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US 12,761,137 B2Granted
Devices with optically readable liquid reservoirs
AssigneeTruvian Sciences, Inc.
InventorsIan Kleinemolen, Jeffrey A. Hawkins, Dena Marrinucci, Kameel Michael Abi-Samra
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device includes a lower reservoir surface, an upper reservoir surface, and a reservoir sidewall extending between the upper and lower reservoir surfaces which together define a reservoir. The reservoir is configured to be completely filled by a liquid such that the liquid forms a column contacting the upper reservoir surface, the lower reservoir surface, and the reservoir sidewall, with a meniscus of the liquid being outside of the reservoir. At least one of the upper reservoir surface and the lower reservoir surface is configured to transmit light.
Claims15
A method to optically characterize a sample, the method comprising:
- a. loading a sample into a sample analysis apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable disc having a plurality of devices each of the plurality of devices consisting of an optically readable reservoir, a load chamber and a channel,
- the optically readable reservoir comprising of a lower optically readable reservoir surface, the lower optically readable reservoir surface at least partially optically transparent the lower optically readable reservoir surface without an inlet and without a vent;
- an upper optically readable reservoir surface, the upper optically readable reservoir surface at least partially optically transparent, the upper optically readable reservoir surface without an inlet and without a vent;
- and
- a first optically readable reservoir sidewall and a second optically readable reservoir sidewall extending between the upper and lower optically readable reservoir surfaces, the first optically readable reservoir sidewall comprising an opening, wherein:
- the lower optically readable reservoir surface, the upper optically readable reservoir surface, and the first and second optically readable reservoir sidewalls define the optically readable reservoir having a height, a width, and a volume of about 1-200 μL, the optically readable reservoir having a width greater than a height of the optically readable reservoir,
- the optically readable reservoir is configured to be completely filled by a liquid such that the liquid forms a column contacting the upper optically readable reservoir surface, the lower optically readable reservoir surface, and the first and second optically readable reservoir sidewalls;
- and
- the load chamber having a lower load chamber surface, an upper load chamber surface, a first sidewall and a second sidewall each extending between the upper and lower load chamber surfaces, wherein the first sidewall is perpendicular to the upper load chamber surface and the second sidewall extends at an obtuse angle with respect to the lower load chamber surface;
- an inlet disposed in the upper load chamber surface;
- and
- the channel having a lower channel surface extending from the lower load chamber surface and terminating at the first optically readable reservoir sidewall opening, and an upper channel surface coextensive with the upper optically readable reservoir surface and the upper load chamber surface, wherein the channel has a width and a volume that is less than the width and the volume of the optically readable reservoir, and the volume of the channel being sized to provide a capillary action forming a meniscus of the liquid outside of the optically readable reservoir and within the channel;
- wherein the channel serves as the sole sample ingress and egress for the optically readable reservoir;
- b. moving, by spinning the sample analysis apparatus, sample from the load chamber by directing the sample upward along the second sidewall and through the channel connecting the load chamber and the optically readable reservoir;
- c. filling completely the optically readable reservoir with the sample by spinning the sample analysis apparatus, the sample forming a continuous liquid column extending from the lower optically readable reservoir surface to the upper optically readable reservoir surface;
- d. forming, by spinning the sample analysis apparatus, the meniscus of the sample outside of the optically readable reservoir and within the channel, the meniscus positioned between the first optically readable reservoir sidewall opening and the load chamber;
- and
- e. transmitting light through at least the transparent upper optically readable reservoir surface of the optically readable reservoir thereby characterizing the sample in the optically readable reservoir.
16 more elements
A method to optically characterize a sample, the method comprising:
- a. loading a sample into a sample analysis apparatus, the sample analysis apparatus consisting of a channel, a load reservoir and an optically readable reservoir, the load reservoir comprising a load reservoir upper surface made of a non-transparent material, the optically readable reservoir comprising optically transparent upper optically readable reservoir surface made of a second optically transparent material, the upper optically readable reservoir surface of the optically readable reservoir without an inlet and without a vent;
- b. moving by spinning the sample analysis apparatus the sample out of the load reservoir;
- c. filling by spinning the sample analysis apparatus the optically readable reservoir with the sample;
- d. forming a liquid column from the sample that contacts the upper surface of the optically readable reservoir, a lower optically readable reservoir surface, a first optically readable reservoir sidewall, and a second optically readable reservoir sidewall wherein the lower optically readable reservoir surface without an inlet and without a vent;
- e. filling the channel partially by spinning the sample analysis apparatus;
- f. forming a meniscus of the sample in the channel by spinning the sample analysis apparatus;
- g. transmitting light through at least the transparent upper surface of the optically readable reservoir thereby characterizing the sample in the optically readable reservoir.
4 more elements
A method to optically characterize a sample, the method comprising:
- a. loading a sample into a sample analysis apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable disc having a plurality of devices arranged in multiple concentric circles, each of the plurality of devices consisting of an optically readable reservoir, a load chamber and a channel;
- the optically readable reservoir comprising a lower optically readable reservoir surface, the lower optically readable reservoir surface at least partially optically transparent the lower optically readable reservoir surface without an inlet and without a vent;
- an upper optically readable reservoir surface, the upper optically readable reservoir surface at least partially optically transparent, the upper optically readable reservoir surface without an inlet and without a vent;
- and
- a first and second optically readable reservoir sidewalls extending between and connecting the upper and lower optically readable reservoir surfaces, wherein:
- the lower optically readable reservoir surface, the upper optically readable reservoir surface, and the first and second optically readable reservoir sidewalls define the optically readable reservoir having a height, a width, and a volume of about 1-200 μL,
- the first optically readable reservoir sidewall comprising an opening, and
- the optically readable reservoir is configured to be completely filled by a liquid such that the liquid forms a column contacting the upper optically readable reservoir surface, the lower optically readable reservoir surface, and the first and second optically readable reservoir sidewalls;
- and
- the load chamber having a lower load chamber surface, an upper load chamber surface, and a load chamber sidewall extending between the upper and lower load chamber surfaces, wherein the lower load chamber surface has a first portion extending substantially parallel to the upper load chamber surface and a second portion extending at an obtuse angle with respect to the first portion and
- an inlet disposed in the upper load chamber surface;
- and
- the channel having a lower channel surface extending from the second portion of the lower load chamber surface and terminating at the first optically readable reservoir sidewall opening, and an upper channel surface coextensive with the upper optically readable reservoir surface and the upper load chamber surface, wherein the channel has a width and a volume that is less than the width and the volume of the optically readable reservoir, and the volume of the channel being sized to provide a capillary action forming a meniscus of the liquid outside of the optically readable reservoir and within the channel,
- wherein the channel serves as the sole sample ingress and egress for the optically readable reservoir;
- b. moving by spinning the sample analysis apparatus a portion of the sample from the load chamber upward along the second portion of the load chamber and into the channel connecting the load chamber and the optically readable reservoir;
- c. moving by spinning the sample analysis apparatus a portion of the sample from the channel through the opening in the first optically readable reservoir sidewall into the optically readable reservoir;
- d. continuing spinning the sample analysis apparatus to completely fill the optically readable reservoir with the liquid while maintaining the meniscus of the sample outside of the optically readable reservoir and within the channel;
- e. transmitting light through at least the transparent upper optically readable reservoir surface of the optically readable reservoir thereby characterizing the sample in the optically readable reservoir.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.