Patent ID: 7169362
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A microplate liquid handling system comprising: a main frame body; a dispensing mechanism including a plurality of cylinders extending side by side and in parallel with each other by an even interval to provide a linear cylinder array, each cylinder having a nozzle and a plunger and a dispensing tip being attachable to each nozzle for performing suction and discharge of liquid reagent or specimen through the dispensing tips by way of each plunger, each dispensing tip being detachably connectable to each nozzle; a moving mechanism supported to the main frame body for moving the dispensing mechanism in X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions directed perpendicular to each other; a first dispensing tip container configured to contain a matrix of n×m dispensing tips for permitting the nozzles to be attached with a first dispensing tip array oriented in the Y-axis direction, the first dispensing tip container having a longitudinal axis in parallel with the Y-axis direction; a second dispensing tip container configured to contain a matrix of n×m dispensing tips for permitting the nozzles to be attached with a second dispensing tip array oriented in the X-axis direction, the second dispensing tip container having a lateral axis in parallel with the X-axis direction; a first reagent vessel having a plurality of wells oriented in the Y-axis direction for storing a first reagent to be supplied to the dispensing tips of the first dispensing tip container; a second reagent vessel having a plurality of wells oriented in the X-axis direction for storing a second reagent to be supplied to the dispensing tips of the second dispensing tip container; a microplate arranged in the main frame body having a plurality of wells arranged in a matrix of n×m, the first reagent being discharged in a plurality of wells oriented in the Y-axis direction and the second reagent being discharged in a plurality of wells oriented in the X-axis direction of the microplate; a rotating mechanism that rotates the dispensing mechanism about a rotation axis located substantially at the center of the plurality of cylinders; and a controller configured to control the dispensing mechanism, the rotating mechanism and the moving mechanism in the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis, and to rotate the rotating mechanism about the rotation axis to align the dispensing mechanism to permit the nozzles to be attached with dispensing tips oriented in the Y-axis direction or the X-axis direction, and to rotate the rotating mechanism about the rotation axis to align the dispensing mechanism in the Y-axis or X-axis direction to supply the first reagent or second reagent, respectively, to the attached dispensing tips.