System layout for an automated system for sample preparation and analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9000360-B2
Application number	US-201113882399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2011
Priority date	Oct 29, 2010
Publication date	Apr 7, 2015
Grant date	Apr 7, 2015

Abstract

A sample preparation and analysis system ( 10 ). The system ( 10 ) includes a housing ( 16 ) with a sample preparation station ( 12 ) and a sample analysis station ( 14 ) positioned within the housing ( 16 ). The sample analysis station ( 14 ) is spaced away from the sample preparation station ( 12 ). A transport assembly ( 50 ) is configured to move at least one sample within the housing ( 16 ) and between the sample preparation station ( 12 ) and the sample analysis station ( 14 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system for analyzing a plurality of biological specimens, comprising:
a sample preparation station configured to prepare samples taken from the plurality of biological specimens; and
a sample analysis station including a mass spectrometer configured to quantify one or more analytes in one or more of the prepared samples;
wherein the sample preparation station and the sample analysis station are contained within a housing and such that the sample preparation station is positioned substantially on one side of the housing, at a height that is greater than a height of a base of the mass spectrometer;
the mass spectrometer is positioned substantially on the other side of the housing, at a height that is less than a height of a base of the sample preparation station; and
the sample analysis station further includes one or more liquid chromatography pumps and at least one liquid chromatography mobile phase container, the at least one liquid chromatography mobile phase container being positioned at a height that is greater than a height of the one or more liquid chromatography pumps.

2. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the mass spectrometer is spaced away from the sample preparation station.

3. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the sample preparation station is positioned substantially within the upper quadrant of a first end of the housing.

4. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 3 , wherein the mass spectrometer is positioned substantially within the lower quadrant of a second end of the housing.

5. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the mass spectrometer is positioned on a support that is moveable horizontally with respect to the housing.

6. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the sample analysis station further includes one or more liquid chromatography pumps positioned at a height that is lower than a height of the sample preparation station.

7. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 1 further comprising a transport assembly configured to move at least one sample within the housing in an automated manner between the sample preparation station and the sample analysis station.

8. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the mass spectrometer includes an ionization source positioned towards a front face of the housing.

9. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 8 , wherein the ionization source is removable during transport of the system.

10. The automated biological specimen preparation and mass spectrometry analysis system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more of a roughing pump or a nitrogen generator positioned outside of the housing and coupled to the mass spectrometer.

Assignees

• Dewitte Robert
• Siidorov Juhani
• Nuotio Vesa
• Saukkonen Jukka
• Brann Iii John Edward
• Olney Terry N
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy

Inventors

• Dewitte Robert
• Siidorov Juhani
• Nuotio Vesa
• Saukkonen Jukka
• Brann Iii John Edward
• Olney Terry N

Classifications

• G01N35/00871

  Communications between instruments or with remote terminals · CPC title

• G01N30/02

  Column chromatography · CPC title

• G01N35/026

  having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes · CPC title

• G01N35/00 Primary

  Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor · CPC title

• G01N30/88

  Integrated analysis systems specially adapted therefor, not covered by a single one of the groups G01N30/04 - G01N30/86 · CPC title