Adapter for hand-held electronic devices for use in detecting optical properties of samples

• US 9,023,295 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Promega Corporation
• Original Assignee: Promega Corporation
• Inventors: Chumanov, Rob, Krueger, Julia, Krueger, Steve, Withers, Sydnor T. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Turk, Neil N
• Application Number:
  US13/705,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20140154152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 422/561
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0202 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0272 Handheld
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/513 having fixed filter-detector pairs
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0143 with internal and external computer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0367 Supports of cells, e.g. pivotable
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/01 Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/255 Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6456 Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0221 Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0008 Microscopes having a simple construction, e.g. portable microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/34 Microscope slides, e.g. mounting specimens on microscope slides
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03

Abstract

An adapter for use with a hand-held electronic device for use in detecting the optical properties of a sample. The adapter includes a backing plate having an integral surface that secures the adapter to the electronic device. The adapter also includes a sample housing having a sample holder and a cap. The sample holder is configured to receive the placement of a sample and/or a sample vessel. The backing plate includes an orifice that allows the passage of light from the sample to the detector of the electronic device. The backing plate may also include another orifice that allows for light emitted from an emitter of the electronic device to enter into the sample holder. The sample holder may also include reflective surfaces that direct light to/from the sample as well as filters that filter the wavelength of light sent to sample and/or detected by the detector.

Claims

1. An adapter for use with a hand-held consumer electronic device, the hand-held consumer electronic device having a detector and an imaging device for detecting one or more properties of a sample, the adapter comprising:

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;

a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device; and

a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,

wherein the adapter further includes an activatable light-emitting diode, the light emitting diode configured to emit light at least through the aperture of the sample holder,

wherein the at least one orifice has a first orifice and a second orifice, the first orifice configured to generally align with the detector, and the second orifice configured to generally align with a light emitter of the hand-held consumer electronic device, and

wherein the first orifice includes at least one lens configured to enhance the optical detection of the detector.

2. An adapter for use with a hand-held consumer electronic device, the hand-held consumer electronic device having a detector and an imaging device for detecting one or more properties of a sample, the adapter comprising:

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;

a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device; and

a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,

wherein the adapter further includes an activatable light-emitting diode, the light emitting diode configured to emit light at least through the aperture of the sample holder,

wherein the at least one orifice has a first orifice and a second orifice, the first orifice configured to generally align with the detector, and the second orifice configured to generally align with a light emitter of the hand-held consumer electronic device, and

wherein the first orifice includes a concave reflective surface configured to concentrate light being detected by the detector.

3. An adapter for use with a hand-held consumer electronic device, the hand-held consumer electronic device having a detector and an imaging device for detecting one or more properties of a sample, the adapter comprising:

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;

a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device; and

a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,

wherein the adapter further includes an activatable light-emitting diode, the light emitting diode configured to emit light at least through the aperture of the sample holder, and

wherein the adapter further includes a first filter positioned between the light emitter and the chamber, the first filter configured to filter a defined wavelength range of light emitted from the light emitter.

4. An adapter for use with a hand-held consumer electronic device, the hand-held consumer electronic device having a detector and an imaging device for detecting one or more properties of a sample, the adapter comprising:

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;

a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device; and

a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,

wherein the adapter further includes an extender positioned between the backing plate and the sample holder, the extender having a passage and an outer surface, the passage being generally aligned with the first orifice and the aperture.

5. The adapter of claim 4, wherein the sample holder further includes a reflective surface configured to reflect light toward the chamber.

6. The adapter of claim 4, wherein the adapter further includes an activatable light-emitting diode, the light emitting diode configured to emit light at least through the aperture of the sample holder.

7. The adapter of claim 6, wherein the at least one orifice has a first orifice and a second orifice, the first orifice configured to generally align with the detector, and the second orifice configured to generally align with a light emitter of the hand-held consumer electronic device.

8. An adapter for use with a hand-held consumer electronic device, the hand-held consumer electronic device having a detector and an imaging device for detecting one or more properties of a sample, the adapter comprising:

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;

a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device; and

a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,

wherein the sample holder further includes a reflective surface configured to reflect light toward the chamber, and

wherein the sample holder further includes a first filter positioned between the light emitter and the reflective surface, the first filter configured to filter a defined wavelength range of light emitted from the light emitter.

9. The adapter of claim 8, further including a second filter positioned between the chamber and the detector, the second filter configured to filter excitation or emission light.

10. An adapter for use with a hand-held consumer electronic device, the hand-held consumer electronic device having a detector and an imaging device for detecting one or more properties of a sample, the adapter comprising:

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;

a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device; and

a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,

wherein the sample holder is opaque so as to block external light.

11. The adapter of claim 10, wherein the at least one integral surface comprises at least two integral arms.

12. An adapter for use with a hand-held consumer electronic device, the hand-held consumer electronic device having a detector and an imaging device for detecting one or more properties of a sample, the adapter comprising:

a backing plate having at least one orifice and at least one integral surface, the at least one integral surface being configured to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device to secure the adapter to the hand-held consumer electronic device, the backing plate configured to be adjacent to least a portion of the outer surface of the hand-held consumer electronic device when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one of the at least one orifices being positioned along the backing plate so as to generally align with the detector when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device;

a sample holder operably secured to the backing plate, the sample holder having an aperture and a chamber, the aperture being in communication with at least a portion of a chamber, the chamber configured to receive the placement of at least a portion of the sample or a sample vessel, the aperture configured to generally align with the detector and at least one of the at least one orifice when the adapter is secured to the hand-held consumer electronic device; and

a cap configured to engage the sample holder, the cap configured to cover at least a portion of the chamber or the sample vessel when the cap is engaged in a closed position with the sample holder,

wherein the sample holder includes a reflective foil or reflective paint configured to reflect light toward the detector.