CN105936873A - Cleaning structure of hybridization instrument - Google Patents

Cleaning structure of hybridization instrument Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CN105936873A
CN105936873A CN201610415365.XA CN201610415365A CN105936873A CN 105936873 A CN105936873 A CN 105936873A CN 201610415365 A CN201610415365 A CN 201610415365A CN 105936873 A CN105936873 A CN 105936873A
Authority
CN
China
Prior art keywords
cleaning
air knife
hybridization
hybridization instrument
cleaning structure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CN201610415365.XA
Other languages
Chinese (zh)
Other versions
CN105936873B (en
Inventor
宋家武
肖杰
王丽玲
康启鸣
吕景华
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Zhuhai Sinochips Biotechnology Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Zhuhai Sinochips Biotechnology Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Zhuhai Sinochips Biotechnology Co Ltd filed Critical Zhuhai Sinochips Biotechnology Co Ltd
Priority to CN201610415365.XA priority Critical patent/CN105936873B/en
Publication of CN105936873A publication Critical patent/CN105936873A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CN105936873B publication Critical patent/CN105936873B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12QMEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES
    • C12Q1/00Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions
    • C12Q1/68Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions involving nucleic acids
    • C12Q1/6813Hybridisation assays
    • C12Q1/6834Enzymatic or biochemical coupling of nucleic acids to a solid phase
    • C12Q1/6837Enzymatic or biochemical coupling of nucleic acids to a solid phase using probe arrays or probe chips

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Proteomics, Peptides & Aminoacids (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microbiology (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Biotechnology (AREA)
  • Biophysics (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
  • Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

The invention discloses a cleaning structure of a hybridization instrument. The cleaning structure includes a pedestal and a transfer channel extending horizontally on the pedestal. The transfer channel consists of a feeding channel, a cleaning channel and a blowing channel from front to back in order. The left side of the cleaning channel and the right side of the blowing channel are respectively provided with a cleaning head, and the left side of the blowing channel is provided with a blowing head. Directed at the operational needs of the hybridization instrument and through reasonable structure improvement, the cleaning structure changes the hybridization, cleaning, color development and blow drying operation steps of an operational process into streamlined operation, and during batch chip hybrid operation, through streamlined operation, to-be-operated chips can be added continuously, after a period of reaction, operation completed chips can be produced, thus saving the total reaction time of batch operation. In addition, by means of the design of the cleaning heads, chip groove concave imbibition place and the blowing head, a sample can keep clean enough in the hybridization reaction process, thus ensuring the reaction effect.

