Automated sampling system
View Patent ↗A sample carrier including a lower support wall, a base joined to or in fixed proximity to a bottom end of the lower support wall, and sample tube receiving areas in fixed proximity to the lower support wall for receiving and holding a plurality of sample tubes in substantially vertical orientations. The sample carrier further includes a blocking wall joined to a top end of the support wall which extends laterally over portions of sample tubes held by the sample carrier, thereby limiting vertical movement of the sample tubes during automated sampling procedures. The contents of sample tubes held by the sample carrier can be accessed by a robotic pipetting device. Additionally, a drip shield having a cover plate, a pair of through-holes for accessing sample tubes held by a the sample carrier, and a depending runner for maintaining the sample carrier on a sample carousel.
1. An automated sampling system comprising:
a conveyor;
a sample carrier located on the conveyor and comprising:
a plurality of sample tube receiving areas for receiving and holding sample tubes;
one or more sample tubes, each of the sample tubes being disposed in one of the sample tube receiving areas and held in a substantially vertical orientation by the sample carrier; and
a sample tube blocking member movably positioned above the sample tube receiving areas and comprising a blocking wall that extends laterally over only a portion of each of the sample tubes, thereby limiting vertical movement of the sample tubes without obstructing access to the contents of the sample tubes by a robotic pipetting device;
a drip shield in fixed positioned above the conveyor and comprising:
a cover constructed and arranged to permit the conveyor to transport the sample carrier thereunder and to block vertical movement of the sample tube blocking member;
one or more through-holes formed in the cover and arranged to be aligned with the one or more sample tubes as the sample carrier is indexed by the conveyor under the cover, each through-hole being sized to provide vertical passage by a fluid transfer device; and
a robotic pipetting device operatively positioned with respect to the drip shield and comprising a fluid transfer device for accessing the contents of the one or more sample tubes.
2. The automated sampling system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor is a rotatable carousel.
3. The automated sampling system of claim 2 , wherein the sample carrier is one of a plurality of sample carriers located on the carousel in a spaced-apart relationship.
4. The automated sampling system of claim 3 , wherein each of the sample carriers is seated in a sample carrier receiving well of the carousel.
5. The automated sampling system of claim 1 , wherein the sample carrier comprises a lower support wall joined to a base, and wherein the sample tube receiving areas are positioned adjacent the lower support wall.
6. The automated sampling system of claim 5 , wherein the sample carrier further comprises one or more springs disposed within each of the sample tube receiving areas for holding a sample tube therein.
7. The automated sampling system of claim 6 , wherein each spring comprises a leaf spring fixed by and extending outward relative to the lower support wall and into one of the sample tube receiving areas, and wherein the leaf spring is configured and arranged to bias a sample tube against one or more retaining walls associated with the sample tube receiving area.
8. The automated sampling system of claim 5 , wherein each sample tube receiving area comprises a slot formed in the base which is configured to receive a sample tube therein.
9. The automated sampling system of claim 5 , wherein the sample tube blocking member is removably provided to the lower support wall.
10. The automated sampling system of claim 9 , wherein the sample tube blocking member further comprises an upper support wall depending from the blocking wall, and wherein the upper support wall is in touching contact with the lower support wall.
11. The automated sampling system of claim 10 , wherein the upper and lower support walls comprise mated registration elements for registering the sample tube blocking member with the lower support wall.
12. The automated sampling system of claim 5 further comprising a transverse wall joined to the lower support wall opposite the base and having a plurality of spaced-apart openings, each of the openings being in alignment with one of the sample tube receiving areas and dimensioned to receive a sample tube therethrough.
13. The sample carrier of claim 12 , wherein each of the sample tube receiving areas comprises an opening having a set of finger springs depending from about its periphery, each set of finger springs being configured and arranged to hold a sample tube, and wherein each opening in the sample tube receiving areas is in axial alignment with one of the openings in the transverse wall.
14. The automated sampling system of claim 12 , wherein the sample carrier further comprises one or more springs disposed within each of the sample tube receiving areas for holding a sample tube therein.
15. The automated sampling system of claim 14 , wherein each spring comprises a leaf spring fixed by and extending outward relative to the lower support wall and into one of the sample tube receiving areas, and wherein the leaf spring is configured and arranged to bias a sample tube against one or more retaining walls associated with the sample tube receiving area.
16. The automated sampling system of claim 12 , wherein each sample tube receiving area comprises a slot formed in the base which is configured to receive a sample tube therein.
17. The automated sampling system of claim 12 , wherein the sample tube blocking member is removably provided to the transverse wall.
18. The automated sampling system of claim 17 , wherein the sample tube blocking member comprises an upper support wall depending from the blocking wall, and wherein the upper support wall is in touching contact with the transverse wall.
19. The automated sampling system of claim 18 , wherein the upper support wall and the transverse wall comprise mated registration elements for registering the sample tube blocking member with the transverse wall.
20. The automated sampling system of claim 5 , wherein the sample carrier includes a plurality of sample tube receiving areas adjacent opposite sides of the lower support wall.
21. The automated sampling system of claim 20 , wherein the sample carrier and the drip shield have corresponding arcuate shapes.
22. The automated sampling system of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a depending runner constructed and arranged to block vertical movement of the sample tube blocking member when the sample carrier is positioned beneath the drip shield.
23. The automated sampling system of claim 22 , wherein a top surface of the sample tube blocking member is no more than about 0.125 inches beneath a bottom surface of the runner when the sample carrier is positioned beneath the drip shield.
24. The automated sampling system of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of each of the through-holes is less than the diameter of any of the sample tubes aligned therewith.
25. The automated sampling system of claim 24 , wherein the cover comprises a pair of parallel runners depending from opposite sides of each of the through-holes, the distance between the runners of each pair of parallel runners being less than the diameter of any of the sample tubes aligned with the corresponding through-hole.