System and method for processing biological samples
First Claim
1. A system configured to receive a cartridge including a set of fluidic pathways for processing and detecting nucleic acids, each fluidic pathway in the set of fluidic pathways including a set of occlusion positions, wherein the system comprises:
- a cartridge platform for receiving and aligning the cartridge, including an access region that provides access to the set of occlusion positions;
a valve actuation subsystem situated inferior to the cartridge platform including;
an actuation substrate including an array of active regions and an array of inactive regions, wherein each of the array of active regions is configured to provide a force in a displacement direction normal to a surface of the actuation substrate,a set of pins, each pin in the set of pins including a distal end and a displacement region_and operable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, wherein in the retracted configuration an active region of the actuation substrate is aligned with the displacement region of the pin and the distal end of the pin is displaced in the displacement direction, and wherein in the extended configuration an inactive region of the actuation substrate is aligned with the displacement region of the pin and the distal end of the pin is displaced in a direction opposing the displacement direction and occludes the fluidic pathway at the occlusion position,a spring plate including a set of springs, each of the set of springs coupled to a corresponding pin in the set of pins, and wherein in the retracted configuration the spring corresponding to each pin is compressed by the force provided by the active region, andan actuator coupled to at least one of the actuation substrate, the pin housing, and the spring plate, and configured to provide relative displacement in a direction tangential to the displacement direction between the array of active regions and the set of pins; and
a linear actuator configured to provide relative displacement between the cartridge platform and the valve actuation subsystem, to facilitate cartridge placement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for processing and detecting nucleic acids from a set of biological samples, comprising: a molecular diagnostic module configured to receive nucleic acids bound to magnetic beads, isolate nucleic acids, and analyze nucleic acids, comprising a cartridge receiving module, a heating/cooling subsystem and a magnet configured to facilitate isolation of nucleic acids, a valve actuation subsystem including an actuation substrate, and a set of pins interacting with the actuation substrate, and a spring plate configured to bias at least one pin in a configurations, the valve actuation subsystem configured to control fluid flow through a microfluidic cartridge for processing nucleic acids, and an optical subsystem for analysis of nucleic acids; and a fluid handling system configured to deliver samples and reagents to components of the system to facilitate molecular diagnostic protocols.
63 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system configured to receive a cartridge including a set of fluidic pathways for processing and detecting nucleic acids, each fluidic pathway in the set of fluidic pathways including a set of occlusion positions, wherein the system comprises:
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a cartridge platform for receiving and aligning the cartridge, including an access region that provides access to the set of occlusion positions; a valve actuation subsystem situated inferior to the cartridge platform including; an actuation substrate including an array of active regions and an array of inactive regions, wherein each of the array of active regions is configured to provide a force in a displacement direction normal to a surface of the actuation substrate, a set of pins, each pin in the set of pins including a distal end and a displacement region_and operable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, wherein in the retracted configuration an active region of the actuation substrate is aligned with the displacement region of the pin and the distal end of the pin is displaced in the displacement direction, and wherein in the extended configuration an inactive region of the actuation substrate is aligned with the displacement region of the pin and the distal end of the pin is displaced in a direction opposing the displacement direction and occludes the fluidic pathway at the occlusion position, a spring plate including a set of springs, each of the set of springs coupled to a corresponding pin in the set of pins, and wherein in the retracted configuration the spring corresponding to each pin is compressed by the force provided by the active region, and an actuator coupled to at least one of the actuation substrate, the pin housing, and the spring plate, and configured to provide relative displacement in a direction tangential to the displacement direction between the array of active regions and the set of pins; and a linear actuator configured to provide relative displacement between the cartridge platform and the valve actuation subsystem, to facilitate cartridge placement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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6. A valve actuation system for processing nucleic acids, comprising:
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an actuation substrate including an array of peaks and an array of valleys, wherein each peak extends away from a plane defined by the actuation substrate in a displacement direction; a set of pins, each pin in the set of pins including a base end, a distal end, and a slot including a protrusion defined within the slot, and operable in; a retracted configuration, wherein a peak of the array of peaks is aligned with the protrusion and the pin is displaced in the displacement direction, and an extended configuration, wherein a valley of the array of valleys is aligned with the protrusion and the pin is displaced in a direction opposing the displacement direction and the distal end occludes a valve contacting the distal end; a pin housing including a set of cavities that surround and guide displacement of each pin in the set of pins between the retracted configuration and the extended configuration; a spring plate including a set of springs that bias each pin in the set of pins toward the extended configuration, and wherein transitioning from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration compresses a spring of the set of springs; and an actuator coupled to the actuation substrate and configured to displace the array of peaks and the array of valleys through the slots and into contact with the protrusions of the set of pins. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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12. A valve actuation system for processing nucleic acids, comprising:
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an actuation substrate including an array of active regions and an array of inactive regions, wherein each active region is configured to provide a force in a displacement direction normal to a surface of the actuation substrate; a set of pins, each pin in the set of pins including a base end, a distal end, and a displacement region and operable in; a retracted configuration, wherein an active region of the array of active regions is aligned with the displacement region and the pin is displaced in the displacement direction, and an extended configuration, wherein an inactive region of the array of inactive regions is aligned with the displacement region and the pin is displaced in a direction opposing the displacement direction and the distal end occludes a valve contacting the distal end; a pin housing including a set of cavities that surround and guide displacement of each pin in the set of pins between the retracted configuration and the extended configuration; a spring plate including a set of springs that bias each pin in the set of pins toward the extended configuration, and wherein transitioning from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration compresses a spring of the set of springs; and an actuator coupled to at least one of the actuation substrate, the pin housing, and the spring plate, and configured to provide relative displacement in a direction tangential to the displacement direction between the array of active regions and the set of pins. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification