# US 7,579,194 B2 · Apparatus and method for investigating chemical entities > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,579,194 B2 - Document ID: US7579194B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/769,220 - Filed: 2004-01-30 - Published: 2004-09-23 - Granted: 2009-08-25 - Earliest claimed: 2003-01-30 - Assignees: TechElan, LLC - Inventors: Ilya Feygin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7579194B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/35: using infrared light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) - G01N 21/3563: for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor - 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 An apparatus and method for monitoring a large number of binding interactions and obtaining data related to the interactions. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the apparatus includes an IR sensor, a sliding separator, and IR-transmitting fibers that are optically coupled, at a first end thereof, to the sensor. The sliding separator adjusts the spacing between fibers as is required for interfacing the second end of the fibers with any of a variety of sample carriers. The second end of the fibers capture chemical entities form the sample carriers. The chemical entities at the end of the fibers are then contacted with a binding compound. If binding activity occurs, a thermal signal indicative thereof will be transmitted through the fiber to the sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a plurality of IR-transmitting optical fibers, wherein said optical fibers each have a first end and a second end, and wherein said fibers are capable of transmitting infrared radiation (“IR”) generated during decoding of a protein via a binding interaction of the protein with a binding compound; a sensor for sensing IR generated from the binding interaction, wherein said sensor is in IR-sensing contact with said first end of each of said optical fibers; and a sliding separator, wherein said separator engages said plurality of fibers and is slideable therealong to alter a separation therebetween, wherein the alterable separation facilitates the engagement of the optical fibers with individual samples disposed in wells of any one of a variety of different-sized sample plates having different spacing between the wells. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a collar for bundling said optical fibers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second end of said optical fibers are physically adapted to receive the protein. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said individual samples comprise the protein. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a surface having the binding compound disposed thereon. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first end of said optical fibers are physically coupled to said sensor. ### Claim 7 A method comprising: positioning a sliding separator along a plurality of IR-transmitting optical fibers, wherein a change in the relative position of the sliding separator along the fibers alters a separation therebetween, wherein the alterable separation facilitates the engagement of the optical fibers with individual samples disposed in wells of any one of a variety of different-sized sample plates having different spacing between the wells; contacting the first end of a first one of the optical fibers with a first sample within one of the wells, wherein the contact introduces a chemical entity and a binding compound to each other, thereby resulting in a first binding interaction; and conducting a first thermal signal resulting from the first binding interaction to a thermal sensor through said at first IR-transmitting optical fiber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising physically engaging the chemical entity to the first end of the first optical fiber before contacting the first end of the fiber with the first sample, wherein the first sample contains the binding compound. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising physically engaging the binding compound to the first end of the first optical fiber before contacting the first end of the first fiber with the first sample, wherein the sample contains the chemical entity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising: contacting the first end of a second optical fiber with a second sample within another one of the wells, wherein the contact introduces a second chemical entity and the binding compound to each other, thereby resulting in a second binding interaction, wherein contact between the first optical fiber and the first sample and the second optical fiber and the second sample is simultaneous; conducting a second thermal signal resulting from the second binding interaction to a thermal sensor through said second IR-transmitting optical fiber; and comparing the first thermal signal and the second thermal signal to one another. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: positioning a movable separator along a plurality of IR-transmitting optical fibers to obtain a desired spacing between adjacent IR-transmitting optical fibers at a sampling end thereof; generating a thermal signal from a binding interaction between a protein and a binding compound, wherein the thermal signal is generated proximal to the sampling end of at least one of the IR-transmitting optical fibers; and conducting the thermal signal through at least one of said IR-transmitting optical fibers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising engaging a chemical entity to said sampling end of said IR-transmitting fibers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein conducting a thermal signal further comprises conducting said thermal signal to a thermal sensor. ### Claim 14 An apparatus comprising: a plurality of IR-transmitting optical fibers each having a first end and a second end; a sensor for sensing IR, wherein the sensor is in IR-sensing contact with the first end of each of the optical fibers; and a sliding separator, wherein the separator engages the plurality of fibers and is slideable therealong to alter a separation therebetween, wherein the alterable separation facilitates the engagement of the optical fibers with individual samples disposed in wells of any one of a variety of different-sized sample plates having different spacing between the wells.