EP-4737908-A2 - MICROPLATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND LID PLACEMENT METHOD USING THE APPARATUS

EP4737908A2EP 4737908 A2EP4737908 A2EP 4737908A2EP-4737908-A2

Abstract

A laboratory automation apparatus comprising a working table, a first component having a defined shape, a second component for covering the top surface of the first component with a rim adapted to surround the first component. A transfer mechanism with a gripper configured to grip and place the second component to different positions on the working table and a microcontroller for controlling the transfer mechanism. The apparatus is configured to place the second component onto the first component where the centers (C', C) of both components are misaligned such that a part of the rim of the second component touches the top surface of the first component. The apparatus is configured to move the second component in the x-y plane on, or across the top surface thereby self-aligning the centers such that the rim of the second component surrounds the first component.

Inventors

LAMPRECHT, Marcel
BAUER, CHRISTINA
TANASESCU, Paul-Alexandru
REMUND, Michael
GIGER, Jannik
BECK, Kei

Assignees

TECAN Trading AG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20231222

Claims (15)

A laboratory automation apparatus (1) comprising: - a working table (2) with a working surface (3) defining an x-y plane, - a first component (4) positioned on the working table, the first component having a top surface (6) oriented parallel to the x-y plane with a defined geometrical shape, - a second component (5) for covering the top surface of the first component and having a bottom surface (7a) surrounded by a rim (7) extending from the bottom surface and adapted to surround the geometrical shape of the first component, - a transfer mechanism (8) comprising a gripper (9) configured to grip, transfer and release the first component (4) or the second component (5) to different positions on the working table (2), - a microcontroller (10) for controlling the transfer mechanism (8), wherein the laboratory automation apparatus is configured to - place the second component onto the first component such that the top surface (6) and bottom surface (7a) are substantially parallel and in a position where the center of the bottom surface of the second component (C) is misaligned with respect to the center of the top surface of the first component (C') to a distance amounting to at least 0.5% of the longest dimension of the first component such that at least a part of the bottom surface of the rim touches the top surface of the first component, - move the second component in the x-y plane translational across the top surface of the first component thereby aligning the centers of the first and second components such that the rim surrounds the outer geometrical shape of the first component and the bottom surface of the second component fully covers the top surface of the first component.
The laboratory automation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laboratory automation apparatus is configured to bias the second component (5) towards the first component (4) during the translational move.
The laboratory automation apparatus according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the translational movement in the x-y plane is selected from a movement along a diagonal of the first component, a circular movement in the x-y plane or a rotational movement around the z-axis.
The laboratory automation apparatus according to any of the previous claims wherein the first and/or second components are labware components selected from a holder for solid phase extraction columns, a microscope slide holder, a nest for holding labware components, trays for holding pipettes, boxes for holding tray holders, microplates, covers or lids for covering labware, covers or lids for covering microplates, petri dishes or covers for petri dishes.
A method for self-centering a second component onto a first component using a laboratory automation apparatus (1), the laboratory automation apparatus comprising: - a working table (2) with a working surface (3) defining an x-y plane, - a first component (4) positioned on the working table, the first component having a top surface (6) oriented parallel to the x-y plane with a defined geometrical shape, - a second component (5) for covering the top surface (6) of the first component (4) and having a bottom surface (7a) surrounded by a rim (7) extending from the bottom surface (7a) and adapted to surround the defined geometrical shape of the first component (4), - a transfer mechanism (8) comprising a gripper (9) configured to grip, transfer or release the first component (4) or the second component (5) to different positions on the working table (2), - a microcontroller (10) for controlling the transfer mechanism (8), wherein the method comprises the following steps: - a) using the transfer mechanism for lowering the second component in the z-direction and placing the second component onto the top surface of the first component such that the bottom surface of the second component is oriented substantially parallel to the top surface of the first component and in a position where at least a part of the bottom surface of the rim touches the top surface of the first component - b) using the transfer mechanism for applying a force on the second component to bias the second component towards the top surface of the first component, - c) moving the second component with respect to, and across the top surface of the first component in the x-y plane while retaining the bias until the rim surrounds the geometrical shape of the first component and the bottom surface of the second component fully covers the top surface of the first component.
The method according to claim 5, wherein the defined geometrical shape for the top surface of the first component is selected from a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a circle, an oval, a trapezium, or a parallelogram.
The method according to any of the previous claims wherein the first and/or second components (4,5) are labware components selected from a holder for solid phase extraction columns, a microscope slide holder, a nest for holding labware components, trays for holding pipettes, boxes for holding tray holder, microplates, covers or lids for covering microplates petri dishes or covers or lids for petri dishes.
The method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the movement in step c) is selected from a translational movement on or across the top surface of the first component, a circular movement in the x-y plane or a rotational movement around the z-axis.
