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US 11,237,113 B2Granted
Rapid pH measurement
AssigneeEssenlix Corporation
InventorsStephen Y. Chou, Wei Ding, Yuecheng Zhang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Among other things, certain embodiments of the present disclosure are related to devices and methods of performing biological and chemical assays, such as but not limited to pH measurement of bio/chemical samples.
Claims35
A device for rapid pH measurement, comprising:
- a first plate, a second plate, spacers and a pH indicator, wherein:
- (a) the plates are movable relative to each other into different configurations, including an open configuration and a closed configuration;
- (b) each of the plates has, on its respective inner surface, a sample contact area for contacting a sample;
- (c) one or both of the plates comprise the spacers, at least one of the spacers is inside the sample contact area, and the spacers have a predetermined substantially uniform height;
- and
- (d) one or both of the plates comprise, on the respective inner surface, the pH indicator that, upon contacting the sample, exhibits a color indicative of a pH value of the sample;
- wherein, in the open configuration, the two plates are partially or entirely separated apart, the spacing between the first plate and the second plate is not regulated by the spacers, and the sample is deposited on one or both of the plates;
- and
- wherein in the closed configuration, which is configured after deposition of the sample in the open configuration:
- at least part of the sample is compressed by the two plates into a layer of uniform thickness, the layer is confined by the inner surfaces of the plates and has its thickness regulated by the spacers and the plates.
7 more elements
A method of performing a homogenous assay, comprising:
- (a) obtaining a sample;
- (b) obtaining a first plate and a second plate that are movable relative to each other into different configurations, including an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein:
- i. each of the plates has, on its respective inner surface, a sample contact area for contacting the sample,
- ii. one or both of the plates comprise spacers, and at least one of the spacers is inside the sample contact area;
- and
- iii. one or both of the plates comprise, on the respective inner surface, a pH indicator that, upon contacting the sample, exhibits color indicative of a pH of the sample;
- wherein the spacers have a predetermined substantially uniform height;
- (c) depositing the sample on one or both of the plates when the plates are in an open configuration, wherein in the open configuration the two plates are partially or entirely separated apart and the spacing between the plates is not regulated by the spacers;
- (d) after (c), bringing the two plates together and pressing the plates into a closed configuration, wherein in the closed configuration:
- at least part of the sample is compressed by the two plates into a layer of uniform thickness, the uniform thickness of the layer is confined by the inner surfaces of the two plates and is regulated by the spacers and the plates;
- and
- (e) while the plates are at the closed configuration, detecting and analyzing the color of the pH indicator in the layer of uniform thickness.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.