INTEGRATED ROBOTIC SAMPLE TRANSFER DEVICE

• US 20130017128A1
• Filed: 09/24/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agena Bioscience Inc. (Mesa Laboratories Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sequenom Incorporated (Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings)
• Inventors: Capella, Richard, Cuzens, Justin, SILBERT, Rolf
• Granted Patent: US 9,068,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/509
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00277 Apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00351 Means for dispensing and evacuation of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/025 tapping tip on substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0244 using pins
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0251 Pin and ring type or pin in tube type dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1037 Using surface tension, e.g. pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/0099 comprising robots or similar manipulators robots per se B25J
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/24 Stepper motor

Abstract

Embodiments include integrated robotic sample transfer devices and components thereof which are used for reliably and accurately transferring small samples of material from one registered position to another registered position. Such transfers of material may be carried out by a single pin tool or an array of pin tools of a pin tool head assembly of robotic sample transfer devices. Some embodiments also include automated cleaning of the pin tools used to transfer the sample material. Some embodiments are fully integrated units having internal fluid supply and waste tanks, vacuum source, fluid pumps, controllers and user interface devices.

Claims

1. A robotic sample transfer device, comprising:

a substantially horizontal work surface including a plurality of functional elements configured for small sample processing;

a three axis robotic positioning assembly having a fixed mount portion secured in fixed relation with the work surface, a translatable carrier configured to be translatable in three axes with respect to the fixed mount portion and working surface, which carrier comprises a stepper motor corresponding to each axis and at least one linear encoder assembly configured to generate position data for at least one axis;

a controller in communication with the stepper motors of each of the three axes of the three axis robotic positioning assembly and the at least one linear encoder assembly; and

a pin tool head assembly coupled to the translatable carrier;

the pin tool head assembly comprising a plurality of pin tools configured for axial displacement relative to the pin tool head assembly, each of which pin tool comprises (i) a shaft that comprises a sample reservoir at a distal end of the shaft, and (ii) a collar around the shaft positioned between a proximal end and the distal end of the shaft; and

a pin tool displacement block comprising a plurality of slots and one or more channels in a subset of slots, each of which channels is configured to permit a pin tool shaft and a collar to traverse all or part of the channel, and each of which slots is configured to permit a pin tool shaft, but not a collar, to traverse all or part of the slot, whereby one or more pin tools can be selectively displaced in an axial orientation relative to the pin tool head assembly.

2. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 1, further comprising a housing disposed around the work surface, the three axis robotic positioning assembly and the controller.

3. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 2, further comprising a graphic user interface on an exterior of the housing and operatively coupled to the controller, which graphic user interface can provide user input to the controller.

4. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 1, wherein the three axes of the three axis robotic positioning assembly are substantially orthogonal to each other.

5. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 1, wherein the three axis robotic positioning assembly further comprises a bar code reader.

6. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 1, wherein the three axis robotic positioning assembly further comprises an imaging camera translatable in at least two axes and operatively coupled to an image processor.

7. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 2, wherein the controller comprises at least one processor which is disposed within the housing at a level which is above the level of the work surface.

8. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 1, wherein each channel is contiguous with a slot.

9. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 8, wherein a collar of a pin tool is recessed in a channel of a slot in the pin tool displacement block.

10. The robotic sample transfer device of claim 1, wherein the slots are parallel.