Patent ID: 8452460
Filing Date: 2013-05-28
Classification: A01H,G01N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for automatic orienting of plant embryos suspended in a liquid flowing through the apparatus, comprising a) flow channels for the liquid comprising a liquid inlet of an inlet tube, a liquid outlet of an outlet tube, a reservoir tube connected to a reservoir device, said reservoir device comprising means for generating positive liquid pressure in relation to the liquid pressure at outlet, means for accommodating liquid flowing in as well as means of providing liquid for outward flow, wherein the inlet tube, the outlet tube and the reservoir tube are connected at an intersection, and wherein the flow channels are dimensioned such that embryos may travel with the liquid flowing through the channels but are restricted to travelling either in a crown-first or crown-last orientation by dimensional constraints without a possibility to change orientation while travelling through any of the said tubes unless the change in orientation occurs as disclosed further below; b) a flow direction means comprising means of: c) detector(s) comprising an orientation detector placed in the inlet tube, wherein the orientation detector comprises means of determining the orientation of an embryo passing through the inlet tube; d) a control unit for steering the flow of the liquid in the flow channels comprising means of receiving input from the orientation detector and means controlling the flow direction means such that: whereby all embryos suspended in the liquid exiting from the outlet will have an orientation matching the predetermined orientation.