Granted Patent B2

US 12,582,991 · App. 17/434,531 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Inventors: Jorge Abraham Soto-Moreno (San Francisco, CA); Mais Jehan Jebrail (Toronto, CA); Alejandro Tocigl (Mountain View, CA); Foteini Christodoulou (San Francisco, CA); Carl David Martin (Livermore, CA); Morgan Marin Watson (Oakland, CA); Rohit Lal (San Francisco, CA); Joshua Shen (Union City, CA); Ronan Barry Hayes (San Francisco, CA); Gregory Arthur Ray (San Francisco, CA); Peter Tirtowijoyo Young (Berkeley, CA); Spencer Todd Seiler (San Francisco, CA); Ik Pyo Hong (Toronto, CA); Mohan Gurunathan (San Francisco, CA); Lubomir Daltchev (Sunnyvale, CA); Rodolfo Wilhelmy-Preciado (San Francisco, CA); Juan Matias de Carli (Buenos Aires, AR); Jobelo Andres Quintero Rodríguez (Bogota, CO); Matias Jorge Lescano (Buenos Aires, AR)

Assignee: INTEGRA Biosciences AG

B01L3/502792B01L2200/04B01L2200/085B01L2200/146B01L2300/043B01L2300/046B01L2300/0609B01L2300/0663B01L2400/0427B01L2400/0487

Abstract

Claims (25)

1 . A digital microfluidics (DMF) reader device configured to operate with a removable cartridge, the device comprising:

a cartridge seat configured to seat the removable cartridge;

an array of drive electrodes in electrical communication with the cartridge seat, the array of drive electrodes configured to apply a voltage to move a droplet within the cartridge by electrowetting;

a clamp configured to move from an open clamp configuration in which the cartridge seat is exposed and a closed clamp configuration in which the clamp is latched over the cartridge seat so that one or more edges of the cartridge seat are covered by the clamp, wherein the clamp includes a window region allowing access to the cartridge when the cartridge is seated in the cartridge seat and the clamp is in the closed clamp configuration;

a lid having an open lid configuration exposing the clamp and cartridge seat and a closed lid configuration in which the lid covers cartridge seat and the clamp when the clamp is in the closed clamp configuration; and

a safety interlock configured to disable application of the voltage to the array of drive electrodes unless the cartridge is seated in the cartridge seat and the clamp is in the closed clamp configuration, regardless of the configuration of the lid.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the safety interlock is configured to permit application of the voltage to the array of drive electrodes when the lid is in the open lid configuration.

3 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a cartridge sensor configured to sense the cartridge is seated in the cartridge seat.

4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a clamp latch sensor configured to sense when the clamp is latched in the closed clamp configuration.

5 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more vacuum ports configured to apply a negative pressure to secure the cartridge in the cartridge seat.

6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to sense when a negative pressure securing the cartridge is between 0.5 and 22 inches of mercury.

7 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a lock configured to lock the lid.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the lock comprises a magnetic lock.

9 . The device of claim 8 , further comprising a lid sensor configured to determine when the lid is in the closed lid configuration.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the lid sensor comprises a magnetic sensor.

11 . The device of any of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control the array of drive electrodes.

12 . The device of any of claim 1 , wherein the safety interlock comprises one or more of software and firmware.

13 . A digital microfluidics (DMF) reader device configured to operate with a removable cartridge, the device comprising:

a cartridge seat configured to seat the removable cartridge;

one or more vacuum ports in the cartridge seat configured to apply a negative pressure to secure the cartridge in the cartridge seat;

an array of drive electrodes on the cartridge seat, the array of drive electrodes configured to apply a voltage to move a droplet within the cartridge by electrowetting;

a clamp configured to move from an open clamp configuration in which the cartridge seat is exposed and a closed clamp configuration in which the clamp is latched over the cartridge seat so that at least one or more edges of the cartridge seat are covered by the clamp, wherein the clamp includes a window region allowing access to the cartridge when the cartridge is seated in the cartridge seat and the clamp is in the closed clamp configuration;

a lid having an open lid configuration exposing the clamp and cartridge seat and a closed lid configuration in which the lid covers cartridge seat and the clamp when the clamp is in the closed clamp configuration; and

a safety interlock configured to disable application of the voltage to the array of drive electrodes unless the cartridge is seated in the cartridge seat, the clamp is in the closed clamp configuration and the one or more vacuum ports are applying the negative pressure to secure the cartridge in the cartridge seat.

14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the safety interlock is configured to permit application of the voltage to the array of drive electrodes when the lid is in the open lid configuration.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)