Douglas Scientific, LLC

Douglas Machine Inc.

Lgc Genomics Limited

Brent Conrad Urke

Bruce Peterson

Darren Lynn Cook

Jared Whittier Patterson

Andrew Richard Haug

Chad Steven Smith

Ryan John Zitzmann

Eric Guy Johnson

James Henry Konynenbelt

Nathan Luther Westad

Grant Edward Maasjo

Paul Howard Wagner

Richard Jerome Schoeneck

Adnanul Haq

An instrument for processing a biological sample includes a chassis. Connected to the chassis is a tape path along which a tape with a matrix of wells can be automatically advanced through the instrument, a dispensing assembly for dispensing the biological sample and a reagent into the matrix of wells of the tape to form a biological sample and reagent mixture, a sealing assembly for sealing the biological sample and reagent mixture in the tape, and an amplification and detection assembly for detecting a signal from the biological sample and reagent mixture in the matrix of wells in the tape.

Instrument for analyzing biological samples and reagents

A tape adaptor () includes a bottom plate () and a top plate () mounted to the bottom plate () with a space () defined between an upper side wall () of the bottom plate () and a lower face () of the top plate () for receiving a tape segment () remaining on or cut from a continuous array tape (). The tape segment () includes an array of wells () between two edges (). A slit () is formed between an end () of the top plate () and an end () of the bottom plate (). The tape segment () is slideably extended through the slit () into the space () with the edges () sliding on two ridges () on two longitudinal edges () of the bottom plate (). The bottom plate () can include at least one groove () to receive the array of wells () of the tape segment (). The tape segment () is positioned relative to the tape adaptor () by the ridges () or the groove ().

Tape adaptor

An apparatus () for singulating micro-well tape includes a tape drive () and a cutting assembly (). The micro-well tape is advanced into and passes between upper and lower tape retainers (), with the upper tape retainer () including a groove () into which a raised ridge () of a multiplicity of ridges () of the bottom tape retainer () extends, with the rows of wells moving between adjacent ridges () in a movement direction. When a bar code on the micro-well tape is detected by a sensora knife blade () mounted on a slide block () is moved vertically to cut the micro-well tape. The new leading edge of the micro-well tape pushes the cut micro-well tape which is deflected by the raised ridge ().

Methods and apparatus for singulating micro-well tape

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Alexandria, MN, United States of America

Brent Conrad Urke