The method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the center of the top surface of the first component (C') is misaligned with respect to the center of the bottom surface of the second component (C) when executing step a).
The method according to claim 9, wherein the center of the top surface of the first component is misaligned with respect to the center of the bottom surface of the second component by a distance equal to at least 0.5% of the longest dimension of the first component.
The method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the gripper (9) has two gripping fingers (11) for applying a gripping force onto the outer surface of the rim (7) of the second component and wherein the gripper provides a first force in the z-direction for biasing the second component in the z-direction in step b).
The method according to claim 11 wherein the first force applied in the z-direction by the gripper is decreased to a second force below the first force during step c).
The method according to claims 11 or 12, wherein the gripping fingers contacting the outer surface of the second component slide over the outer surface of the rim during step b) until the gripping fingers contact the top surface of the first component.
The method according to any of the previous claims further comprising step d); releasing the gripper.
The method according to claim 13 wherein steps a) to d) are repeated for stacking first and second components.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The current invention relates to a microplate processing apparatus configured place lids onto the microplate, and to a method for self-centering a lid onto the microplate using the microplate processing apparatus. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Laboratory automation apparatuses are used for automation tasks of a laboratory assistant. In the field of diagnostics such laboratory automation apparatuses are used for testing test samples from a patient for detecting specific diseases. A sample of the patient's blood, stool or urine is taken and analyzed by means of a biochemical procedure. In the field of pharmaceutical research, laboratory automation apparatuses are used for screening libraries of thousands new chemical or biological entities and their response to specific receptors also requiring highly automated equipment and testing procedures. High throughput of a plurality of test samples, for example during the Covid pandemic, requires highly automated laboratory apparatuses. The sample testing uses standardized well-plates or microplates which include a plurality of wells or containers arranged in multiple arrays. There are numerous types of microplates with different shapes of the wells, such as round or flat wells, different number of wells or deep wells. Microplates preferably have standardized dimensions for the rectangular footprint according to ANSI standards. The height of the microplates can vary significantly depending on the specific intended application within the laboratory automation procedure. The laboratory automation apparatus includes, for example, automated pipetting lines, mixing tables, incubators, or automated microplate readers for measuring the specific absorption, luminescence, or phosphorescence of the substances to be tested within the microplates. The microplates are preferably placed onto a working table within the laboratory automation apparatus and may be moved between different stations for filling, incubating, tempering, and testing of the samples within the wells of the microplate using for example a microplate reader. The analytical testing procedures are often performed over a prolonged period and/or at temperatures above room temperatures and this may lead to evaporation of the fluids present in the wells of the microplate. Drying of the samples or concentration of reactants should be avoided and the microplates are therefore covered by a lid. The lid may further reduce the risk of cross contamination due the mixing and condensation of evaporated fluids between the wells in the microplate. The rectangular lids therefore cover and enclose the top rim of the rectangular microplates with a tight clearance. The lids need to be placed and removed on the microplates during the fluid handling and testing of the substances requiring a robotic handling system within the laboratory automation apparatus. The placement and removal of the lids must be fast and reliable to prevent misplacement of the lid on the top surface of the microplate. A tilted microplate may, for example, prevent or obstruct insertion of the assembly of the covered microplate into a microplate reader. This will stall a long-term testing procedure on the automated apparatus and lead to a significant delay for obtaining test results and loss of expensive reactants used. A rectangular microplate located on a working table may need to be covered by a rectangular lid using the robotic handling system including the transfer mechanism equipped with a gripper. The transfer mechanism carrying the lid moves to the location of microplate, lowers the lid and opens the grippers for covering the microplate. The rectangular lid includes rim protruding from and surrounding the outer dimensions of the microplate. There is a tight fit between the protruding rim of the microplate and the outer dimensions on the top surface of the rectangular microplate as there is a small clearance gap between the rim and the outer surface of the microplate. Accurate positioning of the lid is required which may be jeopardized by the accuracy of the transfer mechanism and stacked-up tolerances of the working table, the position of a nest for the microplate, the outer dimensions of the microplate and the dimensions of the lid and the protruding rim. The stacked-up tolerances may be within the same order of magnitude as the clearance between the rim on the lid and the outer contour of the microplate mentioned above. Extensive teaching procedures are required for accurately teaching the transfer mechanism for each position of the microplate on the working table for single step lid placement, i.e., the lid is moved to a position for covering the microplate and lowered for covering the microplate in a single step. US 9029101 discloses a microplate reader with a lid lifter for placement and removal of the lids from a microplate that may be analyzed by the optical measuring or detecting device of the reader. JP2014226569 discloses a