Automated storage and retrieval device and method

• US 6,637,473 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RoboDesign International, Inc. (Rigaku Corporation)
• Original Assignee: RoboDesign International, Inc. (Rigaku Corporation)
• Inventors: Jewell, David W., Brovold, Chritopher T., Adams, John A., Ganz, Brian L., Moulds, John Andrew, Mickley, Mandel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US10/057,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20030000597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 141/129, 141/130, 141/1, 422/99, 422/100, 422/65, 422/67, 436/174, 436/180, 738/641.1, 738/641.6, 738/641.7, 738/642.4, 738/642.5, 382/128
• US Class Current: 141/130
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00274 Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00315 Microtiter plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00322 the individual reactor vessels being arranged serially in stacks
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00328 Movement by linear translation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00707 separated from the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00756 Compositions, e.g. coatings, crystals, formulations
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/523 for multisample carriers, e.g. used for microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/028 having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A device and method for the automated storage and retrieval of trays holding subject matter. A plurality of trays is inserted into an access device. A computer system is programmed to control a storage gantry to move the trays between the access device, a storage rack and a work cell gantry. The computer system is also programmed to control the work cell gantry to move the subject matter to and from an automated receiving machine. In a preferred embodiment, the subject matter in the trays is a plurality of micro-well plates in which microscopic crystals may be growing and the automated receiving machine is configured to inspect and classify microscopic crystals. The inspecting and classifying device has an indexing device for sequentially placing microscopic crystals in camera-view of a camera and a control computer is programmed to control the indexing device and to cause the camera to take images of the microscopic crystals and then transfer the images to a classifying processor where the images are classified. In a preferred embodiment, the microscopic crystals are protein crystals that have been grown in the wells of micro-well plates.

Claims

1. An automated storage and retrieval device for trays holding subject matter, comprising:

A) an access device for the insertion and removal of a plurality of trays,

B) a storage rack for storing said plurality of trays,

C) at least one automated receiving machine,

D) a work cell gantry, for moving said subject matter to and from said at least one automated receiving machine, and

E) a storage gantry for moving said plurality of trays between said access device, said storage rack and said work cell gantry,

F) at least one computer system programmed to control said storage gantry and said work cell gantry.

2. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 1, wherein said access device is an access drawer.

3. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine is a device for inspecting and classifying a plurality of microscopic crystals.

4. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine comprises:

A) at least one camera,

B) an indexing device for sequentially placing said microscopic crystals in camera-view of said at least one camera, and

C) at least one control computer programmed to control said indexing device and said at least one camera, wherein said at least one control computer is programmed to receive from said at least one camera images of said plurality of microscopic crystals, wherein said at least one control computer is programmed to classify said plurality of microscopic crystals.

5. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 4, wherein said at least one control computer automatically classifies said plurality of microscopic crystals after receiving said images.

6. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine is an automated micro-well plate filling machine.

7. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 1, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine comprises:

A) a micro-well plate filling assembly, comprising;

1. an indexing device, and

2. a fill mechanism in communication with a media source and positioned to insert portions of said media into the empty micro-well plates, and

B) an automatic control unit programmed to cause said indexing device to move empty micro-well plates adjacent to said fill mechanism, and to cause said fill mechanism to inject media from said media source into wells in the micro-well plates.

8. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 1, wherein said subject matter is at least one micro-well plate.

9. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 8, wherein said at least one micro-well plate comprises a bar code, wherein said automated storage and retrieval device further comprises at least one bar code reader in communication with said at least one computer system.

10. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of trays holds at least one micro-well plate, wherein said storage gantry and said work cell gantry each comprise at least one robotic gripper, wherein said plurality of trays comprises:

A) at least one cut-down access area for said at least one robotic gripper,

B) a corner flat for tray orientation, and

C) a plurality of tapered guide pillars for guiding said at least one micro-well plate into said plurality of trays.

11. A method for automatically storing and retrieving a plurality of trays, wherein said plurality of trays holds at least one micro-well plate, comprising the steps of:

A) inserting said plurality of trays onto an access device,

B) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to a storage rack,

G) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to a work cell gantry,

H) transferring via said work cell gantry said at least one micro-well plate from said plurality of trays to at least one automated receiving machine,

I) transferring via said work cell gantry said at least one micro-well plate from said at least one automated receiving machine to said plurality of trays,

J) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to said access device,

K) removing said plurality of trays from said access device, and

L) controlling the movement of said storage gantry and said work cell gantry via at least one programmed computer system.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein said access device is an access drawer.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine is a device for inspecting and classifying a plurality of microscopic crystals.

14. The method as in claim 11, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine comprises:

A) at least one camera,

B) an indexing device for sequentially placing said microscopic crystals in camera-view of said at least one camera, and

C) at least one control computer programmed to control said indexing device and said at least one camera, wherein said at least one control computer is programmed to receive from said at least one camera images of said plurality of microscopic crystals, wherein said at least one control computer is programmed to classify said plurality of microscopic crystals.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein said at least one control computer automatically classifies said plurality of microscopic crystals after receiving said images.

