US 11,883,824 B2
Assay using different spacing heights
Stephen Y. Chou, Princeton, NJ (US); Wei Ding, East Windsor, NJ (US); Ji Qi, Lawrence Township, NJ (US); and Yufan Zhang, Princeton, NJ (US)
Assigned to Essenlix Corporation, Monmouth Junction, NJ (US)
Appl. No. 16/081,970
Filed by Essenlix Corporation, Monmouth Junction, NJ (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 9, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/017713
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 4, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/148607, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 16, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/577,370, filed on Oct. 26, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/539,718, filed on Aug. 1, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/457,133, filed on Feb. 9, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0111424 A1, Apr. 18, 2019
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); G01N 21/84 (2006.01); G01N 33/543 (2006.01); G01N 21/03 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/50853 (2013.01) [B01L 3/5088 (2013.01); G01N 21/03 (2013.01); G01N 21/84 (2013.01); G01N 33/543 (2013.01); G01N 33/54366 (2013.01); B01L 2300/04 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0609 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0829 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0851 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0861 (2013.01)] 48 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for analyzing an analyte in a sample, comprising:
a first plate and a second plate, wherein:
(i) the first and second plates are movable relative to each other into different configurations, including an open configuration and a closed configuration;
(ii) the first plate comprises, on its inner surface, at least a first and a second sample contact areas, each contact area comprising spacers, wherein each spacer of the spacers in each of the at least first and second sample contact areas has a pillar shape and a bottom end fixed on the inner surface of the first plate and a top end that is distal to the first plate;
(iii) the spacers in each of the at least first and second sample contact areas have a predetermined uniform height, wherein the predetermined uniform height of the spacers in the first sample contact area is different from that of the spacers in the second sample contact area;
(iv) the at least first and second sample contact areas of the first plate are disposed at different depths along the inner surface of the first plate, so that the top ends of the spacers in the at least first and second sample contact areas are aligned on a same flat plane; and
(v) the second plate comprises, on its inner surface, at least a first and a second sample contact areas that contact, respectively, in the closed configuration, the spacers in the at least first and the second sample contact areas of the first plate, wherein the at least first and second sample contact areas of the first and second plates are for contacting the sample that contains or is suspected of containing the analyte;
wherein, in the open configuration, the first and second plates are partially or entirely separated apart, the spacing between the first and second plates is not regulated by the spacers, and the sample is deposited on one or both of the plates;
wherein the closed configuration is configured after the sample deposition in the open configuration, and in the closed configuration: at least part of the deposited sample is confined by the two plates into a thin layer that has a respective uniform thickness over each of the at least first and second sample contact areas of the first plate, wherein the uniform thickness of the layer in the at least first and second sample contact areas of the first plate is different and is regulated by the plates and the spacers in the respective sample contact area of the first plate, and wherein, in the closed configuration, the at least first and the second sample contact areas of the first plate are fluidically connected.