Patent ID: 8114348

Claim:
A screening system comprising: a microplate; an interface device; and a measurement chamber into which the microplate is moved by the interface device, the measurement chamber having located therein at least the following: a plate transport subsystem which receives the microplate from the interface device; an optical subsystem; a plate alignment subsystem including a microplate mounting mechanism onto which the microplate is positioned by the plate transport subsystem so that biosensors located in wells of the microplate are interrogated by the optical subsystem, wherein the microplate has at least one angled fiducial marking located outside of the wells where the at least one angled fiducial marking is used to properly position/reposition the microplate relative to the optical interrogation subsystem; wherein the microplate mounting mechanism includes a base having at least one surface defining a nesting receptacle for the microplate, and at least three supports projecting from the base, the at least three supports support said microplate, said nesting receptacle has at least two side walls and at least two end walls, the nesting receptacle having walls further defining a detection aperture thereby allowing optical access to a bottom surface of the microplate through the detection aperture; and wherein the microplate mounting mechanism further includes at least two X-directional contacts located on one of the end walls and at least one Y-directional contact located on one of the side walls, and at least one spring-loaded contact on the end wall opposite the X-directional contacts and at least one spring-loaded contact on the side wall opposite the Y-directional contact.