US 12,013,332 B2
Assay cartridges and methods of using the same
Nicholas Anderson, Ijamsville, MD (US); Jeffery Debad, Ijamsville, MD (US); Eli N. Glezer, Chevy Chase, MD (US); Sudeep Kumar, Gaithersburg, MD (US); Noel Lawrence, Gaithersburg, MD (US); Kenneth Page, Germantown, MD (US); George Sigal, Rockville, MD (US); and Sharon West, Rockville, MD (US)
Assigned to Meso Scale Technologies, LLC., Rockville, MD (US)
Filed by Nicholas Anderson, Ijamsville, MD (US); Jeffery Debad, Ijamsville, MD (US); Eli N. Glezer, Chevy Chase, MD (US); Sudeep Kumar, Gaithersburg, MD (US); Noel Lawrence, Gaithersburg, MD (US); Kenneth Page, Germantown, MD (US); George Sigal, Rockville, MD (US); and Sharon West, Rockville, MD (US)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2012, as Appl. No. 13/435,885.
Application 13/435,885 is a division of application No. 12/959,952, filed on Dec. 3, 2010, granted, now 10,184,884.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/284,276, filed on Dec. 16, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/283,927, filed on Dec. 10, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/283,677, filed on Dec. 7, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2012/0190589 A1, Jul. 26, 2012
Int. Cl. G01N 21/05 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01L 7/00 (2006.01); B01L 9/00 (2006.01); G01F 23/02 (2006.01); G01F 23/292 (2006.01); G01N 1/10 (2006.01); G01N 21/03 (2006.01); G01N 21/69 (2006.01); G01N 21/76 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/05 (2013.01) [B01L 3/5027 (2013.01); G01F 23/02 (2013.01); G01F 23/292 (2013.01); G01N 1/10 (2013.01); G01N 21/03 (2013.01); G01N 21/0303 (2013.01); G01N 21/69 (2013.01); G01N 21/76 (2013.01); B01L 3/502723 (2013.01); B01L 3/502746 (2013.01); B01L 3/502784 (2013.01); B01L 7/00 (2013.01); B01L 9/527 (2013.01); B01L 2200/025 (2013.01); B01L 2200/04 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0605 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0684 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0689 (2013.01); B01L 2200/12 (2013.01); B01L 2200/141 (2013.01); B01L 2200/147 (2013.01); B01L 2200/16 (2013.01); B01L 2300/021 (2013.01); B01L 2300/024 (2013.01); B01L 2300/027 (2013.01); B01L 2300/044 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0645 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0654 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0809 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0874 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0877 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0887 (2013.01); B01L 2300/126 (2013.01); B01L 2300/161 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0487 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0672 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0683 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0688 (2013.01); G01N 2021/0346 (2013.01); G01N 2021/054 (2013.01); Y10T 137/0396 (2015.04); Y10T 137/8593 (2015.04)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assay cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body having a top longitudinal plane and an opposite bottom,
a sample introduction port located on the top longitudinal plane of the cartridge body;
a sample indicator window located on the top longitudinal plane of the cartridge body;
a sample chamber including a sample well configured to receive a liquid sample through the sample introduction port, and further configured such that a liquid surface at a liquid level of the liquid sample represents an air-liquid boundary when the sample well cannot contain any additional liquid and the liquid surface of the liquid sample is substantially parallel to the opposite bottom of the cartridge body,
wherein the cartridge body is configured to permit passage of light therethrough and includes an angled surface providing a reflecting surface located and disposed so as to reflect light from the liquid surface at the air-liquid boundary when the sample well cannot contain any additional liquid approximately ninety degrees to the sample indicator window,
wherein the reflecting surface is positioned at a non-zero angle relative to the liquid surface of the liquid sample when the sample well cannot contain any additional fluid, between the sample indicator window and the opposite bottom and on a side of the sample chamber.
 
17. An assay cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body having a top surface, a bottom surface and at least one side connecting the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the cartridge body is configured to permit passage of light therethrough,
a sample introduction port located on said top surface,
a sample chamber including a sample well configured to receive a liquid sample through the sample introduction port, and further configured such that a liquid surface at a liquid level of the liquid sample represents an air-liquid boundary when the sample well cannot contain any additional liquid and the liquid surface of the liquid sample is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the cartridge body,
an angled surface in the cartridge body providing a reflecting surface located and disposed so as to reflect light from the liquid surface at the air-liquid boundary when the sample well cannot contain any additional liquid approximately ninety degrees to a sample indicator window, and
the sample indicator window also located on said top surface,
wherein the sample indicator window is spaced apart from the sample introduction port, and wherein the reflecting surface is located between the sample indicator window and the bottom surface and on a side of the sample chamber.