Patent Description:
One conventional approach of calibrating a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) instrument is using fluorescence calibration kit samples. However, there are many disadvantages due to its inherent properties. Typically, the fluorescent calibration kit samples have to be stored under room temperature, and the life of shelf is very short once the kit is unsealed. Typically, the shelf life suppliers suggested are usually <NUM> months. Also, repeated thawing process between room temperature and freezing temperature cause the degradation of fluorescent calibration kit.

Accordingly, how to provide an optical calibration tool to solve the aforementioned problems becomes an important issue to be solved by those in the industry. <CIT> is directed to a calibration system for spectroscopic detectors and describes a standardization device for calibrating a spectroscopic apparatus.

An aspect of the disclosure is to provide an optical calibration tool which can effectively solve the aforementioned problems.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, an optical calibration tool is provided, as defined by the appended claims, including a first body, a light emitter, a light receiver, a second body, and a light reflecting member. The first body has a first engaging port and a second engaging port. The light emitter and the light receiver are disposed in the first body. The second body has a third engaging port and a channel communicated with each other. The third engaging port is configured to selectively engage one of the first engaging port and the second engaging port. When the third engaging port is engaged with the first engaging port, the light emitter is optically coupled to the light reflecting member. When the third engaging port is engaged with the second engaging port, the light receiver is optically coupled to the light reflecting member.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the second body has a light transmitting portion adjoining the channel. When the third engaging port is engaged with the first engaging port, the light emitter is optically coupled to the light transmitting portion via the light reflecting member. When the third engaging port is engaged with the second engaging port, the light receiver is optically coupled to the light transmitting portion via the light reflecting member.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the light transmitting portion is a hole.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the second body has two light transmitting portions. Said two light transmitting portions are respectively located at opposite sides of the second body. The light reflecting member is located between said two light transmitting portions.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the optical calibration tool further includes an actuating member. The actuating member is configured to rotate the light reflecting member.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the optical calibration tool further includes an actuating member. The actuating member is configured to deform the light reflecting member.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the light reflecting member includes a prism and a light splitting layer. The prism has two surfaces connected to each other and arranged between said two light transmitting portions. The light splitting layer covers said two surfaces.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the optical calibration tool further includes a neutral density filter. The neutral density filter is disposed in the first body and adjoins the second engaging port.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the optical calibration tool further includes a lens group. The lens group is disposed in the channel and adjoins the third engaging port.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the optical calibration tool is a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) instrument.

Accordingly, in the optical calibration tool of the present disclosure, by engaging the third engaging port of the second body to the first engaging port of the first body, the light emitter in the optical calibration tool can be used to calibrate the light receiver in the qPCR instrument. Relatively, by engaging the third engaging port of the second body to the second engaging port of the first body, the light receiver in the optical calibration tool can be used to calibrate the light emitter in the qPCR instrument. That is, the optical calibration tool of the present disclosure can form different functional modules by different combinations of the first body and the second body. Furthermore, a user only needs to insert the second body into the inspection slot of the qPCR instrument to optically couple the light emitter of the optical calibration tool to the light receiver in the qPCR instrument, or to optically couple the light receiver of the optical calibration tool to the light emitter in the qPCR instrument. As such, the optical calibration tool of the present disclosure is easy for the user to operate, so that the calibration procedure can be performed quickly.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosure as claimed.

The disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. However, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative for purposes of describing example embodiments, and thus may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to only example embodiments set forth herein. Therefore, it should be understood that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

Reference is made to <FIG>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of an optical calibration tool <NUM> and a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) instrument <NUM> before assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the optical calibration tool <NUM> and the qPCR instrument <NUM> in <FIG> after assembly, according to an embodiment not forming part of the claimed invention but useful for the understanding of the claimed invention. <FIG> is another cross-sectional view of the optical calibration tool <NUM> and the qPCR instrument <NUM> in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, in the present embodiment, the optical calibration tool <NUM> is applied to the qPCR instrument <NUM>. The qPCR instrument <NUM> includes an inspection slot <NUM>, a light emitter <NUM>, and a light receiver <NUM>. The inspection slot <NUM> has a light incident region <NUM> and a light exit region <NUM>. When the qPCR instrument <NUM> is working, an inspector may place a sample (for example, accommodated in a transparent container) in the inspection slot <NUM>, emit light through the light incident region <NUM> of the inspection slot <NUM> to the sample by the light emitter <NUM>, and receives the light passing through the sample through the light exit region <NUM> of the inspection slot <NUM> by the light receiver <NUM>. Hence, the inspector can obtain the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics or parameters of the sample according to the light receiving signal of the light receiver <NUM>. The optical calibration tool <NUM> is used to inspect whether the light emitter <NUM> and the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> are abnormal.

