US 12,276,584 B2
Cell analysis in body fluids, particularly blood using a sample card with multiple spacer sets having at least two distinct substantially uniform heights
Stephen Y. Chou, Princeton, NJ (US); Wei Ding, Princeton, NJ (US); and Ji Qi, Hillsborough, NJ (US)
Assigned to Essenlix Corporation, Monmouth Junction, NJ (US)
Filed by Essenlix Corporation, Monmouth Junction, NJ (US)
Filed on May 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/142,008.
Application 18/142,008 is a continuation of application No. 17/487,922, filed on Sep. 28, 2021, granted, now 11,761,861.
Application 17/487,922 is a continuation of application No. 17/268,729, granted, now 11,248,994, issued on Feb. 15, 2022, previously published as PCT/US2019/046970, filed on Aug. 16, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/719,201, filed on Aug. 17, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/764,887, filed on Aug. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0358648 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 1/28 (2006.01); G01N 1/31 (2006.01); G01N 33/49 (2006.01); G02B 17/00 (2006.01); G06V 10/143 (2022.01); G06V 20/69 (2022.01); G01N 15/01 (2024.01)
CPC G01N 1/2813 (2013.01) [G01N 1/312 (2013.01); G01N 33/49 (2013.01); G01N 33/492 (2013.01); G02B 17/006 (2013.01); G06V 10/143 (2022.01); G06V 20/695 (2022.01); B01L 2300/0816 (2013.01); G01N 2015/012 (2024.01); G01N 2015/016 (2024.01); G01N 2015/018 (2024.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for analyzing different cells in a fluidic sample, comprising:
a sample card comprising: a first plate, a second plate, and spacers, wherein:
(i) the plates are movable relative to each other into different configurations including an open configuration and a closed configuration;
(ii) one or both plates are flexible;
(iii) each of the plates comprises an inner surface that has a sample contact area for contacting the fluidic sample;
(iv) one or both of the plates comprise the spacers that are fixed on the sample contact area of a respective plate;
(v) the spacers have a first set and a second set of predetermined substantially uniform heights and predetermined inter spacer spacing of 200 μm or less, wherein
(a) the first set of the predetermined heights has a value selected in the range of 2 μm to 7 μm; and the second set of the predetermined heights has a value selected in the range of 10 μm to 40 μm, and
(b) the spacers have a pillar shape;
an adapter, wherein the adapter comprises:
(a) a holder for attaching the adapter to an apparatus that comprises a light source and a camera;
(b) a card slot configured to accommodate the sample card, wherein the first and second plates are in the closed configuration, and wherein when the sample card inserted into the card slot, the fluidic sample is positioned under the view of the camera and the light source,
wherein the open configuration is the configuration, in which: the two plates are partially or completely separated apart, the spacing between the plates is not regulated by the spacers, so that the fluidic sample is deposited on one or both of the plates; and
wherein in the closed configuration, the first and second plates are configured to compress at least part of the fluidic sample into a layer of substantially uniform thickness, wherein the layer is confined by the fluidic sample contact areas of the two plates, and the thickness of the layer is regulated by the first and second plates and the spacers.