Photometric apparatus for multiwell plates having a positionable lens assembly
First Claim
1. A photometric apparatus for determining a characteristic of individual ones of a plurality of samples contained within a plurality of sample chambers, comprising:
- an enclosure;
means for providing a substantially uniform source of radiation to said enclosure such that a plurality of sample chambers, disposed within said enclosure, are simultaneously illuminated by said uniform source means;
optical lens means, interposed between said uniform source providing means and the plurality of sample chambers, for directing radiation emanating from said substantially uniform source of radiation simultaneously into each of the sample chambers;
means, coupled to said optical lens means, for controllably positioning said optical lens means relative to the sample chambers; and
means for detecting an amount of radiation, if any, that is transmitted through individual ones of the sample chambers, said detecting means having an output signal having a magnitude which is a function of the amount of radiation, if any, which is transmitted through an individual one of the sample chambers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to photometric apparatus and method for determining a characteristic of individual ones of a plurality of samples contained within a plurality of sample chambers. The photometric apparatus includes an enclosure; a substantially uniform source of radiation coupled to the enclosure such that a plurality of sample chambers, disposed within the enclosure, are simultaneously illuminated by the uniform source; and apparatus for detecting an amount of radiation which is transmitted through individual ones of the sample chambers, the detecting apparatus having an output signal having a magnitude which is a function of the amount of radiation which is transmitted through an individual one of the sample chambers. The substantially uniform source of radiation may include at least one source of radiation having an output comprising wavelengths within a first range of wavelengths and an optically integrating sphere having a radiation input port coupled to the output of the source of radiation and a radiation output port coupled to the enclosure. The photometric apparatus may further include radiation directing devices interposed between the radiation output port and the plurality of sample chambers for simultaneously directing radiation emanating from the output port into each of the sample chambers. The directed radiation may be either focussed or collimated.
81 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A photometric apparatus for determining a characteristic of individual ones of a plurality of samples contained within a plurality of sample chambers, comprising:
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an enclosure; means for providing a substantially uniform source of radiation to said enclosure such that a plurality of sample chambers, disposed within said enclosure, are simultaneously illuminated by said uniform source means; optical lens means, interposed between said uniform source providing means and the plurality of sample chambers, for directing radiation emanating from said substantially uniform source of radiation simultaneously into each of the sample chambers; means, coupled to said optical lens means, for controllably positioning said optical lens means relative to the sample chambers; and means for detecting an amount of radiation, if any, that is transmitted through individual ones of the sample chambers, said detecting means having an output signal having a magnitude which is a function of the amount of radiation, if any, which is transmitted through an individual one of the sample chambers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A spectrophotometer for determining an optical density of individual ones of a plurality of samples contained within a plurality of sample chambers, comprising:
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an enclosure; means for providing a uniform source of radiation to said enclosure such that a plurality of sample containing chambers, disposed within said enclosure, are simultaneously illuminated by said uniform source; optical lens means comprising a plurality of lenses supported by a common substrate and interposed between said uniform source providing means and the plurality of sample chambers for directing radiation emanating from said uniform source providing means simultaneously into each of the sample containing chambers; positioning means coupled to said substrate for controllably positioning said plurality of lenses relative to the sample containing chambers; and means for detecting an amount of radiation, if any, which is transmitted through individual ones of the sample containing chambers, said detecting means having an output signal having a magnitude that is a function of the amount of radiation, if any, which is transmitted through an individual one of said sample containing chambers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A spectrophotometer for determining an optical density of individual ones of a plurality of samples contained within a plurality of sample chambers, comprising:
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an enclosure; at least one source of radiation having an output comprising wavelengths within a first range of wavelengths; an optically integrating sphere having a radiation input port coupled to the output of said source of radiation, said optically integrating sphere further having a radiation output port coupled to said enclosure for providing a uniform, substantially Lambertian source of radiation to said enclosure such that a plurality of sample chambers, disposed within said enclosure, are simultaneously illuminated by said uniform source; and optical lens means, interposed between said uniform source providing means and the plurality of sample chambers, for directing radiation emanating from said radiation output port simultaneously into each of the sample chambers; means, coupled to said optical lens means, for controllably positioning said optical lens means relative to the sample chambers; and means comprising at least one photodetector for detecting an amount of radiation, if any, which is transmitted through individual ones of said sample chambers, said at least one photodetector having an output signal having a magnitude which is a function of the amount of radiation, if any, which is transmitted through an individual one of said sample chambers. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of determining an optical density of individual ones of a plurality of samples contained within a plurality of sample chambers, comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of sample chambers within an enclosure; illuminating the plurality of sample wells with a uniform source of radiation having wavelengths within a predetermined range of wavelengths; the step of illuminating including a step of passing the radiation through a plurality of lens means coupled to a common substrate interposed between the source and the sample chambers, the step of illuminating including a further step of positioning the substrate relative to the sample chambers to achieve a desired degree of illumination thereof; and detecting an amount of radiation, if any, which is transmitted through individual ones of the sample chambers, the detected radiation being a function at least of the optical density of a sample within a sample chamber. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An optical stage for a photometric apparatus, the photometric apparatus being of the type for determining a characteristic of a plurality of samples contained within a plurality of sample wells within a common sample well carrier, said optical stage comprising:
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an enclosure for containing a sample carrier having a plurality of sample chambers; a source of radiation having a first radiation output with wavelengths within a predetermined range of wavelengths; means, optically coupled to said first radiation output, for diffusing the first radiation output of said source of radiation, said diffusing means having a second radiation output coupled to said enclosure for simultaneously illuminating substantially all of a plurality of sample chambers contained therein; optical lens means, interposed between said diffusing means and the plurality of sample chambers, for directing radiation emanating from said diffusing means simultaneously into each of the sample chambers; and means, coupled to said optical lens means, for controllably positioning said optical lens means relative to the sample chambers. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification