Back to results
US 9,802,199 B2Granted
Fluorescence detector for microfluidic diagnostic system
AssigneeHandyLab, Inc.
InventorsKalyan Handique, Sundaresh N. Brahmasandra
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present technology provides for a fluorescent detector that is configured to detect light emitted for a probe characteristic of a polynucleotide. The polynucleotide is undergoing amplification in a microfluidic channel with which the detector is in optical communication. The detector is configured to detect minute quantities of polynucleotide, such as would be contained in a microfluidic volume. The detector can also be multiplexed to permit multiple concurrent measurements on multiple polynucleotides concurrently.
Claims22
A diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
- a microfluidic cartridge comprising a planar surface and a plurality of separate microfluidic channels comprising a first microfluidic channel with a first amplification chamber, a second microfluidic channel with a second amplification chamber, a third microfluidic channel with a third amplification chamber, and fourth microfluidic channel with a fourth amplification chamber;
- the microfluidic channels aligned adjacent to each other at a first end of the microfluidic cartridge, the first and the second amplification chambers aligned along a first axis, the third and the fourth amplification chambers aligned along a second axis, wherein the first axis is substantially parallel to the second axis, and each amplification chamber configured to contain one or more polynucleotides;
- and
- a scanning read head comprising a first optical detection block and a second optical detection block, the first optical detection block having a first detection unit and a second detection unit aligned along a first detection axis, the first detection unit configured to measure a particular frequency of light from a particular location, the second detection unit configured to measure a particular frequency of light from a particular location,
- wherein in a first position the first detection axis of the first optical detection block and the first axis are coplanar in a first plane perpendicular to the planar surface of the microfluidic cartridge, wherein the scanning read head is configured to travel in a direction transverse to the first detection axis to a second position wherein the first detection axis of the first optical detection block and the second axis are coplanar in a second plane perpendicular to the planar surface of the microfluidic cartridge;
- wherein each detection unit comprises
- a light source configured to transmit a beam of focused light on to a particular region of the microfluidic cartridge;
- and
- a light detector configured to receive light that is emitted from the particular region of the microfluidic cartridge.
6 more elements
A diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
- a planar surface of a microfluidic cartridge, the microfluidic cartridge comprising a plurality of separate microfluidic channels comprising a first microfluidic channel with a first amplification chamber, a second microfluidic channel with a second amplification chamber, a third microfluidic channel with a third amplification chamber, the microfluidic channels aligned adjacent to each other at a first end of the microfluidic cartridge, wherein the first and the second amplification chambers are aligned along a first axis, wherein the third amplification chamber is aligned along a second axis parallel to the first axis, each amplification chamber configured to contain one or more polynucleotides;
- an optical detection block having a first detection unit and second detection unit aligned along a detection axis,
- wherein the optical detection block is configured to travel in a direction transverse to the detection axis from a first position wherein the detection axis and the first axis are coplanar in a first plane perpendicular to the planar surface to a second position wherein the detection axis and the second axis are coplanar in a second plane perpendicular to the planar surface,
- wherein each detection unit comprises
- a light source configured to transmit a beam of focused light on to a particular region of the microfluidic cartridge;
- and
- a light detector configured to receive light that is emitted from the particular region of the microfluidic cartridge.
4 more elements
A diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
- a microfluidic cartridge having a planar surface and a plurality of separate microfluidic channels, each channel comprising an amplification chamber, each channel aligned adjacent to each other at a first end of the microfluidic cartridge;
- wherein the amplification chambers of a first and a second adjacent microfluidic channel are aligned co-axially along a first axis and wherein the amplification chambers of a third and a fourth adjacent microfluidic channel are aligned co-axially along a second axis, each amplification chamber configured to contain one or more polynucleotides;
- a first detection unit aligned along a detection axis, the first detection unit comprising a first light source configured to transmit a beam of focused light on to any of the amplification chambers and a first light detector configured to receive light that is emitted from any of the amplification chambers;
- and
- a second detection unit aligned along the detection axis, the second detection unit comprising a second light source configured to transmit a beam of focused light on to any of the amplification chambers and a second light detector configured to receive light that is emitted from any of the amplification chambers;
- wherein in a first position, the detection axis and the first axis lie on a first plane perpendicular to the planar surface of the microfluidic cartridge, and wherein in a second position the detection axis and the second axis lie on a second plane perpendicular to the planar surface of the microfluidic cartridge.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.