Patent ID: 7927495
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: B03C,G01N,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. Device ( 10 ) for the automatic separation of the solid and liquid phase of a suspension ( 78 ) and for purifying magnetic microparticles ( 76 ) loaded with organic, substances, which device ( 10 ) comprises a process area ( 12 ), and a first guide ( 14 ) which is arranged for supplying sample containers (P) with magnetic microparticles in the x-direction to the process area ( 12 ) and second guide ( 18 ) which is arranged for supplying reagent containers (R) in the y-direction to the process area ( 12 ) and ejection of the reagent containers in the same direction into a waste collector, wherein the second guide ( 18 ) extends in the y-direction at an angle (α) of 30 to 150° to the x-direction, and additionally, the device comprises a carrier element ( 24 ), which can be moved back and forth in a cyclic manner in the x-direction, which carrier element comprises several carrier plates ( 24 a , 24 b , 24 c ) that can be lifted and lowered individually in the z-direction, running essentially perpendicular to the x- and y-direction, and wherein at least one of the carrier plates carries a plurality of magnetic or magnetisable transfer elements ( 28 ) arranged in a grid-like manner, whereby, by lowering the at least one carrier plate, the transfer elements can be lowered in z-direction into sample containers or reagent containers for magnetically attaching magnetic microparticles located in said containers and after lifting the transfer elements in z-direction, transporting the magnetic microparticles attached to the transfer elements in x-direction by movement of the carrier element, and after lowering the transfer elements in z-direction into further reagent containers releasing the magnetic microparticles attached to the transfer elements into the further reagent containers, whereby the reagent containers are positioned according to the grid of the transfer elements ( 28 ).