Apparatus for incubating receptacles and detecting optical signals emitted by the contents of the receptacles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12449608-B2
Application number	US-202318391471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2023
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for incubating the contents of a plurality of receptacles and for detecting a signal emitted by the contents of each of the receptacle includes a plurality of receptacle holders configured to incubate the contents of each a plurality of receptacles held by each of the receptacle holders. A controller is coupled to each of the receptacle holders and is configured to independently control an incubation temperature of each of the receptacle holders to independently control a temperature at which the receptacles held by each of the receptacle holders is incubated. At least one signal detector is configured to detect a signal emitted by the contents of each of the receptacles held in each of the receptacle holders, and a signal detector indexer is configured to successively optically couple each signal detector with each of the receptacles held in each of the receptacle holders to detect optical emissions from each successively coupled receptacle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for incubating the contents of a plurality of receptacles and for detecting a signal emitted by the contents of each of the plurality of receptacles, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of receptacle holders configured to incubate the contents of each of a plurality of receptacles held by each of the plurality of receptacle holders, wherein each receptacle holder comprises a plurality of receptacle wells, each of the receptacle wells being configured to receive a receptacle, and wherein each of the receptacle wells has a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the receptacle well through a bottom of the corresponding receptacle holder;
a controller coupled to each of the plurality of receptacle holders and configured to independently control an incubation temperature of each of the plurality of receptacle holders to independently control a temperature at which the plurality of receptacles held by each of the plurality of receptacle holders is incubated, wherein the incubation temperature of each receptacle holder is the same as or different from the incubation temperature of each other receptacle holder;
an optical fiber associated with each receptacle well to transmit an optical signal emitted by the contents of the receptacle disposed within the associated receptacle well between a first end and a second end of the optical fiber;
a conduit reformatter constructed and arranged to secure the first ends of the respective optical fibers in a first spatial arrangement corresponding to a spatial arrangement of the plurality of receptacles wells of the plurality of receptacle holders, such that the first end of each optical fiber is positioned to receive an emission signal emitted by the contents of the associated receptacle, and to secure the second ends of the respective optical fibers in a second spatial arrangement different from the first spatial arrangement;
at least one signal detector configured to detect the optical signal emitted by the contents of each of the plurality of receptacles held in each of the plurality of receptacle holders and transmitted by the associated optical fiber; and
a signal detector head configured to successively optically couple each signal detector with each of the optical fibers to detect optical emissions transmitted by each successively coupled optical fiber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each signal detector comprises an excitation signal source configured to generate an excitation light of a predetermined wavelength and an emission signal detector associated with each excitation signal source and configured to detect light of a predetermined emission wavelength.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the signal detector head comprises a carrier configured to move each excitation source and the associated emission detector relative to the optical fibers to sequentially place each excitation source and associated emission detector in an operative position with respect to one optical fiber, wherein the apparatus further comprises a detector drive system constructed and arranged to effect powered movement of the carrier, and wherein the detector drive system comprises a motor coupled to the carrier by a motor coupler.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the carrier is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation and move each emission detector and associated excitation source in a circular path.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first end of each optical fiber is positioned with respect to the through-hole of the associated receptacle well to receive optical signals emitted by the contents of the associated receptacle, and the signal detector head is configured to move each signal detector in a path that sequentially places the signal detector in signal detecting positions with respect to the second ends of the optical fibers.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first spatial arrangement is rectangular and comprises two or more rows, each row including two or more of the first ends of the optical fibers, and the second spatial arrangement comprises one or more circles, whereby the second ends of the optical fibers are positioned about the circumference of a circle, and wherein the signal detector head comprises a carousel configured to move at least a portion of the at least one signal detector in a path corresponding to the one or more circles of the second spatial arrangement.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the conduit reformatter comprises a reformatter frame comprising:
an interface plate configured to secure the first ends of the respective optical fibers in the first spatial arrangement;
a base configured to secure the second ends of the respective optical fibers in the second spatial arrangement; and
a side structure connecting the interface plate to the base at spaced-apart positions with respect to each other.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising heat dissipating fins extending from the interface plate, wherein the plurality of receptacle holders is supported on the interface plate.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a thermal element in thermal contact with each of the plurality of receptacle holders, wherein the controller is electrically connected to the thermal element of each of the plurality of receptacle holders, and wherein the controller is configured to cycle a temperature of the thermal element between two or more incubation temperatures.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink in thermal communication with each of the plurality of receptacle holders, wherein each heat sink comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fins.

11. An apparatus for incubating the contents of a plurality of receptacles and for detecting a signal emitted by the contents of each of the plurality of receptacles, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of receptacle holders configured to incubate the contents of each of a plurality of receptacles held by each of the plurality of receptacle holders, wherein each of the plurality of receptacle holders is comprised of a thermally-conductive material and includes a top and a bottom and opposed front and back sides, wherein each of the plurality of receptacle holders comprises a plurality of receptacle wells, each of the receptacle wells being open to the top of the corresponding receptacle holder and configured to receive a receptacle, and wherein each of the receptacle wells has a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the receptacle well through the bottom of the corresponding receptacle holder, and wherein each of the plurality of receptacle holders comprises:
a thermally-conductive support, wherein each of the plurality of receptacle holders is held in a fixed position with respect to an associated support, and wherein the associated support includes a plurality of through-holes, each of the through-holes of the associated support being aligned with a corresponding one of the through-holes extending from the inner surface of each of the receptacle wells; and
a thermal element, wherein each thermal element is positioned between a portion of the associated support and the back side of the receptacle holder;

a controller coupled to each of the plurality of receptacle holders and configured to independently control an incubation temperature of each of the plurality of receptacle holders to independently control a temperature at which the plurality of receptacles held by each of the plurality of receptacle holders is incubated, wherein the incubation temperature of each receptacle holder is the same as or different from the incubation temperature of each other receptacle holder;
at least one signal detector

Assignees

• Gen Probe Inc

Inventors

• Buse David
• Combs David Howard
• Hagen Norbert D
• Opalsky David
• Richardson Bruce
• Prasad Anita
• Moravick Keith
• Moore Tyler

Classifications

• G02B6/4269

  with heat sinks or radiation fins · CPC title

• G02B6/3672

  with fibres arranged in a regular matrix array · CPC title

• G01N2021/6484

  Optical fibres · CPC title

• G02B6/4246

  Bidirectionally operating package structures · CPC title

• G02B6/4214

  the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title