Patent ID: 7596251

Claim:
An automated multi-well plate imaging system comprising: a cabinet configured to selectively provide a stabilized temperature within an interior of the cabinet; a plurality of stationary shelves within the interior of the cabinet, each shelf configured to store a multi-well plate, wherein the plurality of stationary shelves is arranged in a plurality of shelf columns to define an at least partially enclosed center, the plurality of shelf columns comprising full shelf columns and at least one partial shelf column, wherein the at least one partial shelf column is configured to accept a removable magazine comprising a plurality of shelves; a transport assembly disposed within the at least partially enclosed center so that the plurality of shelf columns at least partially surrounds the transport assembly, the transport assembly having an elevator assembly and a plate handler configured to retrieve the multi-well plate from one of the plurality of shelves, remove the multi-well plate from the shelf, and transport the multi-well plate from the shelf to a destination outside of the core; and an optical assembly disposed within the cabinet, outside of the at least partially enclosed center, the optical assembly having a sample mount which is the destination that receives the multi-well plate from the transport assembly, and an imaging device which images at least a portion of the multi-well plate when the multi-well plate is positioned on the sample mount.