High throughput microfluidic systems and methods

• US 6,132,685 A
• Filed: 08/10/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caliper Technologies Corp (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Caliper Technologies Corp (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Parce, J. Wallace, Chow, Calvin Y. H., Wolk, Jeffrey A., Sundberg, Steven A., Toth, Andrew W., Kercso, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Application Number:
  US09/132,096
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 422/104, 422/102, 422/65, 422/63, 436/43, 436/47
• US Class Current: 422/566
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00148 Test cards, e.g. Biomerieux or McDonnel multiwell test cards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25625 Dilution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The invention provides improved systems, devices, and methods for analyzing a large number of sample compounds contained in standard multiwell microtiter plates or other array structures. The multiwell plates travel along a conveyor system to a test station having a microfluidic device. At the test station, each plate is removed from the conveyor and the wells of the multiwell plate are sequentially aligned with an input port of the microfluidic device. After at least a portion of each sample has been input into the microfluidic channel system, the plate is returned to the conveyor system. Pre and/or post testing stations may be disposed along the conveyor system, and the use of an X-Y-Z robotic arm and novel plate support bracket allows each of the samples in the wells to be input into the microfluidic network through a probe affixed to a microfluidic chip. A clamshell structure having a hinged lid can releasably support the chip while providing and/or accommodating the electrical, optical, structural, and other interface connections between the microfluidic device and the surrounding system.

Claims

1. A support structure for robotic manipulation of a plurality of assay samples, the assay samples disposed in wells of a plurality of plates, each plate having an upper surface and a lower surface with front, back, left, and right edge surfaces extending therebetween, the support structure comprising:

a beam defining a proximal end and a distal end with an axis therebetween;

an upwardly oriented tab near the distal end of the beam to inhibit axial movement of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure;

a pair of horizontally opposed sidewalls adjacent the proximal end of the beam, the sidewalls fittingly receiving the left and right edges of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure; and

the lower surface of each plate defining a recess between the wells and front edge, wherein the tab is received within the recess of the plate when the plate when the plate rests on the support structure.

3. The support structure of claims 1 or 2, wherein the lower surface of the plate engages an upper surface of the tab when the plate rests on the support structure.

4. The support structure of claims 1 or 2, wherein the tab has front and rear surfaces spaced apart so that the recess fittingly receives the tab and axial movement of the plate is inhibited when the plate rests on the support structure.

5. The support structure of claim 1 or 2, further comprising an endwall extending between the sidewalls, the endwall and the tab spaced to fittingly engage horizontally opposed surfaces of the plate so as to inhibit axial movement of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure.

6. The support structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein the beam and the tab have a width which is less than a width of the plate between the left and right sidewalls so that the lower surface of the plate adjacent the left and right sidewalls is accessible when the plate rests on the support structure for lifting the plate onto and off of the support structure.

2. A support system for robotic manipulation of a plurality of assay samples, the support system comprising:

a plurality of plates, each plate having a plurality of wells for receiving the assay samples, an upper surface, a lower surface, with a front edge surface and a back edge surface extending between the upper and lower surfaces and a recess between the wells and front edge surface;

a beam defining a proximal end and a distal end;

an upwardly oriented tab near the distal end of the beam, the tab receivable within the recess of each plate when the plate rests on the beam.

7. A support structure for robotic manipulation of a plurality of assay samples, the assay samples disposed in wells of a plurality of plates, each plate having an upper surface and a lower surface with front, back, left, and right edge surfaces extending therebetween with a plate width defined between the left and right edge surfaces, the support structure comprising:

a beam defining a proximal end and a distal end with a beam length therebetween sufficient to extend from adjacent the back edge surface to the front edge surface, the beam having a beam width;

an upwardly oriented tab near the distal end of the beam to inhibit movement of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure;

wherein the beam width is narrower than the plate width so that the lower surface of the plate adjacent the left and right sidewalls is accessible when the plate rests on the support structure for lifting the plate onto and off of the support structure;

a plate transport system defining a plate path; and

a plurality of lifting pins disposed along the plate path to engage the bottom surface of the plates, and wherein the pins receive the beam and tab therebetween so as to facilitate transferring the plates between the conveyor and the bracket.

8. The support structure of claim 7, each plate having a recess defined between the wells and the front edge of the plate, wherein the tab is received within the recess of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure to inhibit movement of the plate.

9. The support structure of claim 8, wherein the lower surface of the plate engages an upper surface of the tab when the plate rests on the support structure.

10. The support structure of claim 8, wherein the tab has front and rear surfaces spaced apart so that the recess fittingly receives the tab and axial movement of the plate is inhibited when the plate rests on the support structure.

11. The support structure of claim 7, further comprising a pair of horizontally opposed sidewalls adjacent the proximal end of the beam, the sidewalls fittingly receiving the left and right edges of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure.

12. The support structure of claim 11, further comprising an endwall extending between the sidewalls, the endwall and the tab spaced to fittingly engage horizontally opposed surfaces of the plate so as to inhibit axial movement of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure.

13. A support structure for robotic manipulation of a plurality of assay samples, the assay samples disposed in wells of a plurality of plates, each plate having an upper surface and a lower surface with front, back, left, and right edge surfaces extending therebetween and a recess between the wells and front edge, the support structure comprising:

a beam defining a proximal end and a distal end with an axis therebetween;

an upwardly oriented tab near the distal end of the beam, wherein the tab is received within the recess of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure to inhibit movement of the plate when the plate rests on the support structure;

wherein the beam and the tab have a width which is less than a width of the plate between the left and right sidewalls so that the lower surface of the plate adjacent the left and right sidewalls is accessible when the plate rests on the support structure for lifting the plate onto and off of the support structure.