Analysis apparatus with spectrometer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11287404-B2
Application number	US-201715851244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus having a spectrometer and techniques for use thereof for efficient and effective point-of-care diagnostics are provided. In one aspect, a device is provided. The device includes: an intake port; fluidic channels connecting the intake port to a detecting chamber(s), wherein the detecting chamber(s) is configured to permit optical measurements of a fluid sample; a vent leading away from the detecting chamber(s); and a liquid blocker between the detecting chamber(s) and an opening of the vent, wherein the liquid blocker permits air to pass therethrough while at the same time restricting liquid flow. A method for analyzing a fluid sample is also provided. The method includes: introducing the fluid sample to the device; contacting the fluid sample with a reagent(s) prior to the fluid sample entering the detecting chamber(s); and making optical measurements of the fluid sample in the detecting chamber(s).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
an intake port;
fluidic channels connecting the intake port to detecting chambers, wherein the detecting chambers are configured to permit optical measurements of a fluid sample in the detecting chambers, wherein a size of the fluidic channels differs amongst the fluidic channels to regulate a flow rate of the fluid sample through the fluidic channels to the detecting chambers, and wherein a length of the fluidic channels between the intake port and the detecting chambers differs amongst the detecting chambers;
a cover present over and sealing the fluidic channels and the detecting chambers;
vents leading away from the detecting chambers, wherein the vents are located downstream from the detecting chambers;
a liquid blocker between the detecting chambers and an opening of the vents, wherein the liquid blocker permits air to pass therethrough while at the same time restricting liquid flow; and
multiple first waveguides and multiple second waveguides coupled to the detecting chambers, wherein the multiple first waveguides and the multiple second waveguides are in a grid configuration whereby the multiple first waveguides intersect the multiple second waveguides at only a single point along any given one of the fluidic channels.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
mixing chambers fluidly connected to the detecting chambers, wherein the mixing chambers comprise at least one reagent.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mixing chambers contain at least two different reagents.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the mixing chambers contain at least two different amounts of the at least one reagent.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fluidic channels comprise at least one delay element having a serpentine configuration.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple first waveguides are coupled to a first side of the detecting chambers over the cover and the multiple second waveguides are coupled to a second side of the detecting chambers opposite the first side below the substrate, wherein both the cover and the substrate are transparent to light permitting the optical measurements of the fluid sample to be made through the cover and the substrate.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the multiple first waveguides are connected to multiple light sources and the multiple second waveguides are connected to multiple light detectors, wherein each of the multiple first waveguides and the multiple second waveguides are coupled to more than one of the detecting chambers along different fluidic channels.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the multiple light sources are configured to produce at least two different wavelengths of light.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the multiple light detectors are configured to detect at least two different wavelengths of light.

10. A method, comprising:
introducing a fluid sample to a device having an intake port, fluidic channels connecting the intake port to detecting chambers wherein a size of the fluidic channels differs amongst the fluidic channels to regulate a flow rate of the fluid sample through the fluidic channels to the detecting chambers, and wherein a length of the fluidic channels between the intake port and the detecting chambers differs amongst the detecting chambers, a cover present over and sealing the fluidic channels and the detecting chambers, vents leading away from the detecting chambers, wherein the vents are located downstream from the detecting chambers, a liquid blocker between the detecting chambers and an opening of the vents, wherein the liquid blocker permits air to pass therethrough while at the same time restricting liquid flow, and multiple first waveguides and multiple second waveguides coupled to the detecting chambers, wherein the multiple first waveguides and the multiple second waveguides are in a grid configuration whereby the multiple first waveguides intersect the multiple second waveguides at only a single point along any given one of the fluidic channels;
contacting the fluid sample with at least one reagent prior to the fluid sample entering the detecting chambers; and
making optical measurements of the fluid sample in the detecting chambers.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
contacting the fluid sample with different amounts of a given reagent.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a reaction time using a change in optical signal based on when the fluid sample has contacted the given reagent.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
comparing the optical measurements of the fluid sample with reference data taken from samples having a target analyte at known concentrations using the reaction time.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein both the cover and the substrate are transparent to light, and wherein the device further comprises multiple light sources connected to the multiple first waveguides and multiple light detectors connected to the multiple second waveguides, the method further comprising:
generating light using the multiple light sources, wherein the light is carried to the detecting chambers by the multiple first waveguides;
passing the light through the cover, through the fluid sample in the detecting chambers and through the substrate; and
detecting the light that has passed through the fluid sample using the multiple light detectors, wherein the light is carried from the detecting chambers to the multiple light detectors by the multiple second waveguides.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Lu Minhua
• Siu Vince
• Budd Russell
• Colgan Evan

Classifications

• B01L3/5027 Primary

  by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip · CPC title

• B01L2400/0406

  capillary forces · CPC title

• B01L2300/0816

  Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions · CPC title

• B01L2300/0654

  Lenses; Optical fibres · CPC title

• B01L3/502738

  characterised by integrated valves (throttle valves in microfluidic sample containers B01L3/502746) · CPC title