# US 11,305,274 B2 · Disposable bioassay cartridge and method of performing multiple assay steps and fluid transfer within the cartridge > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,274 B2 - Document ID: US11305274B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/902,030 - Filed: 2018-02-22 - Published: 2019-02-21 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-09 - Assignees: Angle Europe Limited - Applicants: Axela Inc. - Inventors: Alexandre Izmailov; David Englert; Paul Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305274B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/502: {with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures} - B01L 3/50273: {characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids} - B01L 7/52: {with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples} - C12M 23/28: {disposable or single use} - C12M 25/14: {Scaffolds; Matrices (in general C12N5/0068)} - C12M 41/40: {of pressure} - B01L 2200/025: Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other - B01L 2200/026: Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details - B01L 2200/0621: Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied - B01L 2200/0684: Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles - B01L 2200/0689: Sealing - B01L 2200/147: Employing temperature sensors - B01L 2200/16: Reagents, handling or storing thereof - B01L 2300/0681: Filter - B01L 2300/0874: Three dimensional network - B01L 2400/0406: capillary forces - B01L 2400/0487: fluid pressure, pneumatics - B01L 2400/0683: mechanically breaking a wall or membrane within a channel or chamber - B01L 2400/084: Passive control of flow resistance - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a cartridge and method to move fluids within the cartridge that simplifies the design and removes the need for any internal valves or metering devices. The design is amenable to injection molded manufacturing lowering cost for large volume manufacturing. The design can be adapted to carry out both sample preparation and detection of biological substances including nucleic acids and proteins. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for detection of analytes present in liquid samples, comprising: a light detector; and a generally planar microporous substrate material having opposed surfaces and tapered micropores extending completely through a thickness of said microporous substrate, and wherein ends of the tapered micropores have larger micropore openings on one surface of the microporous substrate compared to smaller pore openings on the opposed surface; analyte-specific receptors to the analytes bound inside the micropores to walls of the tapered micropores having the wider pore openings, said analyte-specific receptors emit light when analytes in the liquid sample bind to the analyte specific sensors; and said microporous substrate being spaced from said light detector with said light detector facing the surface of said microporous substrate having the larger micropore openings to provide an increase in collection efficiency of light emitted from analyte-specific receptors in said micropores detected by said light detector compared to a light collection efficiency of light emitted from the analyte-specific receptors when the micropores are straight and not tapered. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 in which the tapered micropores are progressively wider near said one surface of the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 in which the tapered micropores have a rectangular cross section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 in which the tapered micropores have a square cross section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 in which the tapered micropores have a circular cross section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The microporous substrate according to claim 5 in which the tapered micropores with the circular cross section are conical. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 in which the tapered micropores dimension on the side opposite the side of the larger micropore openings are substantially smaller thereby providing structural stability to the microporous substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 in which the tapered micropores are of uniform dimensions and morphology. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 further comprising reinforcement ribs to provide structural stability. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The microporous substrate according to claim 9 in which the reinforcement ribs are an integral part of the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The microporous substrate according to claim 9 in which the reinforcement ribs are separate from the microporous substrate and made in a form of a rigid first supporting mesh, wherein said microporous substrate is attached to said rigid supporting mesh. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The microporous substrate according to claim 11 wherein said microporous substrate is attached to said rigid supporting mesh placed on the surface of the said microporous substrate at which the narrower ends of the tapered micropores are located. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The microporous substrate as in claim 12 including a second supporting mesh located on the opposed surface to which said first supporting mesh is attached. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 having a thickness of between about 0.15 mm to about 0.75 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 in which the tapered surface of the micropores are coated with a reflective coating. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 made of silicon. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 manufactured by electrochemical etching of silicon. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 manufactured by embossing or molding of a plastic material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 wherein the porous substrate material is opaque such that light from one micropore cannot be transmitted to neighboring micropores with the microporous substrate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The microporous substrate according to claim 1 wherein said tapered micropores have a size in a range from about 1 micron to about 15 microns, and wherein a tapering angle of said tapered micropores is in a range from about 0.3 degrees to about 14 degrees, and wherein a wall thickness of the microporous substrate between the tapered micropores is in a range from about 1 to about 5 microns.