Description

A kind of cleaning structure of hybridization instrument
Technical field
The present invention relates to molecular hybridization field, a kind of cleaning structure being applied to automatic Hybridization Oven.
Background technology
At present, general nucleic acid hybridization is all that the mode using imbibition manually and liquid feeding carries out nucleic acid hybridization procedure, first it is placed in constant-temperature incubation device insulation a period of time by adding the chip responding sample, cleaning process uses to put into gene chip and carries out in thermostat water bath heating and vibrating mixing in a water bath, adopt the cleaning carrying out nucleic acid hybridization in this way, carry out color operation the most again.Use manual operations, liquid volume added levels of precision is difficult to ensure that, whole operating process to spend the more time, particularly with batch operation chip more time, need add plurality of reagents, the heating in water bath time is long, causes the whole experimental period time the longest.For this situation, people is had just to have developed automatic hybridizing instrument, although to decrease manual operation difficulty, but owing to each step operating time does not reduce, the W-response time is the longest.It addition, current existing automatic hybridizing instrument need to optimize for the automatic cleaning process that gene chip hybridization operates, easily occur that operating process does not washes clean clearly and affects example reaction effect.
Summary of the invention
In order to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides the cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument.
The technical solution adopted for the present invention to solve the technical problems is:
A kind of cleaning structure of hybridization instrument, including Transfer pipe horizontal-extending on base and base, described Transfer pipe includes feeding-passage, flushing channel, air blasting passage the most successively, the left side of described flushing channel and the right side of air blasting passage are respectively arranged with cleaning head, and the left side of described air blasting passage is provided with blowing head.
As a preference, before and after described Transfer pipe, both sides are respectively arranged with conveyer belt, and support salient point is distributed on described conveyer belt.
As a preference, described blowing head includes compressor, air knife lifting motor, air knife bracing frame and air knife guide bracket, and described air knife guide bracket is provided with air knife lifting guide rail, and air knife bracing frame lower end is provided with and dries up operation aspirating needle and air knife.
As a preference, described cleaning head includes water pump, cleaning nozzle lifting motor, cleaning nozzle bracing frame and cleaning nozzle guide bracket, described cleaning nozzle guide bracket has cleaning nozzle and guides slide rail, and described cleaning nozzle bracing frame lower end is provided with aspirating needle, liquid feeding pin.
As a preference, described Transfer pipe is provided with heating plate.
As a preference, described Transfer pipe being provided with the chip groove for chip placement, the edge, side of described chip groove has imbibition recess.
As a preference, described imbibition recess include for cleaning head clean waste liquid suction port and for blowing head dry up waste liquid suction port.
As a preference, described air knife guide bracket includes the air knife translation motor on air knife level frame and air knife level frame.
The invention has the beneficial effects as follows: this cleaning structure is for the job demand of hybridization instrument, by rational structural improvement, by by the hybridization of flow operations, clean, colour developing, dry up operating procedure and become streamlined operation, when bulk quantity of chips crossover operation, by streamlined operation, can constantly add and need to operate chip, after one period of response time, persistently there is operation to complete chip and can go out result, save general reaction time during batch operation, in addition cleaning head is passed through, chip groove spill imbibition position, the design of blowing head, make sample can keep the cleanest in hybridization work process, ensure reaction effect.
Accompanying drawing explanation
The present invention is further described with embodiment below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is the axonometric chart of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is the axonometric chart of head of drying in the present invention;
Fig. 3 is the axonometric chart of cleaning head in the present invention;
Fig. 4 is the partial enlarged drawing of chips groove part of the present invention.
Detailed description of the invention
In order to make the purpose of the application, technical scheme and advantage clearer, below in conjunction with drawings and Examples, the present invention is further elaborated.For the thorough explanation present invention, following description can relate to some specific detail.And when not having these specific detail, the present invention then may still can realize, i.e. technical staff in art uses these descriptions herein and statement others skilled in the art in art effectively to introduce their work essence.In addition it should be noted that; in describing below, the word " front side " of use, " rear side ", " left side ", " right side ", " upside ", " downside " etc. refer to the direction in accompanying drawing; word " interior " and " outward " refer respectively to the direction towards or away from particular elements geometric center, and person skilled should not be construed as the technology beyond the application protection domain in the adjustment that above-mentioned direction is made simply, be need not creativeness.Should be appreciated that specific embodiment described herein, only in order to explain the application, is not used to limit real protection scope.And for avoiding confusion the purpose of the present invention, owing to the technology of the manufacture method known, control program, part dimension, material composition, circuit layout etc. is not it will be understood that therefore they are described in detail.With reference to Fig. 1~Fig. 4, a kind of cleaning structure of hybridization instrument, including Transfer pipe 2 horizontal-extending on base 1 and base 1, described Transfer pipe 2 includes feeding-passage 21, flushing channel 22, air blasting passage 23 the most successively, the left side of described flushing channel 22 and the right side of air blasting passage 23 are respectively arranged with cleaning head 3, and the left side of described air blasting passage 23 is provided with blowing 4.
