US 12,383,896 B2
Systems and methods for fractionation and collection of analytes in a sample
Cheng Zhou, Irvine, CA (US); Hui Xu, Dublin, CA (US); Roland Y. Wang, Dublin, CA (US); David J. Roach, Los Gatos, CA (US); Jessica Dermody, San Jose, CA (US); Tom Weisan Yang, Cupertino, CA (US); and Jiaqi Wu, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to ProteinSimple, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by ProteinSimple, San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 4, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/733,288.
Application 17/870,563 is a division of application No. 17/463,326, filed on Aug. 31, 2021, granted, now 11,420,202, issued on Aug. 23, 2022.
Application 18/733,288 is a continuation of application No. 17/870,563, filed on Jul. 21, 2022, granted, now 12,023,670.
Prior Publication US 2025/0033043 A1, Jan. 30, 2025
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/502715 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502753 (2013.01); B01L 2200/04 (2013.01); B01L 2200/16 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0645 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0829 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0406 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0421 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a cartridge;
a capillary lumen at least partially disposed within the cartridge and defined by at least one capillary tube, the capillary lumen configured to contain an electrically conductive sample that includes a plurality of analytes, a first portion of the capillary lumen having a first inner diameter and a first length, and a second portion of the capillary lumen having a second inner diameter and a second length;
a running buffer reservoir disposed within the cartridge and configured to contain a first running buffer having a first pH, the capillary coupled to the running buffer reservoir such that a first end of the capillary lumen is configured to be ionically coupled to the first running buffer reservoir;
a sample plate defining a plurality of wells, the sample plate and the cartridge collectively configured such that a second end of the capillary lumen can be moved between each well from the plurality of wells;
a first well from the plurality of wells configured to contain a second running buffer having a second pH different from the first pH such that when the second end of the capillary lumen is disposed in the second running buffer, a pH gradient is established along the capillary lumen;
an electrical power source configured to apply a voltage across the running buffer reservoir and the second running buffer such that the plurality of analytes is focused according to their respective isoelectric points, generating a separated plurality of analytes;
a second well from the plurality of wells configured to contain a chemical mobilizer such that when the second end of the capillary lumen is disposed in the second well, at least one analyte from the separated plurality of analytes is mobilized into and collected in the second well.