Spinning apparatus for measurement of characteristics relating to molecules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11913872-B2
Application number	US-202117167847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2021
Priority date	Feb 25, 2016
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring a characteristic of a sample using a centrifuge and optical components is disclosed. The centrifuge may be a standard benchtop centrifuge. The optical components may be sized and dimensioned to fit, along with the sample, inside the centrifuge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for measuring a characteristic of a sample, the apparatus being a spinning force system, and comprising:
a module comprising:
a sample holder;
a light source configured to illuminate the sample;
an imaging axis oriented along a direction at which light from the light source hits the sample holder; and
a detector configured to receive light from the light source,
wherein the spinning force system is arranged such that a direction of centrifugal force applied to the sample holder by a centrifuge and the imaging axis are misaligned in order to be configured to track lateral particle motion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sample holder, light source and detector are physically misaligned.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the module further comprises at least one mirror that directs light from the light source to the sample holder or to the detector.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the sample holder and light source are aligned along a line and the detector is misaligned from the line.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the module forms a U-shape having a first leg and a second leg.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the sample holder and light source are positioned within the first leg and the detector is positioned within the second leg.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first leg is longer than the second leg.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the module further comprises an objective.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the sample holder, light source and objective are aligned along a line and the detector is misaligned from the line.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the centrifuge.

Assignees

• Harvard College
• Childrens Medical Center

Inventors

• Yang Darren
• Ward Andrew
• Wong Wesley Philip
• Halvorsen Kenneth Anders

Classifications

• G01N21/07 Primary

  Centrifugal type cuvettes (G01N21/09 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B82Y15/00

  Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors · CPC title

• C12Q1/68

  involving nucleic acids · CPC title

• C12Q1/6816

  characterised by the detection means (C12Q1/6804 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N15/1434 Primary

  Optical arrangements · CPC title