Systems for automated preparation of biological specimens
An automated system for processing a sample contained in a liquid sample container includes an automated tool head configured to rotate about a first axis, and to translate along a second axis different than the first axis, an analytic element positioner having an analytic element holder configured to releasably grip an analytic element, and a specimen transfer device carried by the tool head, wherein the tool head is configured to automatically position a working end of the specimen transfer device to obtain a specimen from a sample container held in the sample container holder, and to transfer the obtained specimen to an analytic element held by the analytic element holder, respectively, through one or both of rotation of the tool head about the first axis and translation of the tool head along the second axis.
1. An automated system for processing a sample contained in a liquid sample container, the system comprising:
a sample container holder configured for holding a sample container;
an automated tool head configured to rotate about a first axis, and to translate along a second axis different than the first axis;
a pipette tip dispenser;
a pipette tip dispenser transporter;
a pipettor carried by the tool head, the pipettor having a pipette tip engaging member configured to releasably engage pipette tips, wherein the tool head is configured to automatically position the pipette tip engaging member relative to the pipette tip dispenser to allow the pipette tip engaging member to engage a pipette tip held by the pipette tip dispenser through one or both of rotation of the tool head about the first axis and translation of the tool head along the second axis, wherein the pipette tip dispenser is mounted on the pipette tip dispenser transporter, the pipette tip dispenser transporter being configured to translate the pipette tip dispenser relative to the tool head so that the pipette tip dispenser may be selectively translated to a location at which the tool head positions the pipette tip engaging member to engage a pipette tip from the pipette tip dispenser; and
a pipette tip dispenser isolation chamber, wherein the pipette tip dispenser transporter is configured to selectively translate the pipette tip dispenser between the location at which the tool head positions the pipette tip engaging member to engage a pipette tip from the pipette tip dispenser and a second location within the isolation chamber.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sample container capping device disposed on the tool head and configured to controllably grip and release a cap of a sample container held in the sample container holder, wherein the tool head is configured to automatically position the sample container capping device relative to the sample container cap through one or both of rotation of the tool head about the first axis and translation of the tool head along the second axis, and wherein the sample container capping device operatively cooperates with the sample container holder to remove or install the sample container cap.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the sample container holder is configured to automatically rotate in one of a clockwise rotational direction and a counter-clockwise rotational direction while the sample container capping device engages the sample container cap in order to remove the sample container cap from the sample container, and wherein the sample container holder is configured to automatically rotate in the other one of the clockwise rotational direction and the counter-clockwise rotational direction while the sample container capping device engages the sample container cap in order to install the sample container cap onto the sample container.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pipette tip waste bin, wherein the pipette tip dispenser and the pipette tip waste bin are disposed side-by-side on the pipette tip dispenser transporter, the pipette tip dispenser transporter being further configured to automatically translate the waste bin relative to the tool head so that the pipette tip waste bin may be selectively translated to a location at which the tool head positions the pipette tip engaging member to allow the pipette tip engaging member to release a pipette tip into the pipette tip waste bin.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller for controlling operation of at least one of the tool head and the pipettor; and
a user interface operatively coupled with the controller and configured for displaying system status and/or inquiries to a user and for receiving user inputs in response to the displayed system status and/or inquiries.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a supplemental container holder configured for holding a supplemental container, wherein the tool head is configured to automatically position the pipette tip engaging member into a position in which an engaged pipette tip is inserted into a sample container held in the sample container holder, and into a position in which an engaged pipette tip is inserted into a supplemental container held in the supplemental container holder, respectively, through one or both of rotation of the tool head about the first axis and translation of the tool head along the second axis.
7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a supplemental container capping device disposed on the tool head and configured to controllably grip and release a cap of a supplemental container held in the supplemental container holder, wherein the tool head is configured to automatically position the supplemental container capping device relative to the supplemental container cap through one or both of rotation of the tool head about the first axis and translation of the tool head along the second axis, and wherein the supplemental container capping device operatively cooperates with the supplemental container holder to remove or install the supplemental container cap.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the supplemental container holder is configured to automatically rotate in one of a clockwise rotational direction and a counter-clockwise rotational direction while the supplemental container capping device engages the supplemental container cap in order to remove the supplemental container cap from the supplemental container, and wherein the supplemental container holder is configured to automatically rotate in the other one of the clockwise rotational direction and the counter-clockwise rotational direction while the supplemental container capping device engages the supplemental container cap in order to install the supplemental container cap onto the supplemental container.
9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a supplemental container held in the supplemental container holder.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the supplemental container is an aliquot container, and wherein the tool head and pipettor are configured to operatively cooperate to automatically cause the pipette tip engaging member to engage a pipette tip from the pipette tip dispenser, draw an aliquot of a sample from a sample container held in the sample container holder using the engaged pipette tip, and dispense the obtained sample aliquot into the aliquot container.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the supplemental container is a reagent container containing a reagent, and wherein the tool head and pipettor are configured to operatively cooperate to automatically cause the pipette tip engaging member to engage a pipette tip from the pipette tip dispenser, draw an aliquot of reagent from the reagent container using the engaged pipette tip, and dispense the reagent aliquot into a sample container held in the sample container holder.
12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a reader configured for reading sample container indicia located on a sample container; and
an aliquot container printer in communication with reader and configured for printing analytic element indicia corresponding to sample container indicia read by the reader onto an aliquot container.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the reader is positioned on the tool head.
14. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a controller for controlling operation of at least one of the tool head and the pipettor;
a user interface operatively coupled with the controller and configured for displaying system status and/or inquiries to a user, and for receiving user inputs in response to the displayed system status and/or inquiries.
15. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a pipette tip waste bin, wherein the pipette tip dispenser and the pipette tip waste bin are disposed side-by-side on the pipette tip dispenser transporter, the pipette tip dispenser transporter being further configured to automatically translate the waste bin relative to the tool head so that the pipette tip waste bin may be selectively translated to a location at which the tool head positions the pipette tip engaging member to allow the pipette tip engaging member to release a pipette tip into the pipette tip waste bin.
16. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a pipette tip waste bin, wherein the pipette tip dispenser and the pipette tip waste bin are disposed side-by-side on the pipette tip dispenser transporter, the pipette tip dispenser transporter being further configured to automatically translate the waste bin relative to the tool head so that the pipette tip waste bin may be selectively translated to a location at which the tool head positions the pipette tip engaging member to allow the pipette tip engaging member to release a pipette tip into the pipette tip waste bin.
17. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a controller for controlling operation of at least one of the tool head and the pipettor; and
a user interface operatively coupled with the controller and configured for displaying system status and/or inquiries to a user and for receiving user inputs in response to the displayed system status and/or inquiries.
18. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a controller for controlling operation of at least one of the tool head and the pipettor; and
a user interface operatively coupled with the controller and configured for displaying system status and/or inquiries to a user and for receiving user inputs in response to the displayed system status and/or inquiries.
19. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a controller for controlling operation of at least one of the tool head and the pipettor; and
a user interface operatively coupled with the controller and configured for displaying system status and/or inquiries to a user and for receiving user inputs in response to the displayed system status and/or inquiries.
20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
a controller for controlling operation of at least one of the tool head and the pipettor; and
a user interface operatively coupled with the controller and configured for displaying system status and/or inquiries to a user and for receiving user inputs in response to the displayed system status and/or inquiries.