US 12,372,455 B2
Systems and methods for charged droplet detection and control
Lucien P. Ghislain, San Jose, CA (US); Wilfredo T. Sagun, San Jose, CA (US); Eunchul Choe, San Jose, CA (US); and Richard G. Stearns, Soquel, CA (US)
Assigned to LABCYTE INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/255,358
Filed by Labcyte Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 25, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/017988
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 31, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/183045, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 1, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/154,633, filed on Feb. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0003801 A1, Jan. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 15/1031 (2024.01)
CPC G01N 15/1031 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for detecting or controlling charged droplets from a charged droplet generator, the device comprising:
a sensor element having three or more conductive layers separated by insulating layers, the conductive layers and insulating layers defining an aperture of the sensor element through which charged droplets pass, wherein an internal layer of the three or more conductive layers is a segmented conductive layer having a plurality of divided segments electrically independent from one another and arranged about a perimeter of the aperture at the segmented conductive layer; and
a circuit element electrically coupled to each of the divided segments, wherein each divided segment of the plurality of divided segments is positioned to provide an induced current in the circuit element as a charged droplet passes through the aperture, the circuit element configured to generate signals proportional to the induced current.