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Systems and methods for handling and manipulating multi-well plates

  • US 6,323,035 B1
  • Filed: 09/24/1997
  • Issued: 11/27/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system for handling a plate having a plurality of wells, the system comprising:

  • a robot having a base member and at least one arm and a processor controlling the robot, wherein the processor is configured to control movement of the robot to place the plate at predetermined locations at a plurality of laterally spaced apart stations, wherein the arm includes a grasping mechanism which is adapted to grasp the plate from a rack having a plurality of patterned shelves for housing a plurality of plates, wherein the grasping mechanism is movable by the robot along X, Y, and Z axes, and wherein the grasping mechanism includes a frame member with a patterned opening that corresponds in shape to that of the patterned shelves and is configured to receive the plate from the rack in a repeatable and known location said processor configured to, position the frame member below one of the shelves and upwardly moving the frame member so that such one of the shelves passes through the patterned opening such that the location of each well relative to the grasping mechanism is known by the robot;

    said plurality of laterally spaced apart stations at known locations relative to the robot, wherein at least one of the stations includes the rack and at least another of the stations includes equipment operable with a two-dimensional array of wells in the plate, including an array of fluid delivery lines to allow fluids, particles or substances to be introduced into the two-dimensional array of wells or removed from the non-adjacent wells while the plate is grasped by the grasping mechanism.

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