PLATE ALIGNMENT AND SAMPLE TRANSFER INDICIA FOR A MULTIWELL MULTIPLATE STACK AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING BIOLOGICAL/CHEMICAL SAMPLES USING THE SAME

• US 20010001644A1
• Filed: 05/21/1999
• Published: 05/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pall Corporation (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jonathan L Coffman
• Inventors: LU, HONG, COFFMAN, JONATHAN L., WOODS, ERNEST J. III
• Granted Patent: US 6,464,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/102
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50255 Multi-well filtration
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/405 by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/388 mixing the sample with a tracer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00277 Special precautions to avoid contamination (e.g. enclosures, glove- boxes, sealed sample carriers, disposal of contaminated material)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00485 combined with sample carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1095 for supplying the samples to flow-through analysers for a specific analyser see relevant groups, e.g. under G01N15/00, G01N21/00, G01N27/00, G01N30/00, H01J49/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Device and method for processing biological, biochemical or chemical samples are provided wherein a first multiwell plate is stacked atop a second multiwell plate. The first multiwell plate has x wells arranged in a regular array, each capable of receiving a separate sample. Each well of the x wells has an outlet at a lower surface of the first plate. The second multiwell plate has y wells arranged in a regular array, each well of the y wells being capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein y>x. The outlets at the lower surface of the first multiwell plate are arrayed to register with corresponding inlets of a subset of the y wells of the second multiwell plate when the first plate is stacked atop the second plate. A mechanism for aligning the first plate to the second plate is provided, as well as transfer indicia for tracking transfer of sample from the first plate to the second plate. Also, a mechanism for sealing the first plate to the second plate is provided so that samples can be directly transferred between the first plate and the second plate without cross-contamination occurring in open wells of the second plate.

Claims

1. A device for processing biological/chemical samples comprising:

a first multiwell plate having x wells arranged in a regular array, each well of said x wells being capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein each well of said x wells has an outlet at a lower surface of the first multiwell plate;

a second multiwell plate having y wells arranged in a regular array, each well of said y wells being capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein y≧

x and said outlets at the lower surface of said first multiwell plate are arranged to register with corresponding inlets of x′

wells of said y wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is aligned with and stacked atop said second multiwell plate, wherein x′

=x; and

means for aligning said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate so that said x wells of said first multiwell plate automatically align to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate using said means for aligning, whereby samples can be transferred from said x wells of said first multiwell plate to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate.

2. The device of

claim 1

, wherein said means for aligning comprises first alignment indicia on said first multiwell plate and corresponding second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, wherein aligning of said first alignment indicia and said second alignment indicia when stacking said first multiwell plate atop said second multiwell plate facilitates said automatic aligning of said x wells of said first multiwell plate to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate.

3. The device of

claim 2

, wherein said first alignment indicia and said corresponding second alignment indicia comprise matching color indicia.

4. The device of

claim 2

, wherein y=(x×

n) and n≧

2, and wherein said device further comprises n first multiwell plates each having x wells arranged in a regular array, and each of said x wells being capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein said means for aligning comprises n first alignment indicia on said n first multiwell plates, each first alignment indicia being disposed on a separate first multiwell plate, said means for aligning further comprising at least two second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, wherein at least two first alignment indicia on said first multiwell plates have corresponding second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate.

5. The device of

claim 4

, wherein n=4, and wherein said means for aligning comprises four first alignment indicia one each on said four first multiwell plates, and four corresponding second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, each first alignment indicia having a corresponding second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, and wherein each first alignment indicia and corresponding second alignment indicia comprise matching color indicia.

6. The device of

claim 5

, wherein said x wells of said first multiwell plates comprise 96-wells and wherein said y wells of said second multiwell plate comprise 384-wells.

7. The device of

claim 2

, wherein said means for aligning further comprises an alignment guide coupled to either said first multiwell plate or said second multiwell plate so that said x wells of said first multiwell plate automatically align to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate using said alignment guide.

8. The device of

claim 7

, wherein said alignment guide is coupled to said first multiwell plate and said first alignment indicia is disposed near said alignment guide.

9. The device of

claim 8

, wherein said first multiwell plate and said second multiwell plate have a common shape and similar size, and wherein said alignment guide is disposed at a corner of said first multiwell plate and extends downward therefrom for aligning thereof to a corner of said second multiwell plate, said corner of said second multiwell plate containing said corresponding second alignment indicia.

10. The device of

claim 9

, wherein said first multiwell plate and said second multiwell plate have a common rectangular shape, and wherein said x wells of said first multiwell plate comprise 96-wells, said y wells of said second multiwell plate comprise 384-wells, and said means for aligning comprises multiple second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, each second alignment indicia being disposed at a different corner of said second multiwell plate.

