Pendant drop control in a multiwell plate

• US 20050236317A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Millipore Corporation
• Original Assignee: Millipore Corporation
• Inventors: Scott, Christopher A., Sheridan, Steven D., Emerick, Marc Richard, Desilets, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US11/062,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236317A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/323.100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0851 Bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/022 droplet contacts the surface of the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/024 touch-off at the side wall of the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/049 vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50255 Multi-well filtration

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multiwell filtration plate system formed of a multiwell filter plate, an underdrain, preferably having spouts as the outlet from the underdrain and a collection device such as a collection plate and the use of a mechanical device such as a fixture in the form of a post, a ramp, a rib, a spout protector ring and the like formed in the collection plate wells or on the outside of the underdrain or both for contacting a forming pendant drop formed on the spout of the underdrain and transferring it to the collection plate well.

Claims

1. ) A collection device containing one or more wells, each of the one or more wells having an open top and the one or more wells each containing a mechanical device for directing the fluid into the collection device well.

2. ) The plate of claim 1 wherein the device for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device wells.

3. ) The plate of claim 1 wherein the device for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device and the fixture is in the form of one or more posts arising from the bottom of each well of the collection device.

4. ) The plate of claim 1 wherein the device for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device wells and the fixture is in the form of one or more posts arising from the bottom of each well of the collection plate and wherein the height of the one or more posts is less than the depth of the well.

5. ) The plate of claim 1 wherein the device for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device wells and the fixture is in the form of one or more ramps arising from a wall of each well of the collection device.

6. ) The plate of claim 1 wherein the device for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device wells and the fixture is in the form of one or more posts extending from one or more walls of the one or more wells of the collection device.

7. ) The plate of claim 1 wherein the device for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device wells and the fixture is in the form of one or more ramps arising from a wall of each well of the collection device and wherein the height of the one or more ramps is less than the depth of the well.

8. ) The plate of claim 1 wherein the device for directing fluid is a fixture formed in each of the collection plate wells and the fixture is in the form of a rib formed adjacent a portion of the inner wall of the collection plate well.

9. ) An underdrain for attachment to a filter plate, the underdrain containing one or more chambers, each of the one or more chambers having an open top and a substantially closed bottom, each of the substantially closed bottoms having an opening to the outside environment in a lower surface of the underdrain and the openings each having a mechanical device formed adjacent the openings for directing fluid collected on the opening.

10. ) The underdrain of claim 9 wherein the device for directing fluid is a combination of a spout and a spout protector ring wherein the spout is located adjacent a wall of the ring.

11. ) The underdrain of claim 9 wherein the device for directing fluid is a combination of a spout that is offset from the centerline of the underdrain.

12. ) The underdrain of claim 9 wherein the device for directing fluid is in the form of a ramp extending downwardly and away from the opening.

13. ) The underdrain of claim 9 wherein the opening has a spout and device for directing fluid is in the form of a ramp extending downwardly and away from the spout.

14. ) The underdrain of claim 9 wherein the opening has a spout surrounded by a spout protection ring and device for directing fluid is in the form of a ramp extending downwardly and away from the spout to an inner wall of the protector ring.

15. ) The underdrain of claim 9 wherein the device for directing fluid is in the form of a ramp extending downwardly and away from the opening and the ramp terminating at its lowest and farthest point from the opening in a drop concentrator.

16. ) The underdrain of claim 9 wherein the opening is in the form of a spout and device for directing fluid is a combination of the spout and a spout protector ring wherein the spout is offset in the ring so as to be closer to one wall of the ring than another and the area of the ring adjacent the spout has been removed.

17. ) The underdrain of claim 9 wherein the opening is in the form of a spout and device for directing fluid is a combination of the spout and a spout protector ring formed of two or more sections wherein the spout is offset in the ring so as to be closer to one wall of the ring than another and the area of the ring adjacent the spout has been removed.

18. ) A multiple well plate filtration system comprising a filter plate having a top, a bottom and a thickness between the top and the bottom, a plurality of wells extending through the thickness, each well having an open top and at least a partially open bottom, a filter located adjacent the bottom to form a permeably selective opening to the bottom, an underdrain having a top surface, a bottom surface and a thickness in between, the top surface of the underdrain attached to the bottom of the plate, the underdrain having a series of chambers formed in its thickness that register and mate with the bottom of the plurality of wells of the plate so as to ensure that fluid passing through the filter of a selected well enters only the respective chamber of the underdrain, each chamber having an opening through the bottom surface of the underdrain to an outside environment, a collection device located below the underdrain, the collection device having an open top, a bottom, a thickness therebetween and one or more wells extending through the thickness, the one or more wells of the collection device being in alignment with the wells of the filter plate and its associated underdrain chamber and a mechanical device for directing the fluid from the opening of the underdrain into the collection plate well.

