the injection flow rate of the suspension and the geometry of the duct are selected in such a manner that: in the straight section, lift forces cause particles to be superconcentrated in a ring around the longitudinal axis of the duct; and in the curved section, Dean secondary flows deform said ring and give rise to spatial separation between said liquid-enriched fraction and said particle-enriched fraction. A device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: A magnetic actuator including a mobile magnetic part, a fixed magnetic part, and a mechanism for triggering displacement of the mobile magnetic part relatively to the fixed magnetic part. At least two amagnetic supports, placed in different planes, delimit a gap between them, the fixed magnetic part being integral with at least one of the supports. The supports each have an abutment area for the mobile magnetic part, the abutment area being distinct from the fixed magnetic part. The mobile magnetic part is in levitation in the gap between both supports by magnetic guiding due to the fixed magnetic part when it does not abut against the abutment area of one of the supports. The mobile magnetic part can assume plural stable magnetic positions; in each of these positions, it abuts against a support.

Abstract: A magnetic actuator including a mobile magnetic part, a fixed magnetic part, and a mechanism for triggering displacement of the mobile magnetic part relatively to the fixed magnetic part. At least two amagnetic supports, placed in different planes, delimit a gap between them, the fixed magnetic part being integral with at least one of the supports. The supports each have an abutment area for the mobile magnetic part, the abutment area being distinct from the fixed magnetic part. The mobile magnetic part is in levitation in the gap between both supports by magnetic guiding due to the fixed magnetic part when it does not abut against the abutment area of one of the supports. The mobile magnetic part can assume plural stable magnetic positions; in each of these positions, it abuts against a support.