# US 11,896,979 B2 · Assay apparatuses, methods, and reagents > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,979 B2 - Document ID: US11896979B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/929,757 - Filed: 2020-07-15 - Published: 2021-01-21 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-16 - Assignees: Meso Scale Technologies, LLC. - Applicants: Meso Scale Technologies, LLC. - Inventors: Gary I. Krivoy; Cecilia Zimmerman; Jules Vandersarl; Sandor Kovacs; Aaron H. Leimkuehler; Leo Tabakin; Jon Willoughby; Manish Kochar; Charles M. Clinton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896979B2 ## CPC - B01L 9/523: {for multisample carriers, e.g. used for microtitration plates} - G01N 21/76: Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence - B01L 2300/0654: Lenses; Optical fibres - B01L 2300/0663: Whole sensors - B01L 2300/0829: Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates - B01L 2300/168: Specific optical properties, e.g. reflective coatings - B01L 2300/1844: using fans - B01L 2300/1894: Cooling means; Cryo cooling - G01N 21/253: {for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus (analytical automats G01N35/00)} - G01N 21/66: electrically excited, e.g. electroluminescence - G01N 2201/0231: Thermostating - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Apparatuses, systems, method, reagents, and kits for conducting assays as well as process for their preparation are described. The apparatuses, systems, method, reagents, and kits may be employed in conducting automated analysis in a multi-well plate assay format. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An instrument comprising: a light detection system having a housing, the light detection system comprising: a CCD sensor and an optical lens system, wherein the light detection system is configured for positioning above a single well at a time in a multi-well plate to conduct an electrochemiluminescence analysis of the single well, wherein an area of the CCD sensor is approximately 1× to 2× of an area of the single well, and a cooling element to cool the CCD sensor, wherein the instrument further comprises a heat removal system comprising: a first fan disposed in the light detection system and configured to pull heated air from the light detection system, and a second fan connected to a cover manifold and oriented toward the top of the light detection system to pull the heated air into the cover manifold and out of the instrument. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the optical lens system comprises a plurality of lenses and the plurality of lenses have both spherical and aspherical surfaces. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The instrument of claim 2, wherein an area of the plurality of lenses is larger than the area of the single well. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the light detection system is mounted in a substantially vertical direction onto a housing top. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the heat removal system is mounted onto a housing top. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least one second fan is housed within the cover manifold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the cover manifold houses at least one printed circuit board (PCB) and comprises at least one opening to allow electrical connections between the at least one PCB and electrical components outside of the cover manifold. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The instrument of claim 7, wherein a flow baffle is positioned within the cover manifold to minimize recirculation of air within the instrument. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The instrument of claim 7, wherein the heated air flows away from the CCD sensor and plate before exiting the instrument. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The instrument of claim 9, wherein the heated air further flows across the at least one PCB before exiting the instrument. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the area of the CCD sensor is about 1.25× to 1.85× the area of the single well. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the area of the CCD sensor is about 1.50× to 1.80× the area of the single well. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the light detection system comprises a camera window coated with an anti-reflection (AR) coating. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The instrument of claim 13, wherein the light detection system does not have a separate optical bandpass filter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The instrument of claim 13 wherein the camera window is further coated with one or more layers of material to suppress transmission of infrared (IR) wavelengths through the camera window. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the light detection system comprises a light tight enclosure, and the light tight enclosure comprises at least one tortuous path to discourage light from entering the light tight enclosure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the optical lens system comprises fewer than 9 optical lenses and at least five or more optical lenses. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the optical lens system comprises fewer than 7 lenses. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The instrument of claim 2, wherein the plurality of lenses form a lens assembly designed to produce a telecentric view. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The instrument of claim 1, wherein the heated air is drawn away from the top of the light detection system into the cover manifold and out of the instrument through at least one vent opening.