Microplate processing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11519926-B2
Application number	US-201816497759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2018
Priority date	Aug 31, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A microplate processing device having at least one carriage with a first receptacle for microplates where the at least one carriage is movable in a first horizontal direction, and having at least one lift that is movable in a vertical direction, where the microplates can be removed from and supplied to the carriage, the carriage has a through-opening, the periphery, in the vertical projection, can at least in part be situated horizontally within the periphery of a microplate held in the carriage, and the lift has a second receptacle for microplates, the periphery, in the vertical projection, is situated within the periphery of the through-opening, where the second receptacle can be moved unhindered through the through-opening in the vertical direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A microplate processing device ( 1 ) comprising
at least one carriage ( 2 , 4 ) with a first receptacle ( 20 ) for microplates ( 6 ), wherein the at least one carriage ( 2 , 4 ) is linear movable in a first horizontal direction (X), whereby the microplates ( 6 ) can be introduced into a processing region of the processing device ( 1 ) and can be discharged from the processing region with the at least one carriage ( 2 , 4 ),
at least one lift ( 3 , 5 ), which is movable in a vertical direction (Z), whereby the microplates ( 6 ) can be removed from and supplied to the carriage ( 2 , 4 ), wherein
the carriage ( 2 , 4 ) comprises a through-opening ( 21 ), the periphery of which, in the vertical projection, at least in part is situated horizontally within the periphery of a microplate ( 6 ) held in the carriage ( 2 , 4 ), and wherein
the lift ( 3 , 5 ) comprises a second receptacle ( 30 ) for microplates ( 6 ), the periphery of which, in the vertical projection, is situated within the periphery of the through-opening ( 21 ), whereby the second receptacle ( 30 ) can be moved unhindered through the through-opening ( 21 ) in the vertical direction (Z), wherein
the through-opening ( 21 ) of the carriage ( 2 ) comprises at least one recess ( 210 , 211 , 212 ), which is situated laterally outwardly beyond the periphery of a held microplate ( 6 ), and in that the receptacle ( 31 ) of the lift ( 2 , 3 ) comprises at least one arm ( 310 , 311 , 312 ), which in the projection in the vertical direction (Z) is arranged in the at least one recess ( 210 , 211 , 212 ), and in that a front recess ( 211 ) is provided on a side of the through-opening ( 21 ) which is a front side in the first horizontal direction (X), which front recess fully penetrates through a section of the front region of the carriage ( 2 , 4 ), resulting in a fork-shaped carriage ( 2 , 4 ), wherein
the carriage ( 2 , 4 ) comprises a first plane ( 200 ), from which the through-opening ( 21 ) extends, and wherein a plurality of limiters ( 22 , 23 , 24 ) are provided, which extend upwardly in the vertical direction (Z) from the first plane ( 200 ) so as to be able to restrict the lateral movements of a microplate ( 6 ) held in the carriage ( 2 , 4 ).

2. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the second receptacle ( 30 ) comprises at least one stop ( 32 , 33 , 34 ), which extends upwardly substantially in the vertical direction (Z) from a second plane ( 300 ).

3. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one stops ( 32 , 33 , 34 ) is/are arranged and designed to bear against an inner side wall ( 61 ) of a microplate ( 6 ) held in the second receptacle ( 30 ).

4. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one stop ( 32 , 33 , 34 ) is/are arranged and designed to bear against an outer side wall ( 60 ) of a microplate ( 6 ) held in the second receptacle ( 30 ).

5. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the through-opening ( 21 ) is rectangular.

6. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one recess ( 210 , 211 , 212 ) is/are provided on each side of the through-opening ( 21 ).

7. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one arm ( 311 , 312 , 313 ) is/are provided on each side of the second receptacle ( 30 ).

8. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one stops ( 32 , 33 , 34 ) is/are provided on the at least one arms ( 310 , 311 , 312 ).

9. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein an actuator ( 35 ) and a guide ( 36 ) are provided, which are operatively connected to the second receptacle ( 30 ) of the lift ( 3 , 5 ) and allow a movement of the second receptacle ( 30 ) in the vertical direction (Z).

10. The microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein two or more carriages ( 2 , 4 ) and two or more lifts ( 3 , 5 ) associated therewith are provided, wherein microplates ( 6 ) can be introduced into the processing region of the processing device ( 1 ) by way of at least one first carriage ( 2 ) and the at least one associated first lift ( 3 ), and wherein microplates ( 6 ) can be discharged from the processing region of the processing device ( 1 ) by way of at least one second carriage ( 4 ) and the at least one associated second lift ( 5 ).

11. A microplate processing system comprising at least one microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 and further comprising at least one of the components selected from the group comprising storage unit ( 7 ), washing or dispensing apparatus ( 8 ), and manipulator ( 9 ), wherein each component is arranged above one of the lifts ( 3 , 5 ) in the vertical direction (Z).

12. A method for introducing microplates ( 6 ) into a processing region of a microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 comprising the steps:
extending the carriage ( 2 , 4 ) from the processing region of the processing device ( 1 ) from an inner position into an outer position;
raising the second receptacle ( 30 ) of the at least one lift ( 3 , 5 ) in the vertical direction (Z) from a lower position through the through-opening ( 21 ) of the carriage ( 2 , 4 ) and beyond same into an upper position;
arranging a microplate ( 6 ) on the second receptacle ( 30 );
lowering the second receptacle ( 30 ) from the upper position into the lower position;
arranging the microplate ( 6 ) on the carriage ( 2 , 4 ); and
retracting the carriage ( 2 , 4 ) from the outer position into the inner position.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the arrangement of the microplate ( 6 ) is performed by one of the components selected from the group comprising storage unit ( 7 ) and manipulator ( 9 ).

14. A method for discharging microplates ( 6 ) from a processing region of a microplate processing device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 comprising the steps:
extending the carriage ( 2 , 4 ) equipped with a microplate ( 6 ) from the processing region of the processing device ( 1 ) from an inner position into an outer position;
raising the second receptacle ( 30 ) of the at least one lift ( 3 , 5 ) in the vertical direction (Z) from a lower position through the through-opening ( 21 ) of the carriage ( 2 , 4 ) and beyond same into an upper position;
arranging a microplate ( 6 ) on the second receptacle ( 30 );
retracting the carriage ( 2 , 4 ) from the outer position into the inner position;
removing the microplate ( 6 ) from the second receptacle ( 30 ); and
lowering the second receptacle ( 30 ) from the upper position into the lower position.

Assignees

• Tecan Trading Ag

Inventors

• Posch Johannes
• Gebethsroither Harald
• Bolli Beat
• Zerza Gerald

Classifications

• G01N35/028 Primary

  having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates · CPC title

• G01N2035/0425

  Stacks, magazines or elevators for plates · CPC title

• B65G59/062

  by means of reciprocating or oscillating escapement-like mechanisms · CPC title

• G01N2035/0465

  Loading or unloading the conveyor · CPC title

• G01N2035/0467

  Switching points ("aiguillages") · CPC title