Before and after described Transfer pipe 2, both sides are respectively arranged with conveyer belt 21, support salient point 22 are distributed, it is simple to the transmission of chip to be cleaned is stable on described conveyer belt 21.It is provided with heating plate 5 on described Transfer pipe 2.The chip groove 6 for chip placement it is provided with on described Transfer pipe 2, the edge, side of described chip groove 6 has imbibition recess 61, described imbibition recess 61 includes cleaning waste liquid suction port 62 and drying up waste liquid suction port 63 for blowing 4 for cleaning head 3, wherein cleaning waste liquid suction port 62 is as waste liquid suction port when cleaning chip, as drying up waste liquid suction port when waste liquid suction port 63 chip finally dries up
Further embodiment, with reference to the cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument of Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 4, " embodiment " the most referred to herein refers to may be included in special characteristic, structure or the characteristic at least one implementation of the application.Different in this manual local " in the embodiments " occurred not refer both to same embodiment, are not single or the most mutually exclusive with other embodiments embodiment.Embodiment includes Transfer pipe 2 horizontal-extending on base 1 and base 1, described Transfer pipe 2 includes feeding-passage 21, flushing channel 22, air blasting passage 23 the most successively, the left side of described flushing channel 22 and the right side of air blasting passage 23 are respectively arranged with cleaning head 3, and the left side of described air blasting passage 23 is provided with blowing 4.Described blowing 4 includes compressor 41, air knife lifting motor 42, air knife bracing frame 43 and air knife guide bracket 44, and described air knife lifting motor 42 is used for controlling air knife bracing frame 43 integral elevating, and described air knife guide bracket is provided with air knife lifting guide rail 45.In the present embodiment, described air knife guide bracket 44 includes the air knife translation motor 48 on air knife level frame 47 and air knife level frame 47, and air knife bracing frame 43 lower end is provided with and dries up operation aspirating needle 46 and air knife.Air knife is band wind chamber, the application specific architecture of blowing seam.The air knife valve connecting compressor 41 during blowing is opened, and air knife starts blowing, and air knife translation motor 48 can control air knife and move left and right, and controls air knife and moves to the other end from chip one end.The liquid on 46 times general who has surrendered's chips of operation aspirating needle that dries up on air knife bracing frame 43 blots only simultaneously, wherein dries up waste liquid suction port 63 as waste liquid suction port, and bottom is less than chip surface, dries up operation aspirating needle 46 and drops to the groove imbibition of waste liquid suction port 63.
Further embodiment, cleaning structure with reference to a kind of hybridization instrument of Fig. 1, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, including Transfer pipe 2 horizontal-extending on base 1 and base 1, described Transfer pipe 2 includes feeding-passage 21, flushing channel 22, air blasting passage 23 the most successively, the left side of described flushing channel 22 and the right side of air blasting passage 23 are respectively arranged with cleaning head 3, and the left side of described air blasting passage 23 is provided with blowing 4.Described cleaning head 3 includes water pump 31, cleaning nozzle lifting motor 32, cleaning nozzle bracing frame 33 and cleaning nozzle guide bracket 34, described cleaning nozzle guide bracket 34 has cleaning nozzle and guides slide rail 35, be used for guiding cleaning nozzle guide bracket 34 integral elevating.In the present embodiment, cleaning nozzle guides the slide block type guide rail structure that slide rail 35 is vertically-mounted, and described cleaning nozzle bracing frame 33 lower end is provided with aspirating needle, liquid feeding pin.Liquid feeding pin is suspended in liquid feeding above chip, wherein adds liquid level and is in about 0.5~1 centimeters above chip, and during cleaning, liquid feeding does not contacts with chip.During liquid feeding, conveyer belt moves and makes liquid feeding be uniformly distributed chip surface.Aspirating needle is then controlled lifting by cleaning nozzle lifting motor 32, cleaning waste liquid suction port 62 imbibition of chip edge is dropped to during imbibition, cleaning waste liquid suction port 62 and be less than chip surface as waste liquid suction port when cleaning, bottom, aspirating needle drops to cleaning waste liquid suction port 62 imbibition.Cleaning chip processes is exactly one side liquid feeding, the process of imbibition in aspirating needle drops to recess hole simultaneously.
According to above-mentioned principle, the present invention can also carry out suitable change and amendment to above-mentioned embodiment.Therefore, the invention is not limited in detailed description of the invention disclosed and described above, should also be as some modifications and changes of the present invention falling in the scope of the claims of the present invention.
In practice, conveyer belt 21 uses belt, and conveyer belt 21 rotates and uses motor to control.Band driving wheel on motor, wheel overlaps belt.Feeding-passage 21 right-hand member is provided above sample needle, and this sample needle is after chip is put on machine, adds liquid for the first time and uses.I.e. liquid feeding pin is suspended from above chip, adds liquid.During sample-adding, chip is by the movement of feeding-passage 21 belt to left movement, and by regulation sample-adding and chip translational speed, at the end of sample-adding, chip just moves a chip position.Chip, first from the beginning of feeding-passage 21 right-hand member, after arriving on the left of feeding-passage 21, is delivered on the left of flushing channel 22 by mechanical hand, and the cleaning head 3 on the left of flushing channel 22 starts to clean.Then chip is sent on the right side of flushing channel 22, delivers on the right side of air blasting passage 23 further through mechanical hand, and the cleaning head 3 on the right side of air blasting passage 23 is carried out again.Two of which cleaning head 3 structure is similar to.Owing to using streamlined operating type, technological requirement has two step cleaning processes, i.e. chip is after the cleaning head 3 on the left of flushing channel 22 once cleans, and waits a few minutes, and the second time cleaning positions of the cleaning head 3 on the right side of the air blasting passage 23 that automatically walks carries out second time and cleans.Although it is the same to clean mechanical process for twice, but both sides are cleaned the cleanout fluid used and differ.After having cleaned, chip is delivered on the left of air blasting passage 23, is dried up by blowing 4.So far chip is just automatically performed whole cleaning process.

