Printed circuit board heater for an amplification module
Inventors
Andreyev, Boris • Ciopyk, Brian • Briones, Victor • Hong, Jonathan • Swenson, David • Loney, Gregory • De La Zerda, Adam • Chu, Steven
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Assignees
Member
Visby MedicalVisby Medical develops rapid at-home molecular diagnostic tests powered by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, focusing on accessible, private, and accurate screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The company offers the first FDA-authorized over-the-counter at-home PCR test for women’s sexual health and is expanding its diagnostics platform to address other infectious diseases for point-of-care and home use. Its technology enables results in approximately 30 minutes via a secure mobile app, with integrated telehealth services for positive results. Visby Medical emphasizes user privacy, scalable manufacturing, and partnerships to broaden access to high-quality diagnostics.
Visby Medical develops rapid at-home molecular diagnostic tests powered by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, focusing on accessible, private, and accurate screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The company offers the first FDA-authorized over-the-counter at-home PCR test for women’s sexual health and is expanding its diagnostics platform to address other infectious diseases for point-of-care and home use. Its technology enables results in approximately 30 minutes via a secure mobile app, with integrated telehealth services for positive results. Visby Medical emphasizes user privacy, scalable manufacturing, and partnerships to broaden access to high-quality diagnostics.
Publication Number
US-12208394-B2
Publication Date
2025-01-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus includes a substrate, a first heating element, and a second heating element. The substrate includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion that is between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion is characterized by a first thermal conductivity, the second portion is characterized by a second thermal conductivity, and the third portion is characterized by a third thermal conductivity. The third thermal conductivity is less than the first thermal conductivity and the second thermal conductivity. The first heating element is coupled to the first portion of the substrate, and is configured to produce a first thermal output. The second heating element is coupled to the second portion of the substrate, and configured to produce a second thermal output. The second thermal output is different from the first thermal output.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method for a diagnostic device in which a sample is conveyed into an amplification module having a flow member defining a plurality of flow channels from an inlet opening to an outlet opening. A heater assembly is coupled to the flow member so that a first heating element is between a first portion of a substrate and a first portion of the plurality of flow channels, and a second heating element is between a second portion of the substrate and a second portion of the plurality of flow channels.
The substrate defines apertures that separate a third portion of the substrate from the first portion and from the second portion, and connection portions between adjacent apertures. The first connection portion is offset from the second connection portion along the flow axis. The device is actuated to supply a first current and a second current to maintain different portions of the plurality of flow channels at different temperatures while a temperature difference between a first flow channel and a second flow channel is minimized.
The invention additionally encompasses diagnostic devices with heater architectures using multiple heater elements and multiple heater assemblies, where currents are supplied at different times and, in some configurations, additional control is performed by supplying or removing currents at later times tied to the sample’s channel position. In further configurations, independently supplied currents are provided to respective heater elements that collectively maintain a target temperature on different portions of the flow path while producing a flow of the sample.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent method claims. Across these, the inventive features focus on conveying a sample through a flow member with multiple flow channels, using a heater assembly/substrate with apertures and separated substrate portions aligned to different channel portions, and actuating independently controlled heater elements at different times to maintain different temperatures while minimizing temperature differences between flow channels.
Temperature-isolated substrate portions with apertures and minimized channel temperature difference
A method that conveys a sample through a plurality of flow channels in an amplification module with a heater assembly including a substrate having first and second separated substrate portions with a third portion separating them, where the substrate defines apertures separating the third portion from the first and second portions. The method actuates independently supplied currents to a first heating element and a second heating element to maintain first and second temperatures on first and second portions of the flow channels and produces a flow such that a temperature difference between a first flow channel and a second flow channel is minimized.
Time-phased multi-heater control to minimize inter-channel temperature difference
A method that conveys a sample into a diagnostic device including a flow member defining a flow path with a plurality of flow channels and first and second heater assemblies with first/second heating elements and third/fourth heating elements. The method actuates at a first time currents to maintain a first channel portion at a first temperature and another portion at a second temperature, produces at a second time a flow to minimize a temperature difference between a first flow channel and a second flow channel, and then at a third time supplies currents to the remaining heater elements to maintain corresponding channel portions at the first and second temperatures.
Independently driven heater elements aligned to different flow path portions
A method that conveys a sample into a diagnostic device having a substrate with first and second pluralities of apertures and connection portions aligned with different flow channels, and a flow member defining a flow path with a plurality of flow channels. The method actuates to supply a first current to a first heating element to maintain a first portion at a first temperature, produce a flow of the sample, and supply a second current to a second heating element and a third current to a third heating element independently from the second current so that the second and third heating elements collectively maintain a second portion at a second temperature.
The independent claims collectively require an amplification/diagnostic device with a flow member defining multiple flow channels and a substrate/aperture arrangement that separates and/or aligns thermal regions to different channel portions. They further require actuation with currents supplied to heater elements at different times and/or independently so that different channel portions are maintained at different temperatures while minimizing a temperature difference between channels.
Stated Advantages
Minimizes a temperature difference between a first flow channel and a second flow channel.
Documented Applications
Disposable portable point-of-care molecular diagnostic devices including a heated amplification module for nucleic acid amplification.
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