US 9,023,295 B2Granted

Adapter for hand-held electronic devices for use in detecting optical properties of samples

AssigneePromega Corporation

InventorsRob Chumanov, Julia Krueger, Steve Krueger, Sydnor T. Withers, III

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Abstract

An adapter for use with a hand-held electronic device for use in detecting the optical properties of a sample. The adapter includes a backing plate having an integral surface that secures the adapter to the electronic device. The adapter also includes a sample housing having a sample holder and a cap. The sample holder is configured to receive the placement of a sample and/or a sample vessel. The backing plate includes an orifice that allows the passage of light from the sample to the detector of the electronic device. The backing plate may also include another orifice that allows for light emitted from an emitter of the electronic device to enter into the sample holder. The sample holder may also include reflective surfaces that direct light to/from the sample as well as filters that filter the wavelength of light sent to sample and/or detected by the detector.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An adapter for use with a hand-held consumer electronic device, the hand-held consumer electronic device having a detector and an imaging device for detecting one or more properties of a sample, the adapter comprising:

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;
a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;
and
a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,
wherein the adapter further includes an activatable light-emitting diode, the light emitting diode configured to emit light at least through the aperture of the sample holder,
wherein the at least one orifice has a first orifice and a second orifice, the first orifice configured to generally align with the detector, and the second orifice configured to generally align with a light emitter of the hand-held consumer electronic device, and
wherein the first orifice includes at least one lens configured to enhance the optical detection of the detector.

4 more elements

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;
a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;
and
a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,
wherein the adapter further includes an activatable light-emitting diode, the light emitting diode configured to emit light at least through the aperture of the sample holder,
wherein the at least one orifice has a first orifice and a second orifice, the first orifice configured to generally align with the detector, and the second orifice configured to generally align with a light emitter of the hand-held consumer electronic device, and
wherein the first orifice includes a concave reflective surface configured to concentrate light being detected by the detector.

4 more elements

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;
a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;
and
a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,
wherein the adapter further includes an extender positioned between the backing plate and the sample holder, the extender having a passage and an outer surface, the passage being generally aligned with the first orifice and the aperture.

2 more elements

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;
a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;
and
a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,
wherein the sample holder further includes a reflective surface configured to reflect light toward the chamber, and
wherein the sample holder further includes a first filter positioned between the light emitter and the reflective surface, the first filter configured to filter a defined wavelength range of light emitted from the light emitter.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.