The optical calibration tool <NUM> includes a first body <NUM>, a light emitter <NUM>, a light receiver <NUM>, a second body <NUM>, and a light reflecting member <NUM>. The first body <NUM> has a first engaging port <NUM> and a second engaging port <NUM>. The light emitter <NUM> and the light receiver <NUM> are disposed in the first body <NUM>. The second body <NUM> has a third engaging port <NUM> and a channel <NUM> communicated with each other. The third engaging port <NUM> is configured to engage the first engaging port <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) or the second engaging port <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). The light reflecting member <NUM> is disposed in the channel <NUM> and configured to be selectively optically coupled to one of the light incident region <NUM> and the light exit region <NUM> of the inspection slot <NUM> as the second body <NUM> rotates relative to the inspection slot <NUM>.

In some embodiments, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the first engaging port <NUM>, the first engaging port <NUM> is sleeved on the outer edge of the third engaging port <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard. In some embodiments, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the second engaging port <NUM>, the second engaging port <NUM> is sleeved on the outer edge of the third engaging port <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

Specifically, as shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the first engaging port <NUM>, the light emitter <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light reflecting member <NUM>. In other words, the light emitted by the light emitter <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> can be reflected by the light reflecting member <NUM> to the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM>. Hence, a user can determine whether the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> is abnormal and needs to be calibrated according to the received light signal. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the second engaging port <NUM>, the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light reflecting member <NUM>. In other words, the light emitted by the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> can be reflected by the light reflecting member <NUM> to the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM>. Hence, the user can determine whether the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> is abnormal and needs to be calibrated according to the received light signal.

In some embodiments, the light reflecting member <NUM> is a reflective coating located in the channel <NUM> and at the bottom of the second body <NUM>, but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard. In some embodiments, the light reflecting member <NUM> is a metal layer, but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

In some embodiments, the second body <NUM> has a light transmitting portion <NUM> adjoining the channel <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the first engaging port <NUM> and the light transmitting portion <NUM> is aligned with the light exit region <NUM>, the light emitter <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> sequentially via the light reflecting member <NUM> and the light transmitting portion <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the second engaging port <NUM> and the light transmitting portion <NUM> is aligned with the light incident region <NUM>, the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> sequentially via the light reflecting member <NUM> and the light transmitting portion <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the light transmitting portion <NUM> is a hole but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard. In some other embodiments, the light transmitting portion <NUM> includes a transparent material, such as glass, optical-grade polymer, ceramic, or the like.

In some embodiments, as shown in <FIG>, the optical calibration tool <NUM> further includes a neutral density filter <NUM>. The neutral density filter <NUM> is disposed in the first body <NUM> and adjoins the second engaging port <NUM>. With the arrangement of the neutral density filter <NUM>, the intensity of the light received by the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> from the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> can be appropriately reduced.

In some embodiments, the material of the second body <NUM> includes black anodized aluminum to reduce light scattering in the channel <NUM>, but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

In some embodiments, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the optical calibration tool <NUM> further includes a lens group <NUM>. The lens group <NUM> is disposed in the channel <NUM> and adjoins the third engaging port <NUM>. When the light emitter <NUM> of optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), the lens group <NUM> can converge and focus the light emitted by the light emitter <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> to the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM>. When the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), the lens group <NUM> can converge and focus the light emitted by the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> to the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM>.

In some other embodiments, the material of the lens group <NUM> includes glass, optical-grade polymer, ceramic, or the like.

In some embodiments, numbers of the inspection slot(s) <NUM>, the light emitter(s) <NUM>, and the light receiver(s) <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> are plural and consistent. In some embodiments, numbers of the light emitter(s) <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> and the light receiver(s) <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> are consistent. In some embodiments, a number of the light emitter(s) <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is smaller than a number of the light receiver(s) <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM>. In some embodiments, numbers of the light receiver(s) <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> and the light emitter(s) <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> are consistent.

In some embodiments, the light emitter <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is a light emitting diode or a laser, but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

Reference is made to <FIG> and <FIG>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of an optical calibration tool <NUM> and the qPCR instrument <NUM> after assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is another cross-sectional view of the optical calibration tool <NUM> and the qPCR instrument <NUM> in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, one difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in <FIG> is that the second body <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> of this embodiment has two light transmitting portions 243a, 243b. The light transmitting portions 243a, 243b are respectively located at opposite sides of the second body <NUM>. The light reflecting member <NUM> is located between the light transmitting portions 243a, 243b.

Another difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in <FIG> is that the optical calibration tool <NUM> of this embodiment further includes an actuating member <NUM>. The actuating member <NUM> is configured to rotate the light reflecting member <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the first engaging port <NUM>, the light reflecting member <NUM> can be rotated by the actuating member <NUM> such that the light emitter <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> sequentially via the light reflecting member <NUM> and the light transmitting portion 243a. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the second engaging port <NUM>, the light reflecting member <NUM> can be rotated by the actuating member <NUM> such that the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> sequentially via the light reflecting member <NUM> and the light transmitting portion 243b. Hence, the user only needs to use the actuating member <NUM> to rotate the light reflecting member <NUM> to inspect the light emitter <NUM> and the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> without plugging or rotating the second body <NUM> relative to the inspection slot <NUM>, so that the calibration process can be performed quickly.