16. The method as in claim 11, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine is an automated micro-well plate filling machine.

17. The method as in claim 11, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine comprises:

A) a micro-well plate filling assembly, comprising;

1. an indexing device, and

2. a fill mechanism in communication with a media source and positioned to insert portions of said media into the empty micro-well plates, and

B) an automatic control unit programmed to cause said indexing device to move empty micro-well plates adjacent to said fill mechanism, and to cause said fill mechanism to inject media from said media source into wells in the micro-well plates.

18. The method as in claim 11, wherein said plurality of trays holds at least one micro-well plate.

19. The method as in claim 18, wherein said at least one micro-well plate comprises a bar code, wherein said automated storage and retrieval device further comprises at least one bar code reader in communication with said at least one computer system.

20. The method as in claim 11, wherein said plurality of trays holds at least one micro-well plate, wherein said storage gantry and said work cell gantry each comprise at least one robotic gripper, wherein said plurality of trays comprises:

A) at least one cut-down access area for said at least one robotic gripper,

B) a corner flat for tray orientation, and

C) a plurality of tapered guide pillars for guiding said at least one micro-well plate into said plurality of trays.

21. An automated storage and retrieval device for trays holding subject matter, comprising:

A) an access means for the insertion and removal of a plurality of trays,

B) a storage rack means for storing said plurality of trays,

C) at least one automated receiving machine means,

D) a work cell gantry means for moving said subject matter to and from said at least one automated receiving machine,

E) a storage gantry means for moving said plurality of trays between said access device, said storage rack and said work cell gantry, and

F) at least one computer system means programmed to control said storage gantry means and said work cell gantry means.

22. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 21, wherein said access means is an access drawer.

23. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 21, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine means is a device for inspecting and classifying a plurality of microscopic crystals.

24. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 21, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine means comprises:

A) at least one camera,

B) an indexing device for sequentially placing said microscopic crystals in camera-view of said at least one camera, and

C) at least one control computer programmed to control said indexing device and said at least one camera, wherein said at least one control computer is programmed to receive from said at least one camera images of said plurality of microscopic crystals, wherein said at least one control computer is programmed to classify said plurality of microscopic crystals.

25. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 24, wherein said at least one control computer automatically classifies said plurality of microscopic crystals after receiving said images.

26. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 21, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine means is an automated micro-well plate filling machine.

27. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 21, wherein said at least one automated receiving machine means comprises:

A) a micro-well plate filling assembly, comprising;

1. an indexing device, and

2. a fill mechanism in communication with a media source and positioned to insert portions of said media into the empty micro-well plates, and

B) an automatic control unit programmed to cause said indexing device to move empty micro-well plates adjacent to said fill mechanism, and to cause said fill mechanism to inject media from said media source into wells in the micro-well plates.

28. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 21, wherein said subject matter at least one micro-well plate.

29. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 28, wherein said at least one micro-well plate comprises a bar code, wherein said automated storage and retrieval device further comprises at least one bar code reader in communication with said at least one computer system means.

30. The automated storage and retrieval device as in claim 21, wherein said plurality of trays holds at least one micro-well plate, wherein said storage gantry means and said work cell gantry means each comprise at least one robotic gripper, wherein said plurality of trays comprises:

A) at least one cut-down access area for said at least one robotic gripper,

B) a corner flat for tray orientation, and

C) a plurality of tapered guide pillars for guiding said at least one micro-well plate into said plurality of trays.

31. A method for growing protein crystals, comprising the steps of:

A) inserting drops of protein solution into a plurality of micro-well plates,

B) placing said plurality of micro-well plates onto a plurality of trays,

C) inserting said plurality of trays onto an access device,

D) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to a storage rack,

E) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to a work cell gantry,

F) transferring via said work cell gantry said plurality of micro-well plates from said plurality of trays to an automated machine for inspecting and classifying a plurality of microscopic crystals,

G) analyzing via said automated machine said drops of protein solution,

H) transferring via said work cell gantry said plurality of micro-well plates from said at least one automated receiving machine to said plurality of trays,

I) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to said access device,

J) removing said plurality of trays from said access device, and

K) controlling the movement of said storage gantry and said work cell gantry via at least one programmed computer system.

32. Protein crystals grown by a method comprising the steps of:

A) inserting drops of protein solution into a plurality of micro-well plates,

B) placing said plurality of micro-well plates onto a plurality of trays,

C) inserting said plurality of trays onto an access device,

D) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to a storage rack,

E) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to a work cell gantry,

F) transferring via said work cell gantry said plurality of micro-well plates from said plurality of trays to an automated machine for inspecting and classifying a plurality of microscopic crystals,

G) analyzing via said automated machine said drops of protein solution,

H) transferring via said work cell gantry said plurality of micro-well plates from said at least one automated receiving machine to said plurality of trays,

I) transferring via said storage gantry said plurality of trays to said access device,

J) removing said plurality of trays from said access device, and

K) controlling the movement of said storage gantry and said work cell gantry via at least one programmed computer system.