Cartridge loader and methods

• US 20020164235A1
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• 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
• Granted Patent: US 6,604,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/331.04
• 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 device for transporting cartridges, comprising:

a housing that is adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges;

a transport system having a grasping mechanism that is adapted to grasp one of the cartridges, to remove the cartridge from the housing and to place the cartridge into a scanner.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to hold the cartridges in a temperature controlled environment, and further comprising a heating station, and wherein the grasping mechanism is configured to place the grasped cartridge at the heating station prior to placement into the scanner.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein the heating station includes a fan that is disposed to blow ambient air onto the cartridge.

4. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a holding station that is adapted to hold a cartridge after being removed from the scanner.

5. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a rack system rotatably disposed within the housing, the rack system having a plurality of racks that are adapted to hold the cartridges.

6. A device as in claim 5, further comprising a plurality of carriers coupled to the racks, wherein each carrier is configured to hold multiple cartridges.

7. A device as in claim 6, wherein the carriers have a bottom end and an open top end, and a plurality of slots that are configured to receive the cartridges in a parallel arrangement, with the cartridges extending above the top ends of the carriers.

8. A device as in claim 7, wherein the rack system is configured to maintain the top ends of the carriers generally horizontal during rotation.

9. A device as in claim 5, further comprising a belt coupled to the rack system and a motor to rotate the belt, thereby rotating the rack system.

10. A device as in claim 1, further comprising an alignment mechanism that is adapted to align the transport system with an opening in the scanner.

11. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a barcode reader disposed within the housing.

12. A device as in claim 2, wherein the grasping mechanism comprising a pair of fingers that are movable toward and away from each other.

13. A device as in claim 1, wherein the transport system further comprises a horizontal lead screw and a first motor to rotate the horizontal lead screw, and wherein the grasping mechanism is coupled to the horizontal lead screw such that rotation of the lead screw horizontally translates the grasping mechanism.

14. A device as in claim 13, wherein the transport system further comprises a vertical lead screw and a second motor to rotate the vertical lead screw, and wherein the grasping mechanism is coupled to the vertical lead screw such that rotation of the lead screw vertically translates the grasping mechanism.

15. A device as in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a lid and a servo motor to open the lid.

16. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a controller to control the transport system.

19. A mechanism as in claim 18, further comprising a securing mechanism to secure the adjustment plate to the clamping plate once the arm of the alignment fixture is aligned with the entry port.

17. A system for scanning cartridges, comprising:

a scanner that is adapted to scan the contents of an array cartridge;

a housing that is adapted to hold a plurality of cartridges in a temperature controlled environment;

a transport system having a grasping mechanism that is adapted to grasp one of the cartridges, to remove the cartridge from the housing and to place the cartridge into the scanner.

18. An alignment mechanism for aligning a scanner with transporting device, the alignment mechanism comprising:

a clamping plate that is adapted to clamp to a portion of the scanner;

an adjustment plate that is slidably coupled to the clamping plate, the adjustment plate having at least one connector that is adapted to be connected to the transporting device; and

an alignment fixture removably coupled to the adjustment plate, the alignment fixture including an arm that is adapted to be aligned with an entry port of the scanner.

20. A method for transporting cartridges, the method comprising:

placing a plurality of cartridges into a temperature controlled housing;

grasping one of the cartridges from the housing with a grasping mechanism;

moving the cartridge to the scanner;

placing the cartridge into the scanner; and

releasing the grasping mechanism to deposit the cartridge into the scanner.

21. A method as in claim 20, further comprising rotating the cartridges within the housing.

22. A method as in claim 20, further comprising placing the cartridge in a warming station and warming the cartridge prior to depositing the cartridge into the scanner.

23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the warming step comprises blowing air onto the cartridge.

24. A method as in claim 20, further comprising removing the cartridge from the scanner, returning the cartridge to the housing and placing another cartridge into the scanner.

25. A method as in claim 24, further comprising placing the cartridge in a holding station after removing the cartridge from the scanner.

26. A method as in claim 25, further comprising placing the other cartridge into the scanner prior to replacing the removed cartridge that is held within the holding station back into the housing.

27. A method as in claim 20, further comprising reading a barcode label on the cartridge upon removal of the cartridge from the housing.

28. A method as in claim 20, wherein the cartridge moving step comprises translating the grasping mechanism along a horizontal lead screw, and wherein the cartridge placing step comprises translating the grasping mechanism along a vertical lead screw.

29. A method as in claim 20, further comprising aligning the housing with the scanner and securing the housing to the scanner.

30. A method as in claim 20, further comprising grasping the cartridge with a pair of grasping fingers.

31. A method for transporting cartridges, the method comprising:

placing a plurality of cartridges into a carrier such that the cartridges extend above the carrier;

grasping one of the cartridges from the carrier with a grasping mechanism;

moving the cartridge to the scanner;

placing the cartridge into the scanner; and

releasing the grasping mechanism to deposit the cartridge into the scanner.