Micro plate treating device and micro plate carrying method

In a microplate processing apparatus that removes lid (11) of microplate (10) conveyed by microplate conveying mechanism (3) to perform a dispensing process by dispensing head (8), and that attaches lid (11) after the dispensing process is completed, lid (11) removed by lid removing mechanism (6) at first position (P1) is conveyed to third position (P3) located downstream, by microplate conveying mechanism (3), to be held by lid attaching mechanism (9), and then lid (11) is attached to microplate (10) having been conveyed to third position (P3), after the dispensing process is completed, while microplate (10) with this lid (11) having been attached is being lifted to processing position (P4) above microplate conveying mechanism (3), by microplate stage (12).

This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2005/006987, filed Apr. 05, 2005, which in turn claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2004-112976, filed Apr. 07, 2004, the disclosures of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a microplate processing apparatus capable of performing given processes for microplates, and to a method of conveying microplates in the microplate processing apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

In fields such as drug screening and biotechnology, biochemical reactions of substances and the like are tested. In the testing, a microplate is used as a container for containing drug solution and test substances with which cultivation and biochemical reactions are performed. The testing, usually performed systematically targeted for a large number of samples, processes a plurality of microplates in one testing for dispensing operation, componential analysis, and others.

Under the circumstances, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H11-223636, such a structure is known that is equipped with a feeding device for stocking a plurality of microplates; and a plate conveying mechanism for conveying microplates extracted from the feeding device, as a dedicated processing apparatus for performing the above-mentioned processes automatically. In this conventional example, microplates are individually contained in a storage rack provided with a plurality of plate placing positions; when feeding, microplates are extracted one by one by means of a plate conveying mechanism of the ceiling-travel robot type, and are transferred to the dispensing stage; and microplates having undergone the dispensing operation are returned into the storage rack.

A well for containing liquid, provided in a microplate, is open at its top surface. Therefore, when storing a microplate with liquid injected into its well, having undergone the dispensing operation, a lidded microplate may be used for isolating the injected liquid from the outside atmosphere, depending on a purpose of testing. In such a case, the lid needs to be attached and detached when performing processes such as a dispensing operation for the microplate, and thus the microplate processing apparatus requires a function for attaching and detaching a microplate lid.

In the above-mentioned conventional example, for instance, the apparatus is equipped with a lid removing unit therein, and microplates individually move to the lid removing unit by the plate conveying mechanism every time before and after a dispensing operation is performed.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, only one set of lid removing unit is arranged at a fixed position. Consequently, a large number of microplates requiring being processed continuously make it difficult to attach and detach lids efficiently, which causes the entire processing to be inefficient.

SUMMERY OF THE INVENTION

A microplate processing apparatus according to the present invention has the following makeup.

A microplate processing apparatus that removes a microplate lid to perform a given process for the microplate, and attaches the lid after the process is completed, the apparatus equipped with a microplate conveying mechanism with a conveyor belt, for conveying the microplate in an order corresponding to a lid removing position, an intermediate position, and a lid attaching position, from upstream on a conveying path; a microplate positioning mechanism for extracting the microplate from the microplate conveying mechanism to position the microplate at a processing position where the above-mentioned process is performed, and for replacing the microplate from the relevant processing position to the microplate conveying mechanism, at the intermediate position; a processing unit for performing a given process for the microplate positioned at the processing position; a lid removing mechanism for removing the microplate lid at the lid removing position, and for placing the removed lid onto the conveying path of the microplate conveying mechanism; a lid attaching mechanism that picks up the lid conveyed from the lid removing position to the lid attaching position by the microplate conveying mechanism, from the microplate conveying mechanism, and attaches the picked up lid to the microplate conveyed to the lid attaching position; and a control unit for controlling the microplate conveying mechanism so that the lid placed on the conveying path by the lid removing mechanism is conveyed from the lid removing position to the lid attaching position, while the microplate is being extracted from the microplate conveying mechanism by the microplate positioning mechanism.

A method of conveying a microplate according to the present invention has the following steps.

