Optical camera alignment

• US 8,040,619 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2009
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blasenheim, Barry J., Kao, H. Pin, Oldham, Mark F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez; Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Brandi N
• Application Number:
  US12/534,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20100193672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 359/811, 359/813, 359819-824
• US Class Current: 359/822
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/021 Adjust spacings in an array of wells, pipettes or holders, format transfer between arrays of different size or geometry
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0605 Metering of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0851 Bottom walls
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1883 using thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0293 for liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 : specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 : with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/563 : Joints or fittings in general F16L; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 : with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/523 : for multisample carriers, e.g. used for microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/56 : Means for indicating position of a recipient or sample in an array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00287 : movable lid/cover for sample or reaction tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00366 : Several different temperatures used
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0405 : manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0425 : Stacks, magazines or elevators for plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1039 : Micropipettes, e.g. microcapillary tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 : for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/274 : Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 : Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 : Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• 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: G01N 35/1002 : Reagent dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1074 : arranged in a two-dimensional array

Abstract

A camera alignment system that can enable alignment in at least one of three planes and about an axis of at least one of the planes. An alignment mount can mate to a camera and lens. The alignment mount can comprise a mechanism to adjust the camera relative to the lens to that an image plane of the camera aligns with an image plane of the lens in a predetermined orientation. One predetermined orientation can be that the image plane of the camera being parallel to the image plane of the lens.

Claims

1. A sequence detection system comprising:

a lens having an optic assembly;

a collection camera having a photo detector;

an alignment mount that mates said lens to said collection camera, comprising

a first plate having a first mounting face, a first mating face parallel to said first mounting face, and a first aperture disposed through said first mounting face and said first mating face;

a second plate having a second mounting face, a second mating face parallel to said second mounting face, and a second aperture disposed through said second mounting face and second mating face, said second mating face being positioned generally parallel to said first mating face and said second aperture being concentric with said first aperture;

at least one first adjustment screw extending between and separating said first mating face and said second mating face; and

a resilient member coupled to said first plate and said second plate and

biasing said first mating face towards said second mating face;

an excitation system, and

a microplate illuminated by said excitation system and concentric with said lens wherein said first mounting face and said second mounting face are mounted between said lens and said collection camera and wherein said at least one first adjustment screw adjusts said generally parallel relationship of said first mating face and said second mating face, thereby adjusting a parallelism between an image plane of said optic assembly and an image plane of said photo detector.

2. The sequence detection system of claim 1, further comprising:

a gasket positioned between said first mating face and second mating face.

3. The sequence detection system of claim 2 wherein said gasket is formed of closed cell foam.

4. The sequence detection system of claim 1 wherein said resilient member is a spring.

5. The sequence detection system of claim 1 wherein said at least one first adjustment screw has a thread pitch between 80 and 100 threads per inch (TPI), inclusive.

6. The sequence detection system of claim 1 wherein said at least one first adjustment screw is ball-end set screws.

7. The sequence detection system of claim 1, further comprising

at least one mirror positioned between said lens and said microplate.

8. The sequence detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

a mounting ring;

a groove formed in said first mounting face around a perimeter of said first aperture, said mounting ring being positioned in said groove; and

at least one second adjustment screw extending between said first plate and said mounting ring wherein one of said lens and said collection camera is mounted to said mounting ring and wherein said at least one second adjustment screw adjusts an axial axis of said optic assembly so that it is concentric with an axial axis of said photo detector.

9. The sequence detection system of claim 8, further comprising:

a retaining ring secured to said first plate and covering at least a portion of said groove and a portion of said mounting ring, thereby retaining said mounting ring in said groove.

10. The sequence detection system of claim 8 wherein said second at least one second adjustment screw has a thread pitch between 80 and 100 threads per inch (TPI), inclusive.

11. The sequence detection system of claim 8 wherein said at least one second adjustment screw is a ball-end set screw.

12. The sequence detection system of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one mirror positioned between said lens and said microplate.