Devices for Improving the Flatness of High-Density Microplates

• US 20110300038A1
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lim, Gary, Sandell, Donald
• Application Number:
  US13/092,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20110300038A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/569
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/523 for multisample carriers, e.g. used for microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/18 of plates or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/756 Microarticles, nanoarticles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00059 vacuum chucks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/042 moved independently, e.g. by fork manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0494 Detecting or compensating piositioning errors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates

Abstract

The present teachings are methods and apparatuses for improving the flatness of high density microwell plates. The flattening devices impart a level of flatness that is equal to or better than a predetermined value thereby enabling the microwells to be precisely located and easily accessed.

Claims

1. A system for imparting a predetermined level of flatness to a microwell plate, the system comprising:

a rigid member having opposite first and second surfaces;

an aperture on said first surface and extending through said rigid member, said aperture allowing a vacuum source to communicate with said first surface;

a sealing member engaging with and extending along said first surface, said sealing member having an opening therein circumscribing a region on said first surface within which said aperture resides, and said sealing member having an upper surface configured to engage with a bottom surface of a microwell plate; and

at least one support member on said first surface and within said region, said support member having an upper surface configured to engage with a bottom surface of a microwell plate,

wherein said upper surfaces of said sealing member and said at least one support member define a planar surface of a predetermined level of flatness that is imparted to a microwell plate engaged thereon and subjected to a vacuum in said region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said sealing member comprises a resilient sealing member.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a channel on said first surface surrounding said aperture and within which said sealing member resides.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said support member comprises a second sealing member that extends along said first surface and surrounds said aperture and further comprising at least one channel in said first surface and within said region, said at least one channel extending from said aperture beyond and beneath said second sealing member and allowing fluid communication between said aperture and a space between said first and second sealing members.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one channel comprises a plurality of channels extending from said aperture beyond and beneath said second sealing member and allowing fluid communication between said aperture and a space between said first and second sealing members.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a channel in said second surface extending from said aperture to a side edge of said rigid member.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid conducting fitting extending from said second surface and communicating with said aperture.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum source communicating with said region on said first surface and operable to impart a vacuum in said region between said first surface and the microwell plate.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one alignment feature on said rigid member, said at least one alignment feature comprising at least one pin projecting from said first surface of said rigid member.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one alignment feature on said rigid member, said at least one alignment feature comprising a plurality of walls extending outwardly from said first surface of said rigid member.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said rigid member comprises a rigid member having a footprint that substantially conforms to SBS standards for a microtiter plate.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said rigid member comprises an instrument deck for at least one of a spotting machine and a filling machine.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said sealing member extends outwardly from said first surface.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said rigid member comprises steel.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said rigid member comprises aluminum.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said rigid member comprises a rigid polymer.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said region comprises a recessed portion of said rigid member.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one support surface comprises a portion of said rigid member.