Mounting platform for biological growth plate scanner

• US 20040101951A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Kraetzig, Klaus D., Vent, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 7,319,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/287.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00039 Transport arrangements specific to flat sample substrates, e.g. pusher blade
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

The invention is directed to a biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates. A biological growth plate can be loaded into the biological scanner. Upon loading of a biological growth plate, the biological scanner generates an image of the plate and may perform an analysis of the image. Various embodiments are directed to loading features that facilitate automated loading and proper positioning of a plate within the biological scanner, and ejection features that facilitate the automated ejection of the plate from the scanner. Additional embodiments are directed to features that allow a scanner unit of the biological scanner to be attached to a mounting platform of the scanner in different possible configurations.

Claims

1. A biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates, the scanner comprising:

a scanner unit that receives a biological growth plate to be scanned; and

a mounting platform that ejects the biological growth plate after the plate has been scanned, wherein the scanner unit is positionable on the mounting platform in a plurality of different possible positions.

2. The biological scanner of claim 1, wherein the scanner unit houses an imaging device and a processor used to scan the plate, the imaging device being configured to generate an image of the plate and the processor being configured to count biological agents in the plate based on the image.

3. The biological scanner of claim 1, wherein the scanner unit includes a drawer that opens to receive the plate and closes to move the plate into the scanner unit.

4. The biological scanner of claim 1, wherein the mounting platform includes a conveyor to eject the plate from a slot in the mounting platform.

5. The biological scanner of claim 1, wherein the scanner unit includes a drawer that opens to receive the plate and closes to move the plate into the scanner and wherein the mounting platform includes a conveyor to eject the plate from a slot in the mounting platform, wherein when the scanner unit and the mounting platform are coupled to one another in a first position, the drawer and the slot are positioned along a common side of the scanner, and when the scanner unit and the mounting platform are coupled to one another in a second position, the drawer and the slot are not positioned along a common side of the scanner.

6. The biological scanner of claim 1, wherein at least one of the scanner unit and the mounting platform includes a plurality of electrical interfaces and the scanner unit and the mounting platform can be electrically coupled to one another via one or more of the electrical interfaces in the plurality of different possible positions relative to one another.

7. The biological scanner of claim 1, wherein the scanner unit defines a plurality of pins that mate with a plurality of sockets in the mounting platform, wherein a first pin mates with a first socket when the scanner unit and the mounting platform are coupled to one another in a first position and wherein the first pin mates with a second socket when the scanner unit and the mounting platform are coupled to one another in a second position.

8. The biological scanner of claim 1, wherein the mounting platform defines a plurality of pins that mate with a plurality of sockets in the scanner unit, wherein a first pin mates with a first socket when the scanner unit and the mounting platform are coupled to one another in a first position and wherein the first pin mates with a second socket when the scanner unit and the mounting platform are coupled to one another in a second position.

9. The biological scanner of claim 1, further comprising:

a drawer formed in the scanner unit that opens to receive the biological growth plate and closes to move the plate into the scanner;

a platen inside the scanner unit, wherein the plate is positioned adjacent the platen when the drawer is closed to move the plate into the scanner;

an apparatus inside the scanner unit that temporarily holds the plate adjacent the platen when the drawer is subsequently opened following movement of the plate into the scanner and releases the plate into the mounting platform following the subsequent opening of the drawer;

a conveyor inside the mounting platform to remove the plate from the mounting platform via a slot in the mounting platform following release of the plate by the apparatus when the drawer is subsequently opened.

10. A biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates, the scanner comprising:

a scanner unit including a drawer that opens to receive a biological growth plate and closes to move the plate into the scanner; and

a mounting platform including a conveyor that ejects the biological growth plate after the plate has been scanned.

11. The biological scanner of claim 10, wherein the scanner unit and the mounting platform are configured such that the scanner unit and the mounting platform can be coupled to one another in a plurality of different possible positions relative to one another.

12. The biological scanner of claim 11, wherein the scanner unit and the mounting platform each include a plurality of electrical interfaces and the scanner unit and the mounting platform can be electrically coupled to one another via one or more of the electrical interfaces in the plurality of different possible positions relative to one another.

13. The biological scanner of claim 10, wherein the scanner unit houses an imaging device and a processor to scan the plate, the imaging device being configured to generate an image of the plate and the processor being configured to count biological agents in the plate based on the image.

14. A biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates, the scanner comprising:

a scanner unit including a means for receiving a biological growth plate; and

a mounting platform including a means for ejecting the plate, wherein the scanner unit and the mounting platform are configured such that the scanner unit and the mounting platform can be coupled to one another in a plurality of different possible positions relative to one another.

15. The biological scanner of claim 14, further comprising means for removably coupling the scanner unit to the mounting platform in one of a plurality of different possibly positions.

16. The biological scanner of claim 14, further comprising means for electrically coupling the scanner unit to the mounting platform in one of a plurality of different possible positions.

17. The biological scanner of claim 14, further comprising means for counting a number of biological agents in the plate.

18. The biological scanner of claim 17, wherein the means for counting includes means for illuminating the plate, means for imaging the plate, and means for counting biological agents based on an image of the plate.

19. A method comprising:

attaching a scanner unit of a biological scanner to a mounting platform of the biological scanner, the scanner unit being configured to receive a biological growth plate and the mounting platform being configured to eject the biological growth plate; and

reattaching the scanner unit to the mounting platform in a different position relative to the mounting platform.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising counting a number of biological agents in the biological growth plate when the plate is positioned inside the scanner unit.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein counting a number of biological agents includes imaging the plate and counting biological agents based on an image of the plate.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the biological growth plate is a thin film culture plate.

23. A biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates, the scanner comprising:

a scanner unit that scans biological growth plates; and

a platform to support the scanner unit, wherein one of the platform and the scanner unit delivers operating power to the other of the platform and the scanner unit and the scanner unit is positionable on the mounting platform in different positions.

24. The biological scanner of claim 23, wherein the scanner unit and the platform include a plurality of electrical interface components for delivery of the operating power.

25. The biological scanner of claim 23, wherein the electrical interface components include pins that engage different sockets depending on the position of the scanner unit relative to the platform.