11. The device of

claim 10

, further comprising four first multiwell plates each having x wells arranged in a regular array, each well of said x wells being capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein each well of said x wells has an outlet at a lower surface of the first multiwell plate, and wherein each multiwell plate of said four first multiwell plates has said common shape and similar size, and wherein said means for aligning comprises four alignment guides, each alignment guide being coupled to a different first multiwell plate so that said x wells of each first multiwell plate align to a different quadrant of said 384-wells of said second multiwell plate.

12. The device of

claim 11

, wherein said means for aligning further comprises four first alignment indicia on said four first multiwell plates, each first alignment indicia being disposed near the alignment guide coupled to a different first multiwell plate, and four second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, each first alignment indicia having a corresponding second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate for facilitating aligning of each first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate.

13. The device of

claim 1

, further comprising means for sealing said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate so that said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate so that samples can be transferred from said x wells of said first multiwell plate to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate without cross-contamination occurring between wells of said second multiwell plate.

14. A device for processing biological/chemical samples comprising:

a first multiwell plate having x wells arranged in a regular array, each well of said x wells being capable of receiving a separate sample;

a second multiwell plate having y wells arranged in a regular array, each well of said y wells being capable of receiving a separate sample; and

transfer indicia for indicating transfer of sample from said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate, said transfer indicia being disposed within said first multiwell plate and transferring from said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate with transfer of sample therebetween.

15. The device of

claim 14

, wherein said transfer indicia comprises color indicia.

16. The device of

claim 14

, wherein each well of said x wells of said first multiwell plate has an outlet at a lower surface of the first multiwell plate, and wherein y≧

x and said outlets at the lower surface of said first multiwell plate are arranged to register with corresponding inlets of x′

wells of said y wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate, wherein x′

=x, and wherein said transfer indicia comprises means for tracking transfer of samples from wells of said first multiwell plate to wells of said second multiwell plate, and simultaneously for indicating whether cross-contamination has occurred between wells of said second multiwell plate.

17. The device of

claim 16

, wherein said transfer indicia comprises inert color indicia disposed within at least one well of said first multiwell plate, said inert color indicia transferring from said at least one well of said first multiwell plate to at least one well of said second multiwell plate with transfer of samples from said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate.

18. The device of

claim 17

, wherein y=(x×

n), n≧

2, and wherein said device further comprises n first multiwell plates each having x wells arranged in a regular array, and each of said x wells is capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein said x wells of each first multiwell plate contain a unique color indicia, said unique color indicia of each first multiwell plate being inert and being transferred from said x wells of said first multiwell plate to corresponding x′

wells of said second multiwell plate upon transfer of samples from said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate.

19. The device of

claim 18

, wherein n=4, and wherein said four first multiwell plates comprise four unique color indicia, said four unique color indicia comprising red indicia, yellow indicia, green indicia, and blue indicia, each unique color indicia being inert and being contained within a different first multiwell plate, each first multiwell plate of said four first multiwell plates transferring samples to a different quadrant of wells of said y wells of said second multiwell plate, wherein said red, yellow, green and blue indicia are respectively transferred from said four first multiwell plates to said second multiwell plate with transfer of sample therebetween.

20. The device of

claim 16

, further comprising means for aligning said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate so that said x wells of said first multiwell plate automatically align to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate using said means for aligning.

21. The device of

claim 20

, wherein said means for aligning comprises first alignment indicia on said first multiwell plate and corresponding second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, wherein aligning of said first alignment indicia and said second alignment indicia when stacking said first multiwell plate atop said second multiwell plate facilitates said automatic aligning of said x wells of said first multiwell plate to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate.

22. The device of

claim 21

, wherein said first alignment indicia and said corresponding second alignment indicia comprise matching color indicia.

23. The device of

claim 22

, wherein said x wells of said first multiwell plate comprise 96-wells and said y wells of said second multiwell plate comprise 384-wells.

24. The device of

claim 21

, wherein said means for aligning further comprises an alignment guide coupled to either said first multiwell plate or said second multiwell plate so that said x wells of said first multiwell plate automatically align to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate using said alignment guide.

25. The device of

claim 24

, wherein said alignment guide is coupled to said first multiwell plate and said first alignment indicia is disposed near said alignment guide.

26. The device of

claim 25

, wherein said first multiwell plate and said second multiwell plate have a common shape and similar size, and wherein said alignment guide is disposed at a corner of said first multiwell plate and extends downward therefrom for aligning thereof to a corner of said second multiwell plate, said corner of said second multiwell plate containing said corresponding second alignment indicia.

27. The device of

claim 26

, wherein said first multiwell plate and said second multiwell plate have a common rectangular shape, and wherein said x wells of said first multiwell plate comprise 96-wells and said y wells of said second multiwell plate comprise 384-wells, and said means for aligning comprises multiple second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, each of said second alignment indicia being disposed at a different corner of said second multiwell plate.

28. The device of

claim 27

, further comprising four first multiwell plates each having x wells arranged in a regular array, each well of said x wells being capable of receiving a separate sample, and wherein each well of said x wells has an outlet in a lower surface of the first multiwell plate, and wherein each multiwell plate of said four first multiwell plates has said common shape and similar size, and wherein said means for aligning comprises four alignment guides, each alignment guide being coupled to a different first multiwell plate so that said x wells of each first multiwell plate align to a different quadrant of said 384-wells of said second multiwell plate when the first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate using the alignment guide.

29. The device of

claim 28

, wherein said means for aligning further comprises four first alignment indicia on said four first multiwell plates, each first alignment indicia being disposed near a different alignment guide coupled to one of said four first multiwell plates, and four second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate, each first alignment indicia having a corresponding second alignment indicia on said second multiwell plate for facilitating aligning of each first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate.

30. The device of

claim 29

, wherein each first alignment indicia and corresponding second alignment indicia comprise matching color indicia.

31. The device of

claim 20

, further comprising means for sealing said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate so that samples can be transferred from said x wells of said first multiwell plate to said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate without cross-contamination occurring between wells of said second multiwell plate.

32. A method for processing biological/chemical samples comprising:

(a) providing a first multiwell plate having x wells arranged in a regular array, each well of said x wells being capable of receiving a separate sample;

(b) providing a second multiwell plate having y wells arranged in a regular array, each well of said y wells being capable of receiving a sample;

(c) providing inert transfer indicia within at least one well of said x wells of said first multiwell plate;

(d) transferring sample from said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate, said transferring including transferring said transfer indicia from said at least one well of said first multiwell plate to at least one well of said second multiwell plate, wherein said transfer indicia tracks transfer of sample from said at least one well of said first multiwell plate to said at least one well of said second multiwell plate, and occurrence of cross-contamination between wells of said second multiwell plate can be monitored using said transfer indicia.

33. The method of

claim 32

, wherein said providing (a) includes providing said first multiwell plate so that each well of said x wells has a filter, and wherein said transfer indicia comprises color indicia and said providing (c) comprises providing liquid color indicia within said at least one well of said x wells of said first multiwell plate, allowing said liquid color indicia to dry on the filters of said at least one well of said x wells, and thereafter, introducing sample into wells of said x wells of said first multiwell plate.

34. The method of

claim 33

, wherein said providing (c) comprises providing transfer indicia within each well of said x wells of said first multiwell plate.

35. The method of

claim 34

, wherein said providing (a) comprises providing said first multiwell plate so that each well of said x wells has an outlet at a lower surface of said first multiwell plate, said providing (b) comprises providing said second multiwell plate with y wells so that y≧

x, said outlets at the lower surface of the first multiwell plate being arrayed to register with corresponding inlets of x′

wells of said second multiwell plate when said first multiwell plate is stacked atop said second multiwell plate, wherein x′

=x, and wherein said method further comprises stacking said first multiwell plate atop said second multiwell plate with said outlets of said x wells of said first multiwell plate registering with said corresponding inlets of said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate, said stacking occurring prior to said transferring (d).

36. The method of

claim 35

, wherein each of said x′

wells of said second multiwell plate has an outlet at a lower surface of said second multiwell plate, and wherein said transferring (d) comprises applying a vacuum to said outlets of said second multiwell plate to draw samples from said first multiwell plate into and through said second multiwell plate.

37. The method of

claim 36

, wherein said second multiwell plate comprises a purification plate, and said transferring (d) comprises purifying said samples transferred into said x′

wells of said purification plate simultaneous with said samples being drawn therethrough, wherein said color indicia transfers from said first multiwell plate into said second multiwell plate with transfer of sample therebetween.

38. The method of

claim 35

, wherein said first multiwell plate comprises a 96-well plate and said second multiwell plate comprises a 384-well plate, and wherein said providing (a) further comprises providing three additional 96-well plates, and said providing (c) comprises providing a unique color indicia for each 96-well plate so that said transferring (d) of sample from each 96-well plate includes simultaneous tracking of said unique color indicia associated therewith.

39. The method of

claim 35

, further comprising creating a seal between the lower surface of said first multiwell plate and an upper surface of said second multiwell plate upon said stacking of said first multiwell plate atop said second multiwell plate, said seal preventing cross-contamination between wells of said second multiwell plate during said transferring of samples from said first multiwell plate to said second multiwell plate.