A method of conveying a microplate in a microplate processing apparatus equipped with a microplate conveying mechanism with a conveyor belt, for conveying the microplate in an order corresponding to a lid removing position, an intermediate position, and a lid attaching position, from upstream on a conveying path, the method including a lid removing position conveying step for conveying the microplate with its lid attached, to the lid removing position, by the microplate conveying mechanism; a lid removing step for removing a microplate lid at the lid removing position; an intermediate position conveying step for conveying the microplate with its lid removed, to the intermediate position, by the microplate conveying mechanism; a positioning step for extracting the microplate conveyed to the intermediate position, from the microplate conveying mechanism, to position the microplate at a processing position; a lid placing step for placing the lid removed in the lid removing step, on the conveying path of the microplate conveying mechanism; a lid conveying step for conveying the lid placed on the conveying path, from the lid removing position to the lid attaching position, by the microplate conveying mechanism; a lid picking up step for picking up the lid conveyed to the lid attaching position, from the microplate conveying mechanism, and for holding the lid; a replacing step for replacing the microplate having undergone a given process at the processing position, to the microplate conveying mechanism, at the intermediate position; a lid attaching position conveying step for conveying the microplate replaced to the microplate conveying mechanism, from the intermediate position to the lid attaching position; a lid attaching step for attaching the lid held in the lid picking up step, to the microplate conveyed to the lid attaching position; and a carrying out step for carrying out the microplate with its lid attached, from the lid attaching position, by the microplate conveying mechanism.

According to the present invention, when performing a given process targeted for the microplate with its lid extracted at the lid removing position, adopting the following makeup allows attaching and detaching the lid to and from the microplate to be performed efficiently. That is, the microplate is to be extracted from the microplate conveying mechanism by the microplate positioning mechanism, and the removed lid is to be conveyed from the lid removing position to the lid attaching position while the microplate is being extracted from the microplate conveying mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a description will be made for an embodiment of the present invention, using drawings.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a microplate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 2, a front view of the microplate processing apparatus according to the embodiment;FIG. 3, a partially sectional view of the microplate conveying mechanism in the microplate processing apparatus according to the embodiment; andFIG. 4, a block diagram illustrating the makeup of the control system of the microplate processing apparatus according to the embodiment.FIGS. 5A through 5D,FIGS. 6A through 6D,FIGS. 7A through 7D, andFIG. 8are explanatory diagrams for the operation of the microplate processing apparatus according to the embodiment.

First, a description will be made for the entire structure of microplate processing apparatus1, referring toFIG. 1. Microplate processing apparatus1, in biochemical testing and analysis such as in drug screening, has functions for removing a microplate lid to perform a given process for the microplate, and for attaching the lid after the process is completed.

As shown inFIG. 1, in microplate processing apparatus1, first microplate conveying mechanism31and second microplate conveying mechanism32, both having the identical structure, are horizontally arranged on base2in parallel with each other; and dispensing head8, movable owing to dispensing head drive mechanism7, is allocated above these microplate conveying mechanisms. Further, first plate feeding container41and first plate collecting container51are arranged at both ends of first microplate conveying mechanism31; second plate feeding container42and second plate collecting container52, at both ends of second microplate conveying mechanism32.

Microplates10as test objects are contained in first plate feeding container41and second plate feeding container42. Microplates10fed one by one from first plate feeding container41and second plate feeding container42, are conveyed downstream (to the right inFIG. 1) by means of first microplate conveying mechanism31and second microplate conveying mechanism32, both with conveyor belts.

Then, a dispensing operation is performed for microplates10by dispensing head8, on the conveying paths of first microplate conveying mechanism31and second microplate conveying mechanism32. Microplates10having undergone the dispensing operation are conveyed downstream by first microplate conveying mechanism31and second microplate conveying mechanism32, and collected to first plate collecting container51and second plate collecting container52.

Microplate10as a test object is to be stocked with lid11attached, to prevent foreign matter from being immixed, and thus lid11is attached and detached when dispensing operation is performed by dispensing head8. Accordingly, microplate processing apparatus1is provided with lid removing mechanism6and lid attaching mechanism9for removing and attaching lid11, upstream and downstream of dispensing head8, respectively. Lid removing mechanism6and lid attaching mechanism9move up and down first lid holding head6band second lid holding head9b, both capable of sucking and holding lid11, by means of first lid holding head up/down actuator6aand second lid holding head up/down actuator9a, respectively.

Next, a description is made for the structures of first microplate conveying mechanism31and second microplate conveying mechanism32, and for their positional segments on the conveying path, referring toFIG. 2.

