Systems and methods for inspecting a microfluidic rotor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11094050-B2
Application number	US-201916547717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2019
Priority date	Aug 24, 2018
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Described herein are various embodiments directed to rotor devices, systems, and kits. Embodiments of rotors disclosed herein may be used to characterize one or more analytes of a fluid. A method may include aligning an apparatus to an imaging device. The apparatus may include a set of wells defined by a first layer coupled to a second layer. The first layer may be substantially transparent to infrared radiation. The second layer may define a channel. The second layer may be substantially absorbent to the infrared radiation. The apparatus may further include a third layer coupled to the second layer and define an opening configured to receive a fluid. The third layer may be substantially transparent to the infrared radiation. A set of images of the apparatus may be generated using the imaging device. Bonding information may be generated based on the set of images.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for inspecting a microfluidic rotor, comprising:
aligning a microfluidic rotor to an imaging device, the microfluidic rotor including a set of wells defined by a first layer coupled to a second layer, the first layer being substantially transparent to infrared radiation, the second layer defining a channel, the second layer being substantially absorbent to the infrared radiation, the microfluidic rotor further including a third layer coupled to the second layer and defining an opening configured to receive a fluid, the third layer being substantially transparent to the infrared radiation;
generating a set of images of at least a portion of the microfluidic rotor using the imaging device;
generating bonding information based on the set of images, the bonding information including a set of edges and gaps formed between the second layer and the third layer; and
classifying a weld quality of the microfluidic rotor using the bonding information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of images includes one or more of a plan view of the microfluidic rotor, a bottom view of the microfluidic rotor, a side view, and a skew view of the microfluidic rotor.

3. The method of claim 1 , the generating the set of images further includes illuminating the microfluidic rotor.

4. The method of claim 3 , the illuminating the microfluidic rotor includes employing diffuse axial illumination.

5. The method of claim 1 , the classifying the weld quality further includes identifying one or more of a number, size, shape, and location of a set of defects in the microfluidic rotor.

6. The method of claim 5 , the classifying the microfluidic rotor includes a set of rotor classifications including one or more of rejected, acceptable, limited release, and requiring secondary inspection.

7. The method of claim 1 , the aligning the microfluidic rotor includes orienting the imaging device parallel to the microfluidic rotor.

8. The method of claim 1 , the aligning the microfluidic rotor includes orienting the imaging device perpendicular to the microfluidic rotor.

9. A method for inspecting a microfluidic rotor, comprising:
aligning a microfluidic rotor to an imaging device, the microfluidic rotor including a set of wells defined by a first layer coupled to a second layer, the first layer being substantially transparent to infrared radiation, and the second layer defining a channel, the second layer being substantially absorbent to the infrared radiation, and the microfluidic rotor further including a third layer coupled to the second layer and defining an opening configured to receive a fluid, the third layer being substantially transparent to the infrared radiation, wherein one or more wells of the set of wells includes a reagent;
generating a set of reagent images using the imaging device;
generating reagent information from the reagent images, the reagent information including a shape and size of the reagent; and
classifying a reagent quality using the reagent information.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the set of reagent images includes one or more of a plan view of the reagent, a bottom view of the reagent, and a side view of the reagent.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising illuminating the reagent when generating the reagent images.

12. The method of claim 11 , the illuminating the reagent includes employing diffuse axial illumination.

13. The method of claim 9 , the classifying the reagent quality includes identifying one or more of a number, size, shape, color, and location of the reagent in the apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13 , the classifying the reagent quality includes a set of rotor classifications including one or more of rejected, acceptable, limited release, and requiring secondary inspection.

15. The method of claim 9 , the aligning the apparatus includes orienting the imaging device parallel to the apparatus.

16. The method of claim 9 , the aligning the apparatus includes orienting the imaging device perpendicular to the apparatus.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reagent is a lyophilized reagent.

Assignees

• Zoetis Services Llc

Inventors

• Shartle Robert Justice
• Trigub Gregory

Classifications

• H04N23/695

  Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• G01N21/78

  producing a change of colour · CPC title

• B29C65/1635

  at least passing through one of the parts to be joined, i.e. laser transmission welding · CPC title

• B29C66/11

  Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section (B29C66/12 and subgroups take precedence) · CPC title