High density plate filler

• US 20050232822A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Reed, Mark T., Harding, Ian A., Carrillo, Albert L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,695,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• 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 2200/0689 Sealing
• 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 3/50851 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 3/563 Joints or fittings in general F16L; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors
• 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 9/50 : Clamping means, tongs in general F16B2/06
• 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 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 35/028 : having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates

Abstract

A filling apparatus for filling a microplate. The microplate can comprise a plurality of wells each sized to receive an assay. A substrate can comprise a first surface and an opposing second surface, a first assay input port for receiving the assay disposed on the first surface, a plurality of staging capillaries extending through the substrate, and a first plurality of microfluidic channels fluidly coupling the first assay input port with at least one of the plurality of staging capillaries. Each of the plurality of staging capillaries can comprise an inlet and an outlet and be sized to receive the assay.

Claims

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:

a substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, said substrate further having a first assay input port for receiving the assay, a plurality of staging capillaries extending through said substrate, and a first plurality of microfluidic channels fluidly coupling said first assay input port with at least one of said plurality of staging capillaries, each of said plurality of staging capillaries having an inlet and an outlet and being sized to receive the assay.

2. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first assay input portion comprises a plurality of upstanding walls together defining a fluid well, said fluid well terminating at a throat, said throat having a reduced-cross section relative to said fluid well.

3. The filling apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a surface tension relief post extending upward within said throat, said surface tension relief post engagable with the assay in at least one of said first assay input port.

4. The filling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one fluid overfill reservoir in fluid communication with at least a portion of said first plurality of microfluidic portions, said at least one fluid overfill reservoir being sized to generally reduce filling thereof with the assay prior to application of a centripetal force.

5. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first assay input port is disposed at an end of said substrate.

6. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first assay input port is disposed at a side of said substrate.

7. The filling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second assay input port in fluid communication with a second plurality of microfluidic channels, said first assay input port and said second assay input port being opposingly space across said substrate; and

a barrier feature formed between said first plurality of microfluidic channels and said second plurality of microfluidic channels.

8. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of staging capillaries is sized relative to said first plurality of microfluidic channels and said first assay input port to provide sufficient force to draw a predetermined volume of the assay therein.

9. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of staging capillaries is sized relative to said first plurality of microfluidic channels and said first assay input port to provide sufficient force to draw a predetermined volume of the assay therein and permit release of the assay from each of said plurality of staging capillaries in response to an applied centripetal force.

10. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of staging capillaries is spaced relative to adjacent ones of said plurality of staging capillaries to permit filling of the microplate.

11. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with the microplate having said plurality of wells, said microplate comprising at least about 96 wells.

12. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with the microplate having said plurality of wells, said microplate comprising at least about 384 wells.

13. The filling apparatus according to claim 1 in combination with the microplate having said plurality of wells, said microplate comprising at least about 6144 wells.

14. 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:

a substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, said substrate further having a first assay input port, a plurality of staging capillaries extending through said substrate, and a first plurality of microfluidic channels fluidly coupling said first assay input port with at least one of said plurality of staging capillaries, each of said plurality of staging capillaries having an inlet and an outlet;

a second assay input port in fluid communication with a second plurality of microfluidic channels, said first assay input port and said second assay input port being opposingly space across said substrate; and

a barrier feature formed between said first plurality of microfluidic channels and said second plurality of microfluidic channels.

15. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said first assay input portion comprises a plurality of upstanding walls together defining a fluid well, said fluid well terminating at a throat, said throat having a reduced-cross section relative to said fluid well.

16. The filling apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

a surface tension relief post extending upward within said throat, said surface tension relief post engagable with the assay in at least one of said first assay input port.

17. The filling apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

at least one fluid overfill reservoir in fluid communication with at least a portion of said first plurality of microfluidic portions, said at least one fluid overfill reservoir being sized to generally reduce filling thereof with the assay prior to application of a centripetal force.

18. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said first assay input port is disposed at an end of said substrate.

19. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said first assay input port is disposed at a side of said substrate.

20. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of staging capillaries is sized relative to said first plurality of microfluidic channels and said first assay input port to provide sufficient force to draw a predetermined volume of the assay therein.

21. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of staging capillaries is sized relative to said first plurality of microfluidic channels and said first assay input port to provide sufficient force to draw a predetermined volume of the assay therein and permit release of the assay from each of said plurality of staging capillaries in response to an applied centripetal force.

22. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of staging capillaries is spaced relative to adjacent ones of said plurality of staging capillaries to permit filling of the microplate.

23. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 in combination with the microplate having said plurality of wells, said microplate comprising at least 96 wells.

24. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 in combination with the microplate having said plurality of wells, said microplate comprising at least 384 wells.

25. The filling apparatus according to claim 14 in combination with the microplate having said plurality of wells, said microplate comprising at least 6144 wells.

26. A method of filling a microplate comprising:

providing a microplate having a plurality of wells;

inserting an assay into an assay input port;

drawing said assay from said assay input port to a staging capillary through a microfluidic channel, said staging capillary being generally aligned with a corresponding one of said plurality of wells;

staking said microfluidic channel at a position between said assay input port and said staging capillary to reduce assay flow between said assay input port and said staging capillary; and

applying a centripetal force such that said assay in said staging capillary is forced into said corresponding well.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein said applying said centripetal force such that said assay in said staging capillary is forced into said corresponding well comprises applying a centripetal force such that said assay in said staging capillary is forced into said corresponding well and assay in said microfluidic channel is forced into a fluid overfill reservoir.