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Publication Number
US-12318776-B2
Publication Date
2025-06-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
A sample holder (10) comprises: an upper layer (20); a lower layer (40); a middle layer (30) between the upper and lower layers; and a sample chamber (33) formed by a through-hole in the middle layer (30), covered at its upper extent by a portion of the bottom surface of the upper layer (20), and at its lower extent by a portion of the top surface of the lower layer (40), wherein at least part of the bottom surface of the upper layer (20) overlapping a portion of a top periphery of the sample chamber (33) comprises a hydrophobic surface, wherein the hydrophobic surface is sufficiently hydrophobic that a contact angle of a water droplet on the hydrophobic surface would exceed 110°.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a sample holder having an upper layer, a middle layer between the upper and lower layers, and a lower layer, with the middle layer bonded to both the upper layer and the lower layer. A sample chamber is formed by a through-hole in the middle layer, with the sample chamber covered at its upper extent by a portion of the bottom surface of the upper layer and at its lower extent by a portion of the top surface of the lower layer. The top periphery of the sample chamber is defined by edges of the sample chamber bounding the upper extent of the sample chamber.
At least part of the bottom surface of the upper layer overlapping a portion of the top periphery of the sample chamber comprises a hydrophobic surface, where the hydrophobic surface is sufficiently hydrophobic that a contact angle of a water droplet exceeds 110°. In use, the hydrophobic surface acts to seal the sample in the sample chamber without requiring a continuous bond between the upper layer and middle layer where the bottom surface of the upper layer overlapping the portion of the top periphery comprises the hydrophobic surface.
In representative embodiments, the hydrophobic sealing surface is implemented as a microstructure array, including micropillars or microribs having tapered or frustoconical shapes and amphiphobic or overhanging configurations. The architecture is further configured with fluidic networks, gas-flow features, and selective sealing/bonding patterns, and it supports microscopy-based imaging and antibiotic susceptibility testing across multiple concentrations.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent claim, with dependent claims refining the hydrophobic sealing surface and adding fluidic, gas-flow, optical, and antibiotic susceptibility testing features. The independent claim defines the essential multi-layer sample holder structure and the non-continuous-bond hydrophobic sealing at the top periphery of a through-hole formed sample chamber.
Multilayer sample chamber with through-hole and hydrophobic top-periphery seal
A sample holder comprising an upper layer, a lower layer, and a middle layer between the upper and lower layers, where the middle layer is bonded to the upper layer and the lower layer; and a sample chamber formed by a through-hole in the middle layer, covered at its upper extent by a portion of the bottom surface of the upper layer and at its lower extent by a portion of the top surface of the lower layer; wherein a top periphery of the sample chamber is defined by edges of the sample chamber which bound the upper extent of the sample chamber; and wherein at least part of the bottom surface of the upper layer overlapping a portion of the top periphery comprises a hydrophobic surface with a water droplet contact angle exceeding 110°, such that in use the hydrophobic surface acts to seal the sample in the sample chamber without a continuous bond between the upper layer and the middle layer at the hydrophobic overlap region.
Overall claim coverage centers on sealing a through-hole formed sample chamber using a sufficiently hydrophobic surface on the overlapping top periphery region, where sealing is achieved without requiring a continuous bond between the upper layer and the middle layer at that hydrophobic overlap region. Dependent claims further refine the hydrophobic surface and add fluidic, gas-flow, optical, and antibiotic susceptibility testing features.
Stated Advantages
Seals the sample in the sample chamber using a hydrophobic surface with a water contact angle exceeding 110°.
Enables sealing without requiring a continuous bond between the upper layer and middle layer at the overlapping hydrophobic region.
Documented Applications
Antibiotic susceptibility testing using a sample holder with multiple sample chambers containing antimicrobial agents at multiple concentrations.
Microscopy-based imaging system compatibility for line-camera imaging and autofocus/illumination compensation for optical effects of microstructures.
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