US 12,390,812 B2
Apparatus and methods for molecular diagnostics
Richard Crockett, Austin, TX (US); Alan Blake, Austin, TX (US); Michael Karberg, Austin, TX (US); John Lupher, Austin, TX (US); Chris Clever Nee, Austin, TX (US); and Matthew Flint Kepler, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to NUCLEIN, LLC, Austin, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/309,709
Filed by NUCLEIN, LLC, Austin, TX (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 19, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/067537
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/132279, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/781,735, filed on Dec. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0080427 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. B01L 7/00 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C12Q 1/686 (2018.01)
CPC B01L 7/525 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502707 (2013.01); B01L 3/502715 (2013.01); B01L 3/50273 (2013.01); B01L 3/5029 (2013.01); C12Q 1/686 (2013.01); B01L 2200/04 (2013.01); B01L 2200/16 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0627 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0832 (2013.01); B01L 2300/1805 (2013.01); B01L 2400/043 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0478 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for performing molecular diagnostics, the apparatus comprising:
a housing comprising a first end and a second end;
a piston disposed within the housing;
a first heat source proximal to the first end of the housing; and
an actuator configured to move the piston in a cycle from a first position proximal to the first end of the housing, to a second position proximal to the second end of the housing, and back to the first position proximal to the first end of the housing, wherein: the piston is configured to direct a fluid to the second end of the housing when the piston is in the first position; the piston is configured to direct the fluid to the first end of the housing when the piston is in the second position; and the fluid moves in an opposite direction to the piston during the cycle from the first position proximal to the first end of the housing, to the second position proximal to the second end of the housing, and back to the first position proximal to the first end of the housing.