As shown inFIG. 2, first microplate conveying mechanism31and second microplate conveying mechanism32(hereinafter, collectively described as “microplate conveying mechanism3” as long as discrimination is not required) have two pieces of guide plates3a, arranged so as to face each other vertically in the conveying direction, as the frame of the conveyor body, and belt13driven by conveyor belt drive motor14travels on bearing plates3b, horizontally provided in respective guide plates3a.

The top surface of belt13born by bearing plate3bfor travel is a conveying path which microplate10is placed on and conveyed through. The traveling direction of belt13, namely the conveying direction, and the start/stop timing of conveying are arbitrarily controllable as required. The conveying path of microplate conveying mechanism3has the positions thereon with enough sizes for each one microplate10to stay in, located upstream, downstream, and centrally: first position [P1], second position [P2], and third position [P3].

First position [P1] is a lid removing position for removing lid11from microplate10by lid removing mechanism6, as well as for receiving microplate10fed from plate feeding containers41and42located upstream. Third position [P3] is a lid attaching position for reattaching lid11once removed at first position [P1], to microplate10. Finally, second position [P2], located intermediately between first position [P1] and third position [P3], is an intermediate position for extracting microplate10from microplate conveying mechanism3to perform a dispensing process for microplate10by dispensing head8, as described later.

First position [P1], second position [P2], and third position [P3] are provided with first stopper151, second stopper152, and third stopper153, respectively, for stopping microplate10at each position. The respective positions are provided with sensors for detecting the presence of microplate10at each position: first sensor S1, second sensor S2, and third sensor S3. In other words, microplate conveying mechanism3is equipped with a plurality of stoppers for stopping microplate10by contacting an end of the microplate at first position [P1], second position [P2], and third position [P3] (lid removing position, intermediate position, and lid attaching position, respectively).

Next, a description is made for a microplate stage provided at second position [P2].

As shown inFIG. 2, notched groove3cis formed vertically at the central part of guide plate3a. Belt13travels around notched groove3cby means of pulleys16aand16b. As shown inFIG. 3, microplate stage12with its horizontal top surface is arranged in notched groove3cin a vertically insertable and removable manner. Microplate stage12is movable up and down by means of microplate stage up/down actuator17arranged behind guide plate3a. Microplate stage up/down actuator17is an up/down mechanism for microplate stage12.

Microplate stage12is positioned so as not to prevent microplate10from being conveyed by belt13while microplate stage12is down in notched groove3c. As a result that microplate stage up/down actuator17is driven while microplate10is positioned at second position [P2], to elevate microplate stage12, microplate10is raised by microplate stage12, to allow positioning to processing position [P4], where a dispensing process is performed by dispensing head8.

In other words, the position where microplate stage12is elevated by microplate stage up/down actuator17falls at processing position [P4], where a dispensing process is performed. After the dispensing process is completed, as a result that microplate stage12is moved down by microplate stage up/down actuator17, microplate10having undergone the dispensing process returns onto the conveying path of microplate conveying mechanism3, at second position [P2].

In the above-mentioned makeup, microplate conveying mechanism3conveys microplate10with a conveyor belt in the order corresponding to first position [P1], second position [P2], and third position [P3] (lid removing position, intermediate position, and lid attaching position, respectively) from the upstream on the conveying path. Further, aforementioned microplate stage12extracts microplate10conveyed by microplate conveying mechanism3, from microplate conveying mechanism3, at second position [P2]; positions microplate10to processing position [P4], where a dispensing process is to be performed; and becomes a component of microplate positioning mechanism30that replaces microplate10from relevant processing position [P4] to microplate conveying mechanism3. In this embodiment, microplate stage12that supports microplate10from an under side, and up/down mechanism (microplate stage up/down actuator)17that moves this microplate stage12up and down compose microplate positioning mechanism30.

Dispensing head8is a processing unit that performs a given process for microplate10positioned at processing position [P4]. Lid removing mechanism6removes lid11of microplate10conveyed by microplate conveying mechanism3, at first position [P1], and places the removed lid11on the conveying path of microplate conveying mechanism3. Lid attaching mechanism9picks up lid11conveyed from first position [P1] to third position [P3] by microplate conveying mechanism3, from microplate conveying mechanism3, and attaches the picked up lid11, to microplate11conveyed to third position [P3] by microplate conveying mechanism3.

