US 12,403,475 B2
Solid-state, multi-well plate reader
Kevin Seitter, Charlottesville, VA (US); Kristin Schmidt, Charlottesville, VA (US); and Thomas Moutinho, Jr., Charlottesville, VA (US)
Assigned to Cerillo, Inc., Charlottesville, VA (US)
Filed by Cerillo, LLC, Charlottesville, VA (US)
Filed on Oct. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/451,162.
Application 17/451,162 is a continuation of application No. 16/948,213, filed on Sep. 9, 2020, granted, now 11,148,141.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/897,576, filed on Sep. 9, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0176377 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Prior Publication US 2022/0362776 A9, Nov. 17, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01L 9/00 (2006.01); G01N 21/3563 (2014.01)
CPC B01L 3/502784 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502715 (2013.01); B01L 9/52 (2013.01); G01N 21/3563 (2013.01); B01L 2200/025 (2013.01); B01L 2200/10 (2013.01); B01L 2200/12 (2013.01); B01L 2300/041 (2013.01); B01L 2300/043 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0654 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0819 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-well plate reader for a 24, 12, or 6-well sample plate, comprising:
a an alignment tray configured to securely fasten the 24, 12, or 6-well sample plate, the alignment tray, comprising:
(i) four raised corner pieces, wherein at least one corner piece, comprises: a force-producing element configured to align the sample plate to a single reference point, the force-producing element being a spring-like element, an angular edge, or a combination thereof; and,
(ii) at least one coupling protrusion or intrusion;
b an emitter assembly, physically coupled to and in a fixed position relative to the alignment tray, the emitter assembly, comprising: a plurality of electromagnetic emitters arranged to place emissions of the emitters in optical alignment with each well of the sample plate;
c a second tray, comprising: at least one coupling intrusion or protrusion that corresponds to the at least one coupling protrusion or intrusion on the alignment tray for temporary coupling and alignment of the trays;
d a receptor assembly, physically coupled to and in a fixed position relative to the second tray, the receptor assembly, comprising: a plurality of electromagnetic receptors arranged to place the receptors in alignment with electromagnetic emission that exits each well of the sample plate; and
e a boundary assembly, comprising:
(i) a first housing that houses the alignment tray and emitter assembly; and,
(ii) a second housing that houses the second tray and receptor assembly;
f a durable coupling attached to the alignment tray and second tray, to both housings, or both, which allows the trays and housings to move relative to one another;
wherein:
each emitter of the plurality of electromagnetic emitters is operable to transmit electromagnetic radiation to one or more of the receptors; and,
both the emitter assembly and receptor assembly are static regarding one another and the sample plate during operation of the plate reader.