19. ) The system of claim 18 wherein the device for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device wells.

20. ) The system of claim 18 wherein the device for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device and the fixture is in the form of one or more posts.

21. ) The system of claim 18 wherein the means for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device and the fixture is in the form of one or more posts arising from the bottom of the collection device and wherein the height of the one or more posts is less than the depth of the one or more wells of the collection device.

22. ) The system of claim 18 wherein the means for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in the collection device and the fixture is in the form of one or more posts f, the height of the one or more posts is less than the thickness of the collection device and the one or more posts are offset from a centerpoint of each opening of the underdrain.

23. ) The system of claim 18 wherein the means for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device and the fixture is in the form of one or more ramps arising from one or more walls of the collection device.

24. ) The system of claim 18 wherein the means for directing fluid is one or more fixtures formed in each of the collection device and the fixture is in the form of one or more ramps arising from one or more walls of the collection device and wherein the height of the one or more ramps is less than the thickness of the collection device.

25. ) The system of claim 18 wherein the means for directing fluid is a fixture formed in the one or more wells of the collection device and the fixture is in the form of a rib formed adjacent a portion of one or more of the inner walls of the collection device.

26. ) The system of claim 18 were in the collection device is a collection plate having a series of wells corresponding in location and number to the wells of the filter plate and the wells of the collection plate have closed bottoms.

27. ) The system of claim 18 were in the collection device is a collection plate having a series of wells corresponding in location and number to the wells of the filter plate and the wells of the collection plate have open bottoms.

28. ) A multiple well plate filtration system comprising a filter plate having a top, a bottom and a thickness between the top and the bottom, a plurality of wells extending through the thickness, each well having an open top and at least a partially open bottom, a filter located adjacent the bottom to form a permeably selective opening to the bottom, an underdrain having a top surface, a bottom surface and a thickness in between, the top surface of the underdrain attached to the bottom of the plate, the underdrain having a series of chambers formed in its thickness that register and mate with the bottom of the plurality of wells of the plate so as to ensure that fluid passing the filter of a selected well enters only the respective chamber of the underdrain, each chamber having an opening through the bottom surface of the underdrain to an outside environment, a collection plate located below the underdrain, the collection plate having a top, a bottom and a thickness between the top and the bottom, a plurality of wells extending through the thickness, each well of the collection plate is in alignment with a well of the filter plate and its associated underdrain chamber and opening, wherein each well of the collection plate has a mechanical device for directing the fluid into the collection plate well from the bottom opening of the underdrain and wherein the device is in a form selected from the group consisting of one or more posts, one or more ramps, one or more ribs and combinations thereof.

29. ) A device for separating a liquid sample comprising:

an upper plate having at least two wells integrally connected together, each well having an upper opening and a lower opening, the lower opening being positioned on a bottom surface of the upper plate and a separation layer between located between the upper opening and the lower opening of the upper plate,

a lower collection device arranged below the upper plate, the collection device having one or more wells arranged in register with the two or more wells of the upper plate to receive liquid from the lower opening of the upper plate, wherein each opening has a mechanical device for directing the fluid into the collection device and wherein the mechanical device is in a form selected from the group consisting of one or more one or more ramps, one or more rings and combinations thereof.

30. ) A device for separating a liquid sample comprising:

an upper plate having at least two wells integrally connected together, each well having an upper opening and a lower opening, the lower opening being positioned on a bottom surface of the upper plate and a separation layer between located between the upper opening and the lower opening of the upper plate,

a lower collection device arranged below the upper plate, the collection device having one or more wells arranged in register with the two or more wells of the upper plate to receive liquid from the lower opening of the upper plate, wherein the bottom surface of the upper plate and the collection device contain a series of mechanical devices for directing the fluid into the collection device from each opening and wherein the mechanical devices are in a form selected from the group consisting of one or more one or more ramps, one or more ribs, one or more posts and combinations thereof.

31. ) A device for separating a liquid sample comprising:

an upper plate having at least two wells integrally connected together, each well having an upper opening and a lower opening, the lower opening being smaller than the upper opening and in the form of a spout, the lower opening being positioned on a bottom surface of the upper plate and a separation layer located between the upper opening and the lower opening of the upper plate,

a lower collection plate arranged below the upper plate, the collection plate having one or more wells arranged in register with the two or more wells of the upper plate to receive liquid from the spouts of the upper plate, and wherein the spouts are offset from a centerline of the well of the upper plate and adjacent an inner wall of the wells of the collection plate, wherein the spout is spaced apart from the inner wall of the collection plate by a distance of from about 0.05 R to about less than 1.0 R where R is the radius of a drop formed by the selected spout.