Next, a description will be made for the makeup of the control system, referring toFIG. 4.FIG. 4specifically shows only the components of first microplate conveying mechanism31, out of the respective components of first microplate conveying mechanism31and second microplate conveying mechanism32. Control unit20controls the operations of conveyor belt drive motor14, microplate stage up/down actuator17, first stopper151, second stopper152, and third stopper153, in the plate conveying operation by first microplate conveying mechanism31and second microplate conveying mechanism32. At this moment, the detection results of first sensor S1, second sensor S2, and third sensor S3are referred to.

Additionally, control unit20controls first lid holding head up/down actuator6aand first lid holding head6b, for attaching and detaching operations of lid11performed during the plate conveying operation. Control unit20further controls the moving operation of dispensing head8during the dispensing process for microplate10, by controlling dispensing head drive mechanism7; and controls feeding and collecting operations of microplate10, by controlling first plate feeding container41and second plate feeding container42.

Next, a description will be made for the plate conveying operation by means of control unit20.

In a plate process by means, of microplate processing apparatus1, microplate10is conveyed to second position [P2] after lid11is removed from microplate10fed with lid11attached, by lid removing mechanism6. Subsequently, microplate10extracted from second position [P2] is positioned to processing position [P4], where a dispensing operation is performed by dispensing head8, by the aforementioned microplate positioning mechanism30. Then, microplate10is replaced from processing position [P4] onto the conveying path of microplate conveying mechanism3, after the dispensing process by dispensing head8is completed. Further, lid11is to be attached to microplate10conveyed to third position [P3], by lid attaching mechanism9.

Here, the correspondence between microplate10and lid11is not in random order, but lid11that was attached when fed is to be always attached to its original microplate10, in order to prevent foreign matter from being immixed into microplate10. Accordingly, in microplate processing apparatus1according to this embodiment, lid11removed at first position [P1] is conveyed to third position [P3] in advance of microplate10, and is preliminarily held in lid attaching mechanism9. Then, the lid11is to be attached to microplate10, when microplate10having undergone the process is conveyed to third position [P3].

In order to implement these lid attaching and detaching operations by the same microplate conveying mechanism3, the aforementioned microplate stage12is provided at second position [P2], and lid11is to be conveyed to third position [P3] in advance while microplate10is being elevated and extracted from microplate conveying mechanism3.

Microplate processing apparatus1is composed as mentioned above. Hereinafter, a description will be made for a method of conveying microplates in microplate processing apparatus1, referring toFIGS. 5A through 8. When starting the process in microplate processing apparatus1, microplate10fed from first plate feeding container41or second plate feeding container42, is placed on first position [P1] with lid11attached, as shown inFIG. 5A, and is stopped at first position [P1] by first stopper151preliminarily elevated. In other words, microplate10with lid11attached is conveyed to first position [P1] (lid removing position), by microplate conveying mechanism3(lid removing position conveying step).

Here, when a given standby time elapses after first sensor S1detects microplate10, first lid holding head6bmoves up and down, to remove lid11from microplate10, as shown inFIG. 5B. That is, lid11is removed from microplate10at first position [P1] (lid removing position) (lid removing step).

After then, first stopper151is released; microplate10with lid11removed is conveyed to second position [P2], as shown inFIG. 5C; and microplate10is stopped at second position [P2] by means of second stopper152preliminarily elevated. In other words, microplate10with lid11removed is conveyed to second position [P2] (intermediate position), by means of microplate conveying mechanism3(intermediate position conveying step).

If second sensor S2detects microplate10at this moment, belt13is stopped after its travel speed is reduced to extract microplate10. Further, with the detection by second sensor S2, first stopper151is elevated, and then lid11having been held in first lid holding head6bis placed on the conveying path of microplate conveying mechanism3, at first position [P1]. In other words, lid11having been removed in the lid removing step is placed on the conveying path of microplate conveying mechanism3(lid placing step).

When a given time elapses after microplate10is detected by second sensor S2, first lid holding head6bis elevated as shown inFIG. 6A, while microplate stage12is elevated at second position [P2] to lift microplate10, and microplate10is positioned at processing position [P4], where a dispensing process is performed by dispensing head8. In other words, microplate10conveyed to second position [P2] is extracted from microplate conveying mechanism3and positioned at processing position [P4] (positioning step).

