Liquid chemical distribution method and apparatus

Abstract

A chemical solution distribution system and method that includes or employs a plurality of liquid handlers where each of the liquid handlers includes a movable table that engages a sample multiwell plate and can align pipettes of the station with different subsets of wells of the multiwell plate where the number of wells of the multiwell plate is a multiple of the number of pipettes of the head of the pipette station. The system further includes and employs four different pumps to enable the system and method to supply four different solutions to wash stations of each of the four liquid handlers.

1 - 36 . (canceled)  
     
     
         37 . A chemical solution distribution system for distributing chemical solutions into multiwell plates having at least 384 wells and a bar code, the system comprising: 
 a plurality of stations including a bar code reader station having a bar code reader and a plurality of liquid handler stations, said bar code reader capable of reading said bar code and each liquid handler station comprising 96 or more liquid dispensation tips, and    a conveyer belt, said conveyor belt being capable of moving at least one multiwell plate between said plurality of stations.    
     
     
         38 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 37 , wherein said liquid dispensation tips have a dynamic range of liquid dispensation of 100 to 2000 nanoliters.  
     
     
         39 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 37 , further comprising a plurality of stop pins configured to position said multiwell plates at said plurality of stations.  
     
     
         40 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 37 , wherein: 
 said multiwell plates includes a lid; and    said plurality of stations further includes a delidder station, said delidder station capable of removing and replacing said lid on said multiwell plates.    
     
     
         41 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 37 , wherein said plurality of stations further includes at least one stacker station, said stacker station capable of storing said multiwell plates.  
     
     
         42 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 37 , further comprising a logic controller operably coupled to said plurality of stations and said conveyer belt.  
     
     
         43 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 37 , further comprising a photosensor, said photosensor capable of detecting the presence of said multiwell plates.  
     
     
         44 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 37 , further comprising an orthogonal positioner being capable of moving said multiwell plates in an X-Y direction.  
     
     
         45 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 44 , wherein said orthogonal positioner has an X-Y location accuracy of at least ±0.09 mm in X and Y.  
     
     
         46 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a Z-positioner; and    each of said plurality of liquid handler stations further includes a wash station below said tips, wherein said Z-positioner is capable of moving said tips into contact with solution in said wash station.    
     
     
         47 . A chemical solution distribution system for distributing chemical solutions into multiwell plates having at least 384 wells and a bar code, the system comprising: 
 a conveyer means capable of transporting at least one multiwell plate through said chemical solution distribution system;    a bar code reader, said bar code reader being capable of reading and decoding bar code information on said multiwell plate on said conveyer means; and    a series of liquid handlers disposed along said conveyer means, each liquid handler comprising 96 or more liquid dispensation tips configured to aspirate and/or dispense liquid into said wells of said multiwell plate based in part on information on said bar code information.    
     
     
         48 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 47 , wherein the conveyer means is a conveying surface with at least two parallel sample transporter lanes.  
     
     
         49 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 47 , wherein: 
 said multiwell plates includes a lid; and    said chemical solution distribution system further comprises at least one delidder station disposed along said conveyer means, said delidder station capable of removing and replacing said lid on said multiwell plates.    
     
     
         50 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 47 , further comprises at least one stacker station disposed along said conveyer means, said stacker station capable of storing said multiwell plates.  
     
     
         51 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 47 , further comprising an integrated computer control means operably coupled to the components of said chemical solution distribution system.  
     
     
         52 . The chemical solution distribution system of  claim 47 , further comprising a photosensor, said photosensor capable of detecting the presence of said multiwell plates.