Consumable elements for use with fluid processing and detection systems

• US 20110009297A1
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liu, Dan, Petroff, Christopher, Jones, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/887,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20110009297A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 506/39
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0636 Integrated biosensor, microarrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50855 using modular assemblies of strips or of individual wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/312 for samples mounted on planar substrates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00613 Quality control
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/026 having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes

Abstract

One embodiment describes an automated and flexible system to analyze probe arrays. It comprises a plurality of arrays mounted on pegs that are moved by an instrument handling robot to liquid reaction stations.

Claims

1. An automated and flexible system for conducting hybridization experiments comprising:

a plurality of pegs holding nucleic acid arrays removably mounted on a strip;

an automated robot for moving a strip to selected location;

at least one tray containing wells in rows, the wells having reagents to interact with an array on the peg, each row being associated with a different process step; and

a system to align the peg with the wells on the tray.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 where the strip has four pegs.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 where the strip is removably mounted to a plate.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1 where the strip is encased.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a bar code reader to identify strips or trays.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising operatively connections to a hybridization station and scanning station.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the system to align the pegs with the wells on the tray, comprises:

a set of fiducial features operatively connected to the tray; and

a set of sensors operatively connected to the automated robot to determine a position for the tray relative to the robot.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1 for controlling the temperature of a wash solution comprising:

a heater block whose shape is tailored to give the same temperature in all the wells;

a temperature probe to measure the heater block temperature;

a temperature probe to measure the room temperature; and

a calibrated look up table to adjust for differences between the heater block temperature and the temperature of liquid in the wells based on room temperature.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein there is more than one strip that is held together with a system which comprises;

a base plate;

a snapfit bracket; and

a lid.

10. An automated and flexible system for conducting hybridization experiments comprising:

a plurality of pegs holding nucleic acid arrays removably mounted on a plurality of strips, the strips are held together with a system which comprises;

a base plate;

a snapfit bracket; and

a lid;

an automated robot for moving a strip to selected location;

at least one tray containing wells in rows, the wells having reagents to interact with an array on the peg, each row being associated with a different process step, comprising a wash step having a heater block whose shape is tailored to give the same temperature in all the wells;

a temperature probe to measure the heater block temperature;

a temperature probe to measure the room temperature; and

a calibrated look up table to adjust for differences between the heater block temperature and the temperature of liquid in the wells based on room temperature; and

a system to align the pegs with the wells on the tray, comprising a set of fiducial features operatively connected to the tray; and

a set of sensors operatively connected to the automated robot to determine a position for the tray relative to the robot.