Automated multi-purpose analytical chemistry processing center and laboratory work station

• US 5,104,621 A
• Filed: 07/20/1989
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Kowalski, Carl, Marquiss, Samuel A., Bjornson, Torleif O., Pfost, Dale R., Pfost, R. Fred, Murray, Donald S., Sanford, Brian, Coppock, Robert M., Puckett, Katherine L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fisher, Richard V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Friedman, Charles K.
• Application Number:
  US07/383,299
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 364/497, 436/45-48, 436/806-810, 422/63-67, 422/72, 422/100, 422/102, 422/104
• US Class Current: 422/67
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/103 using disposable tips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1058 for mixing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/106 by sucking and blowing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack

Abstract

An automated multi-purpose analytical chemistry processing center and laboratory work station having a movable table for supporting microtiter plates and other fluid receptacles, a movable arm, and a modular mobile pod affixed for reciprocal movement along the arm. The workstation combines into a single programmable system the capabilities for automation of a wide range of bioanalytical procedures including, not only sample pipetting, serial dilution, reagent additions, mixing, reaction timing and similar known manual procedures, but also programmable spectrophotometric measurements and other physical parameters, further processing based on these measurements and automatic data recording. The work station is adapted to transfer, dispense, and aspirate liquid from one location to another automatically in accordance with user programmed instructions. The work station is capable of measuring physical characteristics of selected samples and performing experimental assays in a closed loop manner in accordance with those measurements. Fluid is dispensed and aspirated using an interchangeable modules having one or a selected plurality of nozzles. Affixed to the modules nozzles are disposable pipettor tips, which are automatically picked up by the pod and ejected by a tip edjector mechanism at the control of the user. Additional modules may be used to perform Measurement Functions. The work station is designed for interactive connection with a remote computer.

Claims

1. A user-programmable automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory workstation comprising:

a base;

a table carried by said base;

an arm supported on said base;

a pod carried on said arm;

means for moving said pod relative to said table between selected locations on said table;

first and second modules, each adapted for attachment to said pod, each of said modules adapted to perform at least one function at at least one of a plurality of points on said table;

the first module containing sensor means for sensing a physical characteristic at any point on said table and providing an indication of whether said physical characteristic is in a first range of values;

user-programmable control means for producing a plurality of user-configurable series of instructions for controlling said means for moving for relative movement between said tables and said pod and said function of said modules;

said control means being programmable to include a user-configurable branch among at least a first and second of said series of instructions, wherein the branch is configurable by the user to execute said first series of instructions when said physical characteristic is indicated as being in said first range, and to execute said second series of instructions when said physical characteristic is indicated as not being in said first range.

2. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 1 wherein:

said modules are releasably attachable to the pod

storage means supported on the table for storing at least one of said modules when said module is not in operational use;

said programmable control means controlling said means for moving said relative movements of said pod and table to allow said pod to engage one of said modules, utilize said engaged module and return said module to said storage means.

3. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 2 wherein:

said second module includes at least one disposable pipette tip receiving, aspirating, and fluid dispensing nozzle;

said pod having a remotely activated and controlled drive means, said drive means driving a plunger means housed within said second module, so that said second module may aspirate and dispense fluids using the pipette tip, and said second module may thereby perform a fluid transportation function.

4. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 3, wherein said drive means is also operatively associated with a pipette tip ejection means, so that said drive means may be remotely activated to eject a disposable pipette tip from the end of said nozzle.

5. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 4, wherein said drive means may be remotely controlled to activate the attachment to and release of said engaged module from said pod.

6. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 2 or 5 wherein each of said releasably attachable modules has a non-digital electronic element means associated with each module, said electronic elements means providing a unique identification signal associated with each module, so that said control means may identify each of said modules.

7. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 2, wherein said first module has an optical sensor means.

8. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 2, wherein the sensor contain module has a pH sensor.

9. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 2, wherein the first module is a video camera.

10. The automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station of claim 2, wherein said storage means comprises a detachable module holder, said detachable modules holder having:

a plurality of elongate support members, each member having a module receiving notch and being substantially vertical and made from a resilient material;

said members being biased to slightly compressively attach to said modules, said modules having a unique support rod at each end for an orderly placement into each of said notches of said members, so that said modules snap into said modules holders means when said modules are stored in said storage means, said modules being oriented in one particular manner for storage in said storage means.

11. A laboratory work station as in claim 2 wherein said means for moving comprises means for moving the table.

12. A laboratory work station, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a multiple well tray supported by said having a plurality of wells positioned in a two-dimensional array defining rows and columns, and wherein said control means is programmable to include instructions for transferring fluid from a well in a first row and column to a well positioned at a second row and column.

