Cartridge loader and methods

• US 6,511,277 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2000
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Affymetrix, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Carlson, Andrew B., Norris, Michael C., Lobban, Peter, Besemer, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Matecki, Kathy
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOX, CHARLES A
• Application Number:
  US09/691,702
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 414/147, 414/180, 414/222.07, 414/331-1-3, 414/937, 414/940, 414/941, 414/331.05, 414/331.15
• US Class Current: 414/331.05
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00608 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00691 using robots
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00702 Processes involving means for analysing and characterising the products
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00039 Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00089 Magazines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00148 Test cards, e.g. Biomerieux or McDonnel multiwell test cards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00029 provided with flat sample substrates, e.g. slides G01N35/028 takes precedence

Abstract

A device for transporting cartridges comprises a housing for holding a plurality of cartridges in a temperature controlled environment. A transport system is also provided and has a grasping mechanism for grasping one of the cartridges. The transport system is further used to remove the cartridge from the housing and to place the cartridge into a scanner.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more probe arrays that are disposed on one or more substrates;

one or more housings configured and arranged to house the probe arrays;

a carrier configured and arranged to hold the housings such that the substrates are disposed in a generally vertical orientation;

a scanner configured and arranged to scan one or more of the probe arrays; and

a transporter configured and arranged to transport the probe arrays directly from the carrier to the scanner;

wherein the carrier is configured and arranged to advance between transportation of first and second probe arrays from the carrier to the scanner.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the carrier is configured to hold the housings spaced apart from each other.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the transporter comprises a grasping mechanism.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the carrier has a bottom end and an open top end, and a plurality of slots that are configured to receive the housings.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the transporter is configured to move the probe arrays in an axial or radial direction from the carrier and into the scanner.

6. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a barcode reader disposed to read a barcode associated with at least one probe array.

7. A system as in claim 6, wherein the barcode reader is disposed within or coupled to the scanner.

8. A system as in claim 6, wherein at least one substrate is associated with a bar code to uniquely identify one or more probe arrays disposed on the substrate.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein the bar code is disposed on the substrate.

10. A system as in claim 8, wherein the barcode is disposed on a housing that houses the substrate.

11. A system as in claim 1, wherein the grasping mechanism comprises a pair of fingers that are movable toward and away from each other.

12. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a controller to control the transporter.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a carrier that is configured and arranged to hold a plurality of housings, wherein each housing is configured and arranged to include one or more substrates and one or more probe arrays that are disposed on the substrates, and wherein the carrier is further configured and arranged to hold each of the substrates in a generally vertical orientation;

a scanner that is configured and arranged to scan one or more of the probe arrays; and

a transporter configured and arranged to transport the probe arrays directly from the carrier to the scanner;

wherein the carrier is configured and arranged to advance between transportation of first and second probe arrays from the carrier to the scanner.

14. An apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the transporter is configured to move the probe arrays in an axial or radial direction from the carrier and into the scanner.

15. An apparatus as in claim 13, further comprising a barcode reader disposed to read a barcode associated with at least one probe array.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the barcode reader is disposed within or coupled to the scanner.

17. An apparatus as in claim 13, wherein at least one substrate is associated with a bar code to uniquely identify one or more probe arrays disposed on the substrate.

18. An apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the bar code is disposed on the substrate.

19. An apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the barcode is disposed on a housing that houses the substrate.

20. A method for transporting probe arrays, the method comprising:

providing a scanner;

providing a carrier that holds a plurality of housings, wherein each housing includes one or more substrates and one or more probe arrays that are disposed on the substrates, and wherein the carrier holds each of the substrates in a generally vertical orientation;

transporting one or more of the housings having the probe arrays using a transporter to the scanner for loading into the scanner; and

removing the housing having the probe array from the scanner, returning the housing having the probe array to the carrier and moving another housing having another probe array into the scanner using the transporter.

21. A method as in claim 20, further comprising the step of maintaining the housings in a spaced apart configuration using the carrier to permit access to each housing by the transporter.

22. A method as in claim 20, wherein the carrier has a bottom end and an open top end, and a plurality of slots that are configured to receive the housings, and further comprising transporting the probe arrays in an axial direction from the carrier and into the scanner.

23. A method as in claim 20, further comprising advancing the carrier to align the next housing array with the transporter.

24. A method as in claim 20, further comprising reading a barcode label associated with the probe array to identify the probe array.

25. A method as in claim 20, further comprising moving the housing having the probe array in an axial direction from the carrier and into the scanner.

26. A method as in claim 20, further comprising moving the housing having the probe array directly from the carrier and into the scanner.