INSTRUMENT AND PROCESS FOR THE STORING AND/OR PROCESSING OF LIQUID SAMPLES

• US 20120244541A1
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations Incorporated (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Rapp, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,518,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• 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: B65B 7/2878 by heat-sealing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0405 manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates

Abstract

An instrument and process for the automated storing and/or processing of liquid samples are disclosed. The instrument may comprise an instrument casing forming an internal space, a moving mechanism for moving at least one microplate for receiving the samples into and/or out of the internal space, and/or at least one rotatable sealing roller for pressing a sealing cover on the microplate while moving the microplate into or out of the internal space formed by the instrument casing.

Claims

1. An instrument for the automated storing and/or processing of liquid samples, comprising:

an instrument casing forming an internal space;

a moving mechanism for moving at least one microplate for receiving said samples into or out of said internal space;

at least one rotatable sealing roller for pressing a sealing cover on said microplate while moving said microplate into or out of said internal space.

2. The instrument according to claim 1, further comprising at least one rotatable supporting roller for supporting said microplate in a manner to counteract pressing of said sealing roller.

3. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said sealing roller can be heated so as to transfer heat to said sealing cover while pressing said sealing cover on said microplate.

4. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said sealing roller is operatively coupled to a biasing member for biasing said sealing roller against said microplate.

5. The instrument according to claim 1, further including an automated feeding mechanism for feeding said sealing cover upstream to said sealing roller while moving said microplate into or out of said internal space.

6. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said moving mechanism comprises said sealing roller, said sealing roller being rotatably driven for moving said microplate into our out of said internal space.

7. The instrument according to claim 2, wherein said moving mechanism comprises said supporting roller, said supporting roller being rotatably driven for moving said microplate into our out of said internal space.

8. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said moving mechanism comprises a tray for holding said microplate, said tray being movable into or out of said internal space.

9. The instrument according to claim 8, wherein said tray can be moved in an external position for loading or unloading said microplate to and from said tray located outside said instrument casing.

10. A process for the automated storing and/or processing of liquid samples, comprising:

providing a microplate for receiving said samples;

placing a sealing cover over said microplate;

moving said microplate into or out of an internal space formed by an instrument casing; and

pressing said sealing cover on said microplate while moving said microplate so as to fix said sealing cover to said microplate.

11. The process according to claim 10, wherein said sealing cover is heated while said sealing cover is pressed on said microplate so as to thermally fix said sealing cover to said microplate.

12. The process according to claim 10, wherein said sealing cover is placed over said microplate while said microplate is moved into or out of said internal space.

13. The process according to claim 10, wherein said microplate is automatically loaded or unloaded to and from a tray.

14. The process according to claim 10, wherein said sealing cover is automatically placed over said microplate while said microplate is moved into or out of said internal space.

15. The process according to claim 10, wherein said sealing cover-sealed microplate is actively cooled in said internal space.