MICRO-MOLDED CYTOMETER CARTRIDGE WITH INTEGRATED OPTICS

• US 20140211205A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: BARDELL, RONALD, SHONKWILER, JEFFREY
• Granted Patent: US 9,207,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1484 microstructural devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10

Abstract

A cytometer cartridge insert includes a micro-molded component and a plastic laminate component. The micro-molded component is embedded in the plastic laminate component.

Claims

1. A cytometer cartridge insert comprising:

a micro-molded component; and

a plastic laminate component;

wherein the micro-molded component is embedded in the plastic laminate component.

2. The cytometer cartridge insert of claim 1, wherein the micro-molded component comprises:

a sample via comprising a diameter ranging from approximately 20 microns to approximately 100 microns;

a measurement channel with an integrated optical lens, the measurement channel coupled to the sample via by way of a lysing and sphering channel, the measurement channel comprising a diameter ranging from approximately 20 microns to approximately 200 microns; and

a cuvette coupled to the sample via by way of a sample channel, the cuvette comprising an optical mask.

3. The cytometer cartridge insert of claim 2, wherein the cuvette comprises a cuvette for measuring hemoglobin.

4. The cytometer cartridge insert of claim 2, comprising an alignment device for aligning the integrated optical lens with a light source and a light detector.

5. The cytometer cartridge insert of claim 4, wherein the alignment device comprises a registration surface configured to couple with a registration surface of a manifold of a cytometer.

6. The cytometer cartridge insert of claim 1, wherein the integrated optical lens is aligned with the measurement channel such that the measurement channel walls do not produce random scatter noise.

7. The cytometer cartridge insert of claim 2, wherein the plastic laminate component comprises a waste chamber coupled to the cuvette and the measurement channel, the waste chamber comprising a volume of approximately 3 milliliters.

8. The cytometer cartridge insert of claim 1, wherein the plastic laminate component comprises a lysing and sphering channel, a reagent channel, and a sample tank.

9. The cytometer cartridge of claim 1, wherein the micro-molded component comprises an injection molded component, a soft-embossed component, or a hot-embossed component.

10. A process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert comprising:

forming a plastic laminate component; and

embedding a micro-molded component in the plastic laminate component.

11. The process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert of claim 10, comprising:

forming a sample via in the micro-molded component such that a diameter of the sample via ranges from approximately 20 microns to approximately 100;

forming a measurement channel in the micro-molded component such that a diameter of the measurement channel ranges from approximately 20 microns to approximately 200 microns;

forming an integrated optical lens in the measurement channel;

forming a cuvette in the micro-molded component such that the cuvette is coupled to the sample via by way of a sample channel, and such that the cuvette comprises an optical mask;

forming a lysing and sphering channel in the plastic laminate component, the lysing and sphering channel coupling the measurement channel to the sample via.

12. The process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert of claim 11, wherein the cuvette comprises a hemoglobin cuvette.

13. The process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert of claim 11, comprising forming an alignment device in the micro-molded component, the alignment device configured to align the integrated optical lens with a light source and a light detector.

14. The process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert of claim 13, comprising forming a registration surface on the alignment device, the registration surface configured for coupling with a registration surface of a manifold of a cytometer.

15. The process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert of claim 10, comprising aligning the integrated optical lens with the measurement channel such that the measurement channel walls do not produce random scatter noise.

16. The process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert of claim 11, comprising forming a waste chamber on the plastic laminate component such that the waste chamber is coupled to the cuvette and the measurement channel, and such that the waste chamber comprises a volume of approximately 3 milliliters.

17. The process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert of claim 10, comprising forming a lysing and sphering channel, a reagent channel, and a sample tank in the plastic laminate component.

18. The process to manufacture a cytometer cartridge insert of claim 10, comprising forming the micro-molded component via injection molding, soft-embossing, or hot-embossing.

19. A cytometer cartridge insert comprising:

a micro-molded component; and

a plastic laminate component;

wherein the micro-molded component is embedded in the plastic laminate component; and

wherein the micro-molded component comprises;

a sample via comprising a diameter ranging from approximately 20 microns to approximately 100;

a measurement channel with an integrated optical lens, the measurement channel coupled to the sample via by way of a lysing and sphering channel, the measurement channel comprising a diameter ranging from approximately 20 microns to approximately 200 microns; and

a cuvette coupled to the sample via by way of a sample channel, the cuvette comprising an optical mask.

20. The cytometer cartridge insert of claim 19, comprising an alignment device for aligning the integrated optical lens with a light source and a light detector;

wherein the alignment device comprises a registration surface configured to couple with a registration surface of a manifold of a cytometer.