Claims (8)

1. the cleaning structure of a hybridization instrument, including the upper horizontal-extending Transfer pipe (2) of base (1) and base (1), it is characterized in that: described Transfer pipe (2) includes feeding-passage (21), flushing channel (22), air blasting passage (23) the most successively, the left side of described flushing channel (22) and the right side of air blasting passage (23) are respectively arranged with cleaning head (3), and the left side of described air blasting passage (23) is provided with blowing head (4).
The cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument the most according to claim 1, it is characterised in that: before and after described Transfer pipe (2), both sides are respectively arranged with conveyer belt (21), and support salient point (22) is distributed on described conveyer belt (21).
The cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument the most according to claim 1, it is characterized in that: described blowing head (4) includes compressor (41), air knife lifting motor (42), air knife bracing frame (43) and air knife guide bracket (44), being provided with air knife lifting guide rail (45) on described air knife guide bracket (44), air knife bracing frame (43) lower end is provided with and dries up operation aspirating needle (46) and air knife.
The cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument the most according to claim 1, it is characterized in that: described cleaning head (3) includes water pump (31), cleaning nozzle lifting motor (32), cleaning nozzle bracing frame (33) and cleaning nozzle guide bracket (34), having cleaning nozzle in described cleaning nozzle guide bracket and guide slide rail (35), described cleaning nozzle bracing frame (33) lower end is provided with aspirating needle, liquid feeding pin.
The cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument the most according to claim 1 and 2, it is characterised in that: it is provided with heating plate (5) on described Transfer pipe (2).
The cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument the most according to claim 1 and 2, it is characterised in that: being provided with the chip groove (6) for chip placement on described Transfer pipe (2), the edge, side of described chip groove (6) has imbibition recess (61).
The cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument the most according to claim 1 and 2, it is characterised in that: described imbibition recess (61) include cleaning waste liquid suction port (62) for cleaning head (3) and for blowing head (4) dry up waste liquid suction port (63).
The cleaning structure of a kind of hybridization instrument the most according to claim 3, it is characterised in that: described air knife guide bracket (44) includes the air knife translation motor (48) on air knife level frame (47) and air knife level frame (47).
CN201610415365.XA 2016-06-13 2016-06-13 A kind of cleaning structure of hybridization instrument Active CN105936873B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201610415365.XA CN105936873B (en) 2016-06-13 2016-06-13 A kind of cleaning structure of hybridization instrument

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201610415365.XA CN105936873B (en) 2016-06-13 2016-06-13 A kind of cleaning structure of hybridization instrument

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN105936873A true CN105936873A (en) 2016-09-14
CN105936873B CN105936873B (en) 2018-06-22

Family

ID=57152609

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CN201610415365.XA Active CN105936873B (en) 2016-06-13 2016-06-13 A kind of cleaning structure of hybridization instrument

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CN (1) CN105936873B (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN107245440A (en) * 2017-06-27 2017-10-13 珠海意动智能装备有限公司 Transfer assembly and chip-detecting apparatus
CN107356772A (en) * 2017-06-27 2017-11-17 珠海意动智能装备有限公司 Clean and change liquid mechanism, chip-detecting apparatus and its control method
CN108949553A (en) * 2018-08-23 2018-12-07 南京英芮诚麦歌生化仪器有限公司 A kind of instrument for extracting nucleic acid abandoning waste liquid device
CN110244068A (en) * 2019-05-06 2019-09-17 珠海意动智能装备有限公司 Chip processing mechanism, chip-detecting apparatus and its control method
CN111849750A (en) * 2020-06-23 2020-10-30 福建工程学院 Automatic detection system of genotyping chip