In some embodiments, the light reflecting member <NUM> is a reflector, but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

Reference is made to <FIG> and <FIG>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of an optical calibration tool <NUM> and the qPCR instrument <NUM> after assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is another cross-sectional view of the optical calibration tool <NUM> and the qPCR instrument <NUM> in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, one difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in <FIG> is that the optical calibration tool <NUM> of this embodiment uses different a light reflecting member <NUM> and an actuation member <NUM>.

Specifically, the actuating member <NUM> is configured to deform the light reflecting member <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the first engaging port <NUM>, the actuating member <NUM> can be used to apply force to deform and bend the light reflecting member <NUM> (for example, to apply a force to the center of the light reflecting member <NUM> to the right), such that the light emitter <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> sequentially via the light reflecting member <NUM> and the light transmitting portion 243a. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the second engaging port <NUM>, the actuating member <NUM> can be used to apply force to deform and bend the light reflecting member <NUM> (for example, to apply a force to the center of the light reflecting member <NUM> to the left), such that the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> is optically coupled to the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> sequentially via the light reflecting member <NUM> and the light transmitting portion 243b. Hence, the user only needs to use the actuating member <NUM> to deform the light reflecting member <NUM> to inspect the light emitter <NUM> and the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> without plugging or rotating the second body <NUM> relative to the inspection slot <NUM>, so that the calibration process can be performed quickly.

In some embodiments, the light reflecting member <NUM> may be a flexible reflective sheet, but the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

Reference is made to <FIG>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of an optical calibration tool <NUM> and the qPCR instrument <NUM> after assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is another cross-sectional view of the optical calibration tool <NUM> and the qPCR instrument <NUM> in <FIG>. <FIG> is a schematic diagram of a light reflecting member <NUM> in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, one difference between this embodiment and the embodiment shown in <FIG> is that the optical calibration tool <NUM> of this embodiment replaces the light reflecting member <NUM> and the actuating member <NUM> shown in <FIG> with the different light reflecting member <NUM>.

Specifically, as shown in <FIG>, the light reflecting member <NUM> includes a prism <NUM> and a light splitting layer <NUM>. The bottom of the prism <NUM> has two surfaces connected to each other. The surfaces are arranged between the light transmitting portions 243a, 243b. The light splitting layer <NUM> covers the surfaces. In some embodiments, the light splitting layer <NUM> is a semi-transmissive and semi-reflective film layer. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the first engaging port <NUM>, the light emitted by the light emitter <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM> can first enter the prism <NUM>, be partially reflected by the left half of the light splitting layer <NUM>, and then be partially transmitted through the right half of the light splitting layer <NUM> to reach the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, when the third engaging port <NUM> is engaged with the second engaging port <NUM>, the light emitted by the light emitter <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> can first be partially transmitted through the left half of the light splitting layer 452enter the prism <NUM>, be partially reflected by the right half of the light splitting layer <NUM>, and then transmit through the prism <NUM> to reach the light receiver <NUM> of the optical calibration tool <NUM>. Hence, the user can inspect the light emitter <NUM> and the light receiver <NUM> of the qPCR instrument <NUM> without plugging or rotating the second body <NUM> relative to the inspection slot <NUM>, so that the calibration process can be performed quickly.

Claim 1:
An optical calibration tool (<NUM>/<NUM>) applied to calibrate a light emitter (<NUM>) and a light receiver (<NUM>) of an instrument (<NUM>), comprising:
a first body (<NUM>) having a first engaging port (<NUM>) and a second engaging port (<NUM>);
a light emitter (<NUM>) disposed in the first body (<NUM>);
a light receiver (<NUM>) disposed in the first body (<NUM>);
a second body (<NUM>) having a third engaging port (<NUM>), two light transmitting portions (243a, 243b), and a channel (<NUM>) communicated with each other, wherein the third engaging port (<NUM>) is configured to selectively engage one of the first engaging port (<NUM>) and the second engaging port (<NUM>), the two light transmitting portions (243a, 243b) are located at opposite sides of the second body (<NUM>);
a light reflecting member (<NUM>/<NUM>) disposed in the channel (<NUM>) between said two light transmitting portions (243a, 243b); and
an actuating member (<NUM>/<NUM>) configured to rotate or deform the light reflecting member (<NUM>/<NUM>),
wherein when the third engaging port (<NUM>) is engaged with the first engaging port (<NUM>), the light emitter (<NUM>) is optically coupled to the light reflecting member (<NUM>/<NUM>), and when the third engaging port (<NUM>) is engaged with the second engaging port (<NUM>), the light receiver (<NUM>) is optically coupled to the light reflecting member (<NUM>/<NUM>).