# US 12,003,145 B2 · Rotor assembly including a housing for a sensor array component and methods for using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,145 B2 - Document ID: US12003145B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/105,157 - Filed: 2023-02-02 - Published: 2023-06-15 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-23 - Assignees: Life Technologies Corporation - Applicants: Life Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Todd Roswech - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003145B2 ## CPC - H02K 11/20: for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching (rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33) - B01L 3/50273: {characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids} - B01L 3/502738: {characterised by integrated valves (throttle valves in microfluidic sample containers B01L3/502746)} - B04B 5/0421: {pivotably mounted} - C12Q 1/6874: involving nucleic acid arrays, e.g. sequencing by hybridisation - F16K 99/0013: {Rotary valves} - H02K 5/10: with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers - B01L 2200/0668: Trapping microscopic beads - B01L 2200/10: Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept - B01L 2300/0636: Integrated biosensor, microarrays - B01L 2300/0663: Whole sensors - B01L 2300/0803: Disc shape - B01L 2400/0409: centrifugal forces - B01L 2400/043: magnetic forces - B01L 2400/0633: with moving parts - B04B 2011/046: {Loading, unloading, manipulating sample containers} - F16K 2099/0084: {Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology} - G01N 2035/00158: {Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"} - G01N 2035/00495: {Centrifuges} - G01N 2035/0449: {using centrifugal transport of liquid} - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - B04B: CENTRIFUGES (high-speed drum mills B02C19/11; domestic spin driers D06F; analysing, measuring or monitoring physical or chemical properties of samples during centrifuging, see the relevant subclasses for these procedures, e.g. G01N) - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - 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 A rotor assembly includes a rotor plate to rotate around a first axis, a bucket attached to the rotor plate and to rotate around a second axis, and a stop plate to rotate around the first axis between an open position and a closed position. When in the closed position, the stop plate engages the bucket to fix an angular position of the bucket relative to a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly. The rotor assembly further includes a housing for a sensor array component, the housing disposed in the bucket and including a solution inlet, a solution outlet, a transfer basin, a solution retainer disposed between the solution outlet and the transfer basin, and a collection reservoir in fluid communication with the transfer basin. The solution inlet and the solution outlet to engage ports of a flow cell of a sensor array. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotor assembly comprising: a shaft defining a first axis; a rotor plate disposed around the shaft and rotatable around the first axis; a bucket rotatably attached to the rotor plate and the bucket is configured to rotate around a second axis; a stop plate disposed around the shaft and rotatable around the first axis relative to the rotor plate between an open position and a closed position, when in the closed position, the stop plate is configured to engage the bucket to fix an angular position of the bucket relative to a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly; and a housing for a sensor array component, the housing disposed in the bucket, the housing defining a solution inlet and defining a flow path along which are defined a solution outlet, a transfer basin, a solution retainer connected to and disposed between the solution outlet and the transfer basin along the flow path, and a collection reservoir within the flow path connected to the transfer basin, the solution inlet and the solution outlet, and wherein the solution inlet and the solution outlet are configured to engage ports of a flow cell of a sensor array. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the stop plate includes a wing with a chamfered surface to engage a surface of the bucket when the stop plate is moving to the closed position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotor assembly of claim 2, wherein the bucket includes a chamfered surface to engage the chamfered surface of the stop plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotor plate includes a rear stop surface to engage the bucket when the stop plate is in a closed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the bucket has a distributed weight to provide an angular position relative to a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly when the rotor assembly is spinning and the stop plate is in an open position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the solution inlet has a conical opening to receive a distal end of a pipette tip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the solution inlet and the solution outlet further include gasket material to engage the ports of the flow cell. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cap connected to the housing over the transfer basin. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The rotor assembly of claim 8, wherein the cap defines an opening for accessing the solution outlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The rotor assembly of claim 8, wherein the cap defines an opening for accessing the collection reservoir. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The rotor assembly of claim 8, further comprising a fluid path defined between the cap and the solution retainer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing has a top, bottom and a side, the solution inlet and outlet open at the top, and wherein, when viewed from the side, the collection reservoir has a lower bottom than the transfer basin. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing has a top, bottom and a side, the solution inlet and outlet open at the top, and wherein, when the housing is viewed from the side, the transfer basin has a bottom that is lower than a top of a lip of the solution retainer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the transfer basin is positioned radially outwardly from the solution outlet and the solution retainer relative to the first axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The rotor assembly of claim 1, wherein the transfer basin is positioned radially outwardly from the collection reservoir relative to the first axis.