13. A user-programmable automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station for transferring materials and delivery fluid from a first container to a second container, comprising:

a base;

a table having a plurality of fluid containers;

an arm, and means for supporting said arm over said table and mounted on said base,

pod carried on said arm means;

means for moving the pod with respect to said table between preselected position on said table;

first module for aspirating and dispensing fluid and transferring liquids between said fluid containers, second module including transducer means for detecting and measuring a physical characteristic of a material sample, both modules are selectively attachable to the pod;

means operable connected to said transducer means for providing an indication of whether said physical characteristic is in a first range of values;

user-programmable control means for producing a plurality of user-configurable series of instructions for controlling said means for moving to effect relative movement between said table and said pod;

said control means also controlling the fluid dispensing and aspirating means;

the control means responsive to an output signal from the transducer means;

the control means being programmable to include a user-configurable branch among at least a first and second of said series of instructions, wherein the branch is configurable by the user to execute said first series of instructions when said physical characteristic is indicated as being in said first range, and to execute said second series of instructions when said physical characteristic is indicated as not being in said first range, thereby operating in a closed-loop manner whereby the control means, responsive to the output signal of the transducer means, adjusts the operation of the components.

14. The laboratory work station of claim 13, wherein said arm supporting means comprises an erect elevator tower, the tower being attached at a lower end to the base;

said arm being slidably mounted at one end to the tower so that the pd can move in a first direction relative to said table, the arm having the pod slidably mounted along said arm so that the pod can move in a second direction relative to the table.

15. A laboratory work station as in claim 13 wherein the means for moving comprises means for moving the table.

16. The laboratory work station of claims 13 or 14, wherein

said modules are being stored upon a module storage means;

wherein said pod may engage and pick up a selected module for operational use while the remaining module is stored upon said storage means in a manner ready for operational engagement with the pod when the control means commands the pod to exchange said selected module for a stored module.

17. The laboratory work station of claims 13 or 14, including a remote user programmable computer interactively operative with the control means;

the control means having a microprocessor,

said microprocessor programmed to carry out preprogrammed instructions from the remote user programmed computer, so that the microprocessor controls the movements of the interactive components in accordance with the user programmed instructions.

18. A laboratory work station as in claim 13, wherein the transducer means is an optical sensing means.

19. A laboratory work station as in claim 13,

wherein the transducer means is pH probe for measuring the acidity of a fluid sample.

29. In a laboratory workstation as in claims 13, 20 or 26, a device for programming instructions for operating said control means, comprising:

means for defining a byte system of preprogrammed data necessary to build a function using;

means for organizing the byte stream into an ordered set of questions defining a template;

means for comparing the template questions with a known set of parameters, and determining the validity of said questions;

means for obtaining a set of template values;

means for determining the validity of said template values against pre-existing parameters and functions; and

means for loading former template of function values into the new template where appropriate, while questioning the user to supply answers where values are not previously defined anywhere in the operating system.

20. A user-programmable automated analytical chemistry processing system and laboratory work station comprising:

a plurality of interactive components for the controlled dispensing, aspirating, and transferring of liquid from a first location to a second location, the interactive components including;

a horizontal base suitable for resting upon a laboratory work bench, a support tray attached to said base for carrying a plurality of fluid container plates, each plate having one or more sample-holding wells;

a plurality of interchangeably connectable modules;

an elevator tower affixed to the base;

an elongated bridge affixed to the tower;

means for moving the bridge with respect to the tower;

a pod having the capability of interchangeably securing at least a first and second of said modules, said first module being capable for use as a fluid dispensing, aspirating, and transferring means;

means for moving the pod relative to the bridge;

said second module having an optical transducer means for sensing light transmitted from the base, the light being transmitted through a well to illuminate the sample in the well for measuring at least a first physical characteristic of the sample;

means operable connected to said transducer means, for providing an indication of whether said first physical characteristic is within a first range of values;

control means including a microprocessor which controls the interactive components according to instructions which are preprogrammed, such control means being programmed such that;

the preprogrammed instruction including instructions can be entered by a user;

the preprogrammed instructions being organized to correspond to an experimental assay, the assay having a plurality of assay methods, each assay method capable of at least a first and a second assay procedure, and each assay procedure capable of a variety of assay functions;

the preprogrammed instructions listing the assay method as primary command protocol of the assay method, and each assay function as tertiary command protocol of the assay procedure;

some preprogrammed instruction being programmed to branch off into said first procedure when said first physical characteristic is indicated by the transducer means as being within said first range, and to branch off into said second procedure when said first physical characteristic is indicated by said transducer means as being not within said first range, whereby the automated laboratory work station performs chemical and biological assays which depend upon closed loop test results as a means of programming the movements of the interactive components and the manner of fluid dispensing, aspirating, and transferring.

