Single sheet seal applicator and cartridge

• US 20050232818A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Harding, Ian A., Fawcett, Adrian, Carrillo, Albert L., Sandell, Donald, Lim, Gary
• Application Number:
  US11/086,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20050232818A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/99
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/021 Adjust spacings in an array of wells, pipettes or holders, format transfer between arrays of different size or geometry
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0851 Bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1805 Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/523 : for multisample carriers, e.g. used for microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/56 : Means for indicating position of a recipient or sample in an array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00366 : Several different temperatures used
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/274 : Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 : Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/648 : using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 : having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates

Abstract

An automated seal applicator for applying a sealing cover to a microplate. The microplate can comprise a plurality of wells for receiving an assay. The automated seal applicator can comprise a housing and a sealing cover cartridge containing a sealing cover releasably carried on a carrier liner. The sealing cover can be at least partially contained within the sealing cover cartridge. A sealing cover drive system can engage the sealing cover and/or the carrier liner and maintain a predetermined alignment of the sealing cover relative to the microplate.

Claims

1. An automated seal applicator for applying a sealing cover to a microplate, said microplate having a plurality of wells for receiving an assay, said automated seal applicator comprising:

a housing;

a sealing cover cartridge containing a sealing cover releasably carried on a carrier liner, said sealing cover being at least partially contained within said sealing cover cartridge; and

a sealing cover drive system engaging at least one of said sealing cover and said carrier liner and maintaining a predetermined alignment of said sealing cover relative to the microplate.

2. The automated seal applicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a heating system for heating said sealing cover.

3. The automated seal applicator according to claim 2 wherein said heating system comprises:

a heated roller member engaging said sealing cover.

4. The automated seal applicator according to claim 1 wherein said sealing cover cartridge comprises:

a top cover; and

a bottom cover connectable with said top cover to define a volume therebetween and an opening, said volume being sized to receive at least a portion of said sealing cover and said carrier liner.

5. The automated seal applicator according to claim 4 wherein said sealing cover cartridge further comprises:

a separator disposed between said top cover and said bottom cover, said separator carrying said carrier liner.

6. The automated seal applicator according to claim 1 wherein said carrier liner is partially disposed about a radius in said sealing cover cartridge, said radius being sized to permit urge said sealing cover to delaminate from said carrier liner as said carrier liner is driven about said radius.

7. The automated seal applicator according to claim 6 wherein said radius is a wheel member.

8. The automated seal applicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tray assembly having a recessed portion sized to receive the microplate.

9. The automated seal applicator according to claim 8, further comprising:

a tray drive system operably coupled to said tray assembly to move said tray assembly between an extended position and a retracted position.

10. The automated seal applicator according to claim 9, further comprising:

a control system operably coupled with at least one of said sealing cover drive system, said heating system, and said tray drive system to control an operation thereof, said control system operable to output a signal to a status indicia.

11. The automated seal applicator according to claim 10 wherein said status indicia comprises a TEMP alert indicia, a SEAL EMPTY alert indicia, a TRAY JAM alert indicia, a SEAL JAM alert indicia, a POWER alert indicia, a READY alert indicia, or any combination thereof.

12. An automated seal applicator for applying a sealing cover to a microplate, said microplate having a plurality of wells for receiving an assay, said automated seal applicator comprising:

a housing;

a sealing cover cartridge containing a sealing cover releasably carried on a carrier liner, said sealing cover being at least partially contained within said sealing cover cartridge; and

a sealing cover drive system engaging at least one of said sealing cover and said carrier liner and maintaining a predetermined alignment of said sealing cover relative to the microplate,

wherein said carrier liner is partially disposed about a radius in said sealing cover cartridge, said radius being sized to permit urge said sealing cover to delaminate from said carrier liner as said carrier liner is driven about said radius.

13. The automated seal applicator according to claim 12, further comprising:

a heating system for heating said sealing cover.

14. The automated seal applicator according to claim 13 wherein said heating system comprises:

a heated roller member engaging said sealing cover.

15. The automated seal applicator according to claim 12 wherein said sealing cover cartridge comprises:

a top cover; and

a bottom cover connectable with said top cover to define a volume therebetween and an opening, said volume being sized to receive at least a portion of said sealing cover and said carrier liner.

16. The automated seal applicator according to claim 15 wherein said sealing cover cartridge further comprises:

a separator disposed between said top cover and said bottom cover, said separator carrying said carrier liner.

17. The automated seal applicator according to claim 16 wherein said radius is a wheel member.

18. The automated seal applicator according to claim 12, further comprising:

a tray assembly having a recessed portion sized to receive the microplate.

19. The automated seal applicator according to claim 18, further comprising:

a tray drive system operably coupled to said tray assembly to move said tray assembly between an extended position and a retracted position.

20. The automated seal applicator according to claim 19, further comprising:

a control system operably coupled with at least one of said sealing cover drive system, said heating system, and said tray drive system to control an operation thereof, said control system operable to output a signal to a status indicia.

21. The automated seal applicator according to claim 20 wherein said status indicia comprises a TEMP alert indicia, a SEAL EMPTY alert indicia, a TRAY JAM alert indicia, a SEAL JAM alert indicia, a POWER alert indicia, a READY alert indicia, or any combination thereof.