Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Control element responsive to a sensed operating condition
Patent
1998-03-20
1999-11-30
Le, Long V.
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Control element responsive to a sensed operating condition
422 63, 422 65, 436 43, 436 47, 436 49, 436165, 356244, G01N 2101, G01N 2113
Patent
active
059937467
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY
The invention relates to laboratory technology and relates to a holder in which sample-holding plates can be handled. The invention is suitable for use in particular in assay methods in which the samples being assayed are handled on plates comprising a plurality of vessels, for example, optical analysers or dispensing devices.
BACKGROUND
Samples handled in laboratories may be in many types of vessels, according to need. For example, the diameters of the vessels vary from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. In general, larger entities, i.e. plates, are formed of the vessels. The plates also come in many sizes and shapes. The most commonly used plate is the so-called microtiter plate having 8.times.12 wells.
For the rationalization of assays it would be preferable if as many different types of plates as possible could be used in one and the same apparatus. In general, plates according to only a certain standard can be used in present-day apparatuses, such as optical analysers.
In certain optical analysers the sample-holding plate is handled in a holder in which the plate can be shifted over fractions of a millimeter in one given direction (e.g. iEMS Reader/Dispenser, Labsystems Oy, Finland). Thus it is possible to take into account small deviations from the standard of the outer dimension of the plate in the direction concerned. These apparatuses have in one edge of the plate holder adjustable stop screws, a movable wall, or a spring pressing against the plate.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
General Description
A sample plate holder according to claim 1 has now been invented. Preferred embodiments of the invention are stated in the other claims.
The first object of the invention is a sample plate holder having a retainer for pressing the plate against both the back wall and a side wall of the holder. Thus a plate of a certain type will always settle in precisely the same position in the holder. It is also possible to use plates of many types in the holder, and owing to the retainer they can be caused to remain in place during handling.
The retainer preferably has a spring which presses the plate against the walls.
The holder can be used, for example, during the dispensing, mixing, reaction, washing or measuring steps of assays.
According to one preferred embodiment, the holder is mounted in a movable carrier in the handling apparatus. The handling apparatus is preferably one in which samples on different types of plates can be handled. By means of the carrier the sample-holding vessels are taken into the handling position, for example for the dispensing or removal of liquid, or for the carrying out of an optical measurement. By suitable movement of the carrier, the samples may, when so desired, also be agitated. A so-called scanning measurement can also be performed by moving the carrier.
According to one preferred embodiment, the movable carrier has a particular loading position, at which the plate is placed in the holder. In this case the device preferably has a retainer releaser which prevents the retainer from pressing against the plate when the carrier is in the loading position. Thus it is easy to place a plate in the holder. The releaser may, for example have a stop fixed relative to the frame of the apparatus, against which stop the retainer impinges and turns away from the walls, when the carrier arrives at the loading position.
When necessary, an adapter installable in the holder can be used, in which the sample-holding plate is placed.
Another object of the invention is an optical analyser having a sample plate holder of the kind described above. The apparatus may be, for example, a fluorometer, a luminometer, a nephelometer, a photometer, or any combination of these. To enable measuring to be performed from below, the holder and the carrier have an open area so that measuring light can be obtained from each vessel, for measurement from below. The apparatus is preferably one in which the light emitted from the sample can be measured from either above or below, accor
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Priha Matti
Tupakka Heikki
Labsystems Oy
Le Long V.
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