21. A laboratory work station as in claim 20 further comprising means for moving the support tray.

22. The laboratory work station of claim 20, wherein the user operated remote computer displays the preprogrammed instructions as a series of menus and pictorial representations, a first set of menus and pictorial representations corresponding to the assay method, a second set of menus and pictorial representations corresponding to the assay procedure, and a third set of menus and pictorial representations corresponding to the assay function, so that a user may sequentially instruct the microprocessor to carry out the instructions entered by the user at the remote computer in an orderly manner, whereby the instructions entered by the user at the remote computer correspond to the manner desired by the user for performing an experimental assay.

23. The laboratory work station of claim 20, wherein the optical transducer means further includes an optical filter means to provide selective detection of optical signals.

24. The laboratory work station as in claim 20, wherein the first module further comprises:

plunger means for dispensing and aspirating liquid;

at least one pipette tip receiving nozzle, the nozzle shaped to conform snugly to a disposable pipette tip, and wherein the pod having means to pick up and discard the disposable pipette tips from the nozzle of the first module.

25. The laboratory work station of claim 24, wherein the fluid dispensing, aspirating, and transferring means has precision pipetter capabilities.

26. A laboratory work station, for performing biological and chemical assays of fluid samples, comprising:

a base and an erect elevator tower, the tower extending orthogonally upward from the base;

a table supported above the surface of the base, the table being capable of carrying a plurality of fluid receptacles;

an arm on said elevator tower;

a pod slidably connected to said arm for reciprocal movement along the length of said arm;

means for moving the table, arm and pod relative to one another;

a fluid dispensing, aspirating, and transferring system including a pumping system operating through the pod, the pod fitted to support at least one of a plurality of interchangeable modules for transporting fluid from one fluid receptacle to the other, at least a first module fitted to receive disposable tips for the contaminant-free transportation of fluids between receptacles, the first module having a pipetter ejector mechanism for removing pipettes after use;

a transducer means located in at least a second module for respectively sensing at least a first physical characteristic of fluid samples and examining chemical reactions as the reactions occur;

means operable connected to said transducer means for providing an indication of whether said physical characteristic is in a first range of values; and

a control means, the control means being programmable to include a user-configurable branch among at least a first and second series of instructions, wherein the branch is configurable by the user to execute said first series of instructions when said physical characteristic is indicated as being in said first range, and to execute said second series of instructions when said physical characteristic is indicated as not being in said first range so as to control the operation of the laboratory work station according to a user programmed set of instructions.

27. A laboratory work station as in claim 26, wherein the transducer means is housed in an interchangeable module distinct from the module for transporting fluid.

28. A laboratory work station as in claim 26 wherein said means for moving comprises means for moving the table.

30. An automated laboratory work station comprising:

a receptacle containing a sample;

robotic means for performing various operations with respect to the sample in accordance with user defined instructions, wherein one of the operations is to detect a physical characteristic of said sample;

means for determining whether said physical characteristic is in a first range of values;

user-programmable control means for programming a user-configurable branch among at least a first and second series of instructions, wherein the branch is configurable by the user to execute said first series of instructions when said physical characteristic is indicated as being in said first range, and to execute said second series of instructions when said physical characteristics is indicated as not being in said first range so as to control the operation of the robot means.

31. An automated laboratory work station as in claim 30 wherein the robot means comprises detection means for detecting the physical characteristics and means for moving the detection means relative to the receptacle.

32. An automated laboratory work station as in claim 31 wherein the robot means further comprising means for moving the receptacle.

33. An automated laboratory work station as in claim 32 wherein the means for moving the receptacle comprises a movable table.

34. An automated laboratory work station as in claim 31 wherein the robot means further comprising pipetting means for pipetting the sample and means for moving the pipetting means relative to the receptacle.

35. An automated laboratory work station as in claim 34 wherein the means for moving the detection means and the means for moving the pipetting means are one common pod, wherein the work station further comprises means for moving the pod moveable relative to the receptacle, wherein the detection means comprises a first module having a detector and the pipetting means comprises a second module having a pipet, and wherein the first and second modules are interchangeable attachable to the pod.

36. An automated laboratory work station as in claim 35 further comprising holders for supporting the modules when they are not attached to the pod.