Portable devices and methods for analyzing samples
Inventors
DeJohn, Marc Dominic • Welsh, Tom • Gary, Luke
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12121901-B2
Publication Date
2024-10-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure provides devices, systems, methods for processing and/or analyzing a biological sample. An analytic device for processing and/or analyzing a biological sample may comprise a moving carriage. The analytic device may be portable. The analytic device may receive instructions for performing an assay from a mobile electronic device external to a housing of the analytic device.
Core Innovation
A portable analytic device for processing a biological sample comprises a housing that holds at least one heating block with a plurality of recesses configured to receive a plurality of assay tubes. At least one heating unit provides thermal energy to each assay tube through the heating block, and a plurality of excitation sources provide excitation energies, with a dedicated set of excitation sources configured to provide excitation energies to each assay tube of the plurality of assay tubes.
An optical arrangement is provided by a movable carriage in the housing that comprises an optical excitation filter, a first light path extending from an excitation source through the optical excitation filter to a recess of the heating block, and an emission filter. The movable carriage translates relative to the housing to align the optical excitation filter and the first light path with an assay tube to provide excitation energy, and to align the emission filter with a second light path extending from the recess of the heating block to an optical detector.
The second light path is part of the housing for detection of emission energy from the assay tube, and the second light path does not overlap the first light path. A power supply disposed within the housing provides power to at least one of the heating unit, the movable carriage, and the excitation sources, and instructions received by a processing unit from a mobile electronic device external to the housing direct heating and excitation operations.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent claims, one directed to the portable analytic device and one directed to a method for analyzing a biological sample. The independent claim features center on in-housing heating blocks with assay-tube recesses, excitation delivery via excitation sources and a movable carriage with non-overlapping excitation and emission light paths, and processing driven by externally received instructions via a mobile electronic device.
Portable analytic device with assay-tube recess heating
A portable analytic device comprising a housing; at least one heating block within the housing with a plurality of recesses configured to receive a plurality of assay tubes; and at least one heating unit in thermal communication with the at least one heating block that provides thermal energy to the assay tube through the at least one heating block.
Excitation/emission optics with movable carriage alignment
A portable analytic device further comprising a plurality of excitation sources with a dedicated set configured to provide excitation energies to each assay tube; and a movable carriage comprising an optical excitation filter, a first light path to the heating block recess, and an emission filter, wherein the movable carriage translates to align the excitation filter/light path to an assay tube and to align the emission filter with a second light path to an optical detector, the second light path not overlapping the first light path.
Power supply and in-housing excitation/heating carriage operation
A portable analytic device further comprising a power supply disposed within the housing configured to provide power to at least one of the heating unit, the movable carriage, and the excitation source.
Method using mobile instructions to heat and excite via aligned optics
A method for analyzing a biological sample comprising activating a portable analytic device; receiving instructions by a processing unit from a mobile electronic device external to the housing for processing the biological sample in the assay tube; directing the at least one heating unit to provide thermal energy to heat the biological sample in the assay tube in response to the instructions; and with the emission filter aligned with the second light path, directing the excitation source to expose the biological sample within the assay tube to excitation energy through the first light path.
Across the device and method, the main inventive structure is the combination of assay-tube recess heating with excitation via dedicated excitation sources and movable-carriage alignment that provides excitation through a first light path while emission detection is routed through a second, non-overlapping light path to an optical detector. For the method, externally received mobile-device instructions drive the heating and excitation steps while the emission filter is aligned for detection.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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