Bionex Solutions, Inc.

Eric J Rollins

David K Matsumoto

Reed Kelso

Mark R Sibenac

Benjamin N Shamah

Stephen Gaudio

Antonio M Lima

Thomas Patrick Grimley

Tony Lima

An apparatus for weighing containers comprises a stage configured to support a receptacle for securing one or more containers and a singulation post comprising a vertical element positioned below the stage. The singulation post is aligned with and configured to displace a single one of the containers within the receptacle in an upward vertical direction as the stage is translated in a downward vertical direction towards the singulation post. The singulation post is coupled to a load cell configured to measure a weight of the single displaced container while the vertical element of the singulation post contacts the container. The apparatus further comprises a controller for actuating the stage in the vertical directions and for recording a weight of the container measured by the load cell.

Automated in-place weighing of vials in tube racks

Material transfer/interrogation devices (e.g. liquid handling workstations) have been designed in the past for transferring material from a source to a destination location or for interrogating a material at a location, where the locations remain fixed. The invention provides methods and apparatuses for transferring or interrogating materials by one or more carrier devices to one or more receiving devices, where the carrier and receiving devices move independently and simultaneously on multiple axes. In some embodiments, one or more of the carrier and receiving devices can move along an X, Z, Y, and Theta axis, which allows the source and destination locations to rotate and translate relative to each other. Due to this rotation and translation, containers can be positioned to minimize the distance traveled between a pick location from the source and a place location on the destination, greatly increasing the speed at which material transfer can occur.

Transfer or interrogation of materials by carrier and receiving devices moving independently and simultaneously on multiple axes

Centrifuges have been designed in the past for centrifuging multi-welled containers, but they are limited in centripetal acceleration or have a large footprint. The invention provides a centrifuge with a high centripetal acceleration and imbalance tolerance while maintaining a small footprint and being able to integrate with laboratory automation equipment. Methods and apparatuses for centrifugation include a rotor assembly positioned within a shield assembly suspended in a centrifuge. The rotor assembly is operably connected to the motor for rotating payloads (e.g., multi-welled containers) around an axis. The shield assembly is positioned such that the center of mass is aligned with the axis of rotation of the rotor assembly and the plane containing the rotational imbalance force vector. This alignment allows rotation of the container with an acceleration of at least 2000 g (or at least 3000 g, 4000 g, 5000 g, etc.).

Vibration response and tuning of a center of mass/gravity of a centrifuge

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Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Eric J Rollins