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Publication Number
US-11175128-B2
Publication Date
2021-11-16
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention relates to devices and methods for detecting the amount (degree, extent) of material coating a medical device or substrate, in particular the present invention relates to devices and methods for detecting the amount of vaccine material coating a microarray patch.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to non-destructive, real-time quality control of microarray patches by measuring coating on microprojections on a microprojection array. The approach uses electromagnetic radiation to detect coating extent on microprojection tips and optionally base by comparing coated regions with uncoated reference substrates.
Reduced reflectance and/or fluorescence from coated versus uncoated reference substrates is correlated with coating performance and transfer efficiency. Reflected-radiation comparisons are performed simultaneously or sequentially, and fluorescence-based detection is used to identify coating extent, with reflectance and fluorescence used together in some embodiments.
The invention includes device configurations for detecting reflected light, including illumination and sensing geometries. Optical arrangements direct and condition laser diode illumination using an aspheric lens, a beam shaping diffuser, and focusing optics, and use a bi-convex lens positioned between the microprojection array housing and one or more sensors for accept/reject decisions based on coating specifications.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim is directed to a coating-measuring device for microprojections on a microprojection array, using laser diode illumination, defined optical components, and one or more sensors connected to a power meter to detect reflected light. The independent claim is refined by dependent claims that further specify illumination wavelength, sensor count, sensor/illumination angles, and additional optical components.
Laser diode illumination and reflected-light sensor measurement of microprojection coating
A device for measuring the coating on microprojections on a microprojection array using a laser diode to illuminate the microprojection array and one or more sensors for detecting reflected light, with a power meter connected to the one or more sensors.
Optical beam shaping arrangement between laser diode and microprojection array
An optical arrangement in which an aspheric lens is positioned between the laser diode and a beam shaping diffuser, the beam shaping diffuser is positioned between the aspheric lens and a focusing lens, and the focusing lens is positioned between a beam shaping filter and the microprojection array housing.
Bi-convex lens placement between microprojection housing and sensors
A bi-convex lens positioned between the microprojection array housing and the one or more sensors for detecting reflected light.
Specific illumination and angular/sensor refinements
Refinements including specifying an illumination wavelength for the laser diode, positioning the laser diode at an angle relative to the microprojections below a defined threshold, positioning one or more sensors at a defined downward angle and at a defined out-of-alignment angle relative to rows, and specifying a defined number of sensors.
Additional mirror in the illumination path
A mirror placed between an aperture and the microprojection array housing.
Across the independent claim and refinements, the inventive coverage centers on measuring microprojection coating by laser diode illumination and detection of reflected light using specified optical conditioning, with further claim features specifying illumination wavelength and quantitative alignment/sensor arrangements and additional optics such as a mirror.
Stated Advantages
Non-destructive, real-time quality control for microarray patches.
Coating measurement of microprojections on a microprojection array using reflected light from coated versus uncoated reference.
Processing of measured coating results for accept/reject decisions based on coating specifications.
Documented Applications
Quality control of microarray patches by measuring coating on microprojections on a microprojection array, including spatially resolved quality control mapping of tip coating variation and accept/reject processing based on coating specifications.
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