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101063078A (en) * 2007-04-20 2007-10-31 博奥生物有限公司 Biological chip hybrid cleaning device
CN101085974A (en) * 2007-06-26 2007-12-12 北京和利时系统工程股份有限公司 Biochip hybridization procedure optimization control method and apparatus employing the method
CN101942385A (en) * 2009-07-06 2011-01-12 中山大学达安基因股份有限公司 Full-automatic hybridization oven and implementation method and application thereof
CN102134552A (en) * 2010-12-31 2011-07-27 福建泰普生物科学有限公司 Nucleic acid hybridization method and nucleic acid hybridization instrument utilizing same
CN205974519U (en) * 2016-06-13 2017-02-22 珠海赛乐奇生物技术股份有限公司 Washing structure of hybridization appearance

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101063078A (en) * 2007-04-20 2007-10-31 博奥生物有限公司 Biological chip hybrid cleaning device
CN101085974A (en) * 2007-06-26 2007-12-12 北京和利时系统工程股份有限公司 Biochip hybridization procedure optimization control method and apparatus employing the method
CN101942385A (en) * 2009-07-06 2011-01-12 中山大学达安基因股份有限公司 Full-automatic hybridization oven and implementation method and application thereof
CN102134552A (en) * 2010-12-31 2011-07-27 福建泰普生物科学有限公司 Nucleic acid hybridization method and nucleic acid hybridization instrument utilizing same
CN205974519U (en) * 2016-06-13 2017-02-22 珠海赛乐奇生物技术股份有限公司 Washing structure of hybridization appearance

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN107245440A (en) * 2017-06-27 2017-10-13 珠海意动智能装备有限公司 Transfer assembly and chip-detecting apparatus
CN107356772A (en) * 2017-06-27 2017-11-17 珠海意动智能装备有限公司 Clean and change liquid mechanism, chip-detecting apparatus and its control method
CN107245440B (en) * 2017-06-27 2024-04-23 珠海意动智能装备有限公司 Transfer assembly and chip detection device
CN107356772B (en) * 2017-06-27 2024-05-17 珠海意动智能装备有限公司 Cleaning liquid changing mechanism, chip detection device and control method thereof
CN108949553A (en) * 2018-08-23 2018-12-07 南京英芮诚麦歌生化仪器有限公司 A kind of instrument for extracting nucleic acid abandoning waste liquid device
CN108949553B (en) * 2018-08-23 2024-04-30 苏州英芮诚生化科技有限公司 Waste liquid disposal device for nucleic acid extraction instrument
CN110244068A (en) * 2019-05-06 2019-09-17 珠海意动智能装备有限公司 Chip processing mechanism, chip-detecting apparatus and its control method
CN111849750A (en) * 2020-06-23 2020-10-30 福建工程学院 Automatic detection system of genotyping chip

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN105936873B (en) 2018-06-22

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN105936873A (en) Cleaning structure of hybridization instrument
KR100560257B1 (en) Coating device and coating method
US20020121341A1 (en) Substrate processing apparatus
CN103904288A (en) Rapid proportioning, mixing and liquid adding device
CN208482908U (en) A kind of ELISA Plate cleaning drying device
CN205974519U (en) Washing structure of hybridization appearance
CN104827558A (en) Domestic ceramic grouting production method and device
CN215727195U (en) Multi-station production line for immunohistochemical and HE (high-temperature) atomization dyeing mounting
CN108109946A (en) A kind of etching apparatus
CN210098460U (en) Washing solution bottle assembly and microarray chip high-throughput automatic cleaning system
CN115718023A (en) Multi-station production line for immunohistochemical and HE (high-temperature) atomization dyeing mounting
CN217855545U (en) A go up unloading circulating device for sanitizer production
JP2000024608A (en) Device for cleaning hollow object and method for cleaning hollow object
CN205426614U (en) Slide adjusting part
CN201375964Y (en) Flowing-water board-washing and sealing all-in-one machine
CN211235192U (en) Pathological section repair equipment and immunohistochemical instrument
CN114659869A (en) Automatic slide dyeing system
CN203895534U (en) Quickly-proportioning mixing charging device
CN107130131A (en) A kind of automatic swing stirs foam device
CN210113279U (en) Novel nucleic acid extraction appearance
CN208229900U (en) A kind of mixing polyurethane agitating device circulating production system
CN213632908U (en) Smear dyeing machine
KR20060076227A (en) Processing apparatus and processing method
CN219861930U (en) Softening machine capable of improving drying efficiency
CN217931042U (en) Dye box

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
C06 Publication
PB01 Publication
C10 Entry into substantive examination
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
GR01 Patent grant
GR01 Patent grant