Subsequently, as shown inFIG. 6B, first stopper151and second stopper152are released to convey lid11further downstream through first position [P1] and second position [P2]. At this moment, when second sensor S2detects that lid11has passed through, first stopper151and third stopper153are elevated. Then, as shown inFIG. 6C, lid11is stopped at third position [P3] by means of third stopper153preliminarily elevated. In other words, lid11placed on microplate conveying mechanism3is conveyed from first position [P1] to third position [P3] by microplate conveying mechanism3(lid conveying step).

Along with the above operation, first position [P1] is fed with new microplate10, which is stopped by first stopper151preliminarily elevated. After then, when a given time elapses after microplate10is detected by first sensor S1, lid11is removed from microplate10by first lid holding head6b, at first position [P1], as shown inFIG. 6D.

Along with this operation, when a given time elapses after lid11is detected by third sensor S3, lid11on the conveying path is picked up by second lid holding head9b, at third position [P3]. In other words, lid11conveyed to third position [P3] is picked up from microplate conveying mechanism3to be held (lid picking up step).

After then, the completion of the dispensing process by dispensing head8is waited. When the dispensing process is completed, first stopper151is released while microplate stage12is moved down and microplate10having undergone the dispensing process is replaced to second position [P2], as shown inFIG. 7A. In other words, microplate10having undergone a given process at processing position [P4] is replaced to microplate conveying mechanism3, at second position [P2] (microplate replacing step).

After then, belt13travels to start a conveying operation of microplate10by microplate conveying mechanism3. This operation causes new microplate10to be conveyed downstream from first position [P1]; and microplate10having undergone dispensing, downstream from second position [P2]. In other words, microplate10replaced to microplate conveying mechanism3is conveyed from second position [P2] to third position [P3] (lid attaching position) by microplate conveying mechanism3(lid attaching position conveying step). Then, these microplates10stop at second position [P2] and third position [P3] by second stopper152and third stopper153preliminarily elevated, respectively, as shown inFIG. 7B.

Next, at second position [P2], when a given time elapses after microplate10is detected by second sensor S2, microplate stage12is elevated to lift microplate10, as shown inFIG. 7C. Meanwhile, at third position [P3], when a given time elapses after microplate10is detected by third sensor S3, lid11having been held by second lid holding head9bis attached to microplate10. In other words, lid11held in the lid picking up step is attached to microplate10conveyed to a lid attaching position (lid attaching step).

After then, at first position [P1], lid11having been held by first lid holding head6bis replaced onto the conveying path of microplate conveying mechanism3to be conveyed downstream, while at third position [P3], third stopper153is released after second lid holding head9bis elevated to convey microplate10with lid11attached, downstream, as shown inFIG. 7D. In other words, microplate10with lid11attached is carried out from third position [P3] by microplate conveying mechanism3(carrying out step). At processing position [P4], above second position [P2], a dispensing process by dispensing head8is started.

After then, when second sensor S2detects that lid11has passed through, first stopper151and third stopper153are elevated. This operation brings the same state as inFIG. 6C, as shown inFIG. 8, causing the same operation to be iteratively executed from then on. Further, the lid conveying step in above-mentioned plate conveying operation3is to be executed within the time from when microplate10is extracted from microplate conveying mechanism3in the positioning step, until when the microplate replacing step is completed. Still, lid11removed from microplate10in the lid removing step is attached to original microplate10with lid11having been attached in the lid attaching step.

As mentioned above, as a result that processing position [P4], where a given process is performed, targeted for microplate10with lid11extracted at first position [P1], is set above microplate conveying mechanism3, lid11can be conveyed from first position [P1] to third position [P3] in advance of microplate10, while microplate10is being extracted from microplate conveying mechanism3by microplate positioning mechanism30.

This makeup allows lid11to be attached to original microplate10having undergone a process, and to be attached and detached efficiently in a microplate processing apparatus that performs processes while continuously conveying a large number of microplates10by a single microplate conveying mechanism.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

A microplate processing apparatus according to the present invention is effective in that the lid of a microplate is efficiently attached to and detached from the microplate, for continuous processes targeted for a microplate requiring a lid to be attached.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS