High density plate filler
First Claim
1. A filling apparatus for filling a microplate, said microplate having a plurality of wells, each of said plurality of wells being sized to receive an assay therein, said filling apparatus comprising:
- an output layer having a plurality of capillaries, each of said plurality of capillaries having an inlet and an outlet; and
a funnel assembly having a funnel member sized to receive the assay, said funnel member having an outlet for delivering a fluid bead of the assay along a top surface of said output layer and in fluid communication with each of said plurality of capillaries such that a portion of said fluid bead is drawn within at least some of the plurality of capillaries in response to capillary force, said funnel assembly and said output layer being moveable relative to each other between a first position and a second position to draw said fluid bead across said top surface.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A filling apparatus for filling a microplate. The microplate having a plurality of wells each sized to receive an assay. The filling apparatus can comprise an output layer having a plurality of capillaries. Each of the plurality of capillaries can comprises an inlet and an outlet. A funnel assembly can comprise a funnel member sized to receive the assay. The funnel member can comprise an outlet for delivering a fluid bead of the assay along a top surface of the output layer and in fluid communication with each of the plurality of capillaries such that a portion of the fluid bead can be drawn within at least some of the plurality of capillaries in response to capillary force. The funnel assembly and the output layer can be moveable relative to each other between a first position and a second position to draw the fluid bead across the top surface.
268 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A filling apparatus for filling a microplate, said microplate having a plurality of wells, each of said plurality of wells being sized to receive an assay therein, said filling apparatus comprising:
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an output layer having a plurality of capillaries, each of said plurality of capillaries having an inlet and an outlet; and
a funnel assembly having a funnel member sized to receive the assay, said funnel member having an outlet for delivering a fluid bead of the assay along a top surface of said output layer and in fluid communication with each of said plurality of capillaries such that a portion of said fluid bead is drawn within at least some of the plurality of capillaries in response to capillary force, said funnel assembly and said output layer being moveable relative to each other between a first position and a second position to draw said fluid bead across said top surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 41)
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24. A filling apparatus for filling a microplate, said microplate having a plurality of wells, each of said plurality of wells being sized to receive an assay therein, said filling apparatus comprising:
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an output layer having a plurality of capillaries, each of said plurality of capillaries having an inlet and an outlet; and
a funnel assembly having a first assay chamber and a second assay chamber, said first assay chamber being in fluid communication with a first grouping of said plurality of capillaries and said second assay chamber being in fluid communication with said second grouping of said plurality of capillaries, said first grouping being separate from said second grouping, said first assay chamber and said second assay chamber delivering separate fluid beads of the assay along a top surface of said output layer and in fluid communication with said first grouping and said second grouping respectively to draw at least a portion of said fluid bead in to at least some of the plurality of capillaries in response to capillary force. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of filling a microplate comprising:
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providing an output layer having a plurality of capillaries;
drawing a first fluid bead of a first assay across said output layer such that at least a portion of said first assay of said first fluid bead is drawn within a first of said plurality of capillaries;
aligning a microplate having a plurality of wells with said output layer; and
applying a centripetal force to said output layer such that said first in said first capillary is forced into a first of said plurality of wells. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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Specification