Robotically manipulable sample handling tool

• US 20050132822A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Protedyne Corporation (Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings)
• Original Assignee: Protedyne Corporation (Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings)
• Inventors: Massaro, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/863.320
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1074 arranged in a two-dimensional array

Abstract

A sample handling tool, such as a colony picking head or robotic pipetting tool, includes sample handling needles, e.g., capillaries, arranged on the tool. Actuators are associated with each capillary to control flow for the capillary, e.g., to move the capillary and/or draw fluid into/expel fluid from the capillary. The actuators are arranged so that capillaries may be individually controlled by a controller that is capable of outputting a number of control signals that is less than the total number of capillaries. The actuators may be valves that receive two signals from a controller, a first signal that opens or closes the valve, and a second signal that allows fluid to flow in the valve.

Claims

1. A sample handling tool, comprising:

a body;

a plurality of capillaries mounted to the body, each of the plurality of capillaries constructed and arranged to remove material from a work area and deposit material on a work area;

a plurality of actuators, each of the plurality of actuators associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of capillaries and constructed and arranged to actuate the corresponding capillary, the plurality of actuators grouped into a first number of control groups and a second number of drive groups, each control group and drive group having only one actuator in common, the first and second numbers being greater than one;

a plurality of control switches mounted to the body, each of the plurality of control switches associated with a corresponding control group of actuators and adapted to provide a control signal to the actuators in the corresponding control group of actuators; and

a plurality of drive switches mounted to the body, each of the plurality of drive switches associated with a corresponding drive group and adapted to provide a drive signal to the actuators in the corresponding drive group;

wherein the plurality of control switches and the plurality of drive switches are constructed and arranged to provide control signals and drive signals, respectively, to individually actuate each of the plurality of capillaries.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators includes a valve that controls fluid flow with respect to a corresponding capillary.

3. The tool of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of control switches provides an air pressure signal to valves in a control group corresponding to the control switch.

4. The tool of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of drive switches provides a fluid flow to valves in a drive group corresponding to the drive switch.

5. The tool of claim 2, wherein the plurality of capillaries and corresponding valves are arranged in an M×

N array with control groups of valves arranged in rows and drive groups of valves arranged in columns.

6. The tool of claim 5, wherein the plurality of control switches each provide an air pressure signal to valves in a corresponding row.

7. The tool of claim 5, wherein the plurality of drive switches each provide a fluid flow to valves in a corresponding column.

8. The tool of claim 5, wherein actuation of a capillary includes extending the capillary from the body.

9. The tool of claim 5, wherein actuation of a capillary includes one of drawing fluid into and expelling fluid from the capillary.

10. A sample handling tool, comprising:

a body;

a first number of capillaries mounted to the body, each of the capillaries constructed and arranged to remove material from a work area and deposit material on a work area;

a first number of valves, each valve associated with a corresponding capillary and controlling flow for the capillary; and

a valve controller constructed and arranged to control each of the valves by providing a maximum of a second number of signals to the valves, the second number being less than the first number;

wherein the valve controller is adapted to control the valves to individually control flow for each capillary.

11. The tool of claim 10, wherein the valve controller provides an air pressure signal to the valves to control the valves between open and closed states.

12. The tool of claim 11, wherein the valve controller provides a fluid flow to valves.

13. The tool of claim 10, wherein the plurality of capillaries and corresponding valves are arranged in an M×

N array with control groups of valves arranged in rows and drive groups of valves arranged in columns.

14. The tool of claim 13, wherein the valve controller provides an air pressure signal to valves in a corresponding row.

15. The tool of claim 13, wherein the valve controller provides a fluid flow to valves in a corresponding column.

16. The tool of claim 10, wherein the capillaries are arranged to move relative to the body.

17. The tool of claim 10, wherein controlling flow for a capillary includes allowing fluid to enter into the capillary and/or expelling fluid from the capillary.

18. The tool of claim 13, wherein the valve controller is mounted to the body.

19. The tool of claim 10, wherein the valve controller is adapted to control the valves to simultaneously control flow for a plurality of capillaries, wherein control of flow for the capillaries includes allowing fluid to enter into the capillaries and/or expelling fluid from the capillaries.

20. The tool of claim 10, wherein:

wherein the plurality of capillaries and corresponding valves are arranged in an M×

N array; and

the valve controller comprises a plurality of switches that provide signals to the valves, the number of switches being at most M+N.

21. A sample handling tool, comprising:

a body;

a first number of capillaries mounted to the tool body, each of the capillaries constructed and arranged to remove material from a work area and deposit material on a work area; and

a controller that is adapted to control the capillaries so as to simultaneously actuate a plurality of the capillaries, and is adapted to control the capillaries so as to individually actuate each capillary independent of other capillaries.

22. The tool of claim 21, wherein the controller includes a plurality of actuators that each correspond to a capillary and control fluid flow for the corresponding capillary.

23. The tool of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of actuators receives an air pressure signal to actuate a corresponding capillary.

24. The tool of claim 22, wherein each of the actuators is arranged to control a fluid flow in the corresponding capillary.

25. The tool of claim 22, wherein each actuator includes a valve that is adjustable between open and closed states to allow fluid to flow in a corresponding capillary.

26. The tool of claim 21, wherein the plurality of capillaries are arranged in an M×

N array.

27. The tool of claim 21, wherein the controller actuates capillaries to allow fluid to flow into selected capillaries by capillary action.

28. The tool of claim 21, wherein the wherein the controller actuates capillaries to expel fluid from selected capillaries.

29. The tool of claim 21, wherein the controller controls selected capillaries to expel a controlled volume of fluid.

30. The tool of claim 21, wherein actuation of a capillary includes one of aspirating fluid into and expelling fluid from the capillary.

31. The tool of claim 21, wherein the controller is mounted to the body.

32. The tool of claim 21, wherein the controller includes M switches each associated with M columns of capillaries, each of the M switches corresponding to and providing signals to a corresponding column, and N switches each associated with N rows of capillaries, each of the N switches corresponding to and providing signals to a corresponding row.

33. The tool of claim 21, wherein the controller can actuate selected groups of capillaries to simultaneously pick up or expel fluid.

34. The tool of claim 21, wherein the tool includes a first number of capillaries, and the valve controller is adapted to individually actuate each of the capillaries using a second number of signals that is less than the first number.

35. A sample handling tool, comprising:

a body;

a first number of needles mounted to the body, each of the needles constructed and arranged to remove material from a work area and deposit material on a work area;

a first number of actuators, each actuator associated with a corresponding needle and controlling flow for the needle; and

a controller constructed and arranged to control each of the actuators by providing a maximum of a second number of signals to the actuators, the second number being less than the first number;

wherein the controller is adapted to control the actuators to individually control flow for each needle.

36. The tool of claim 35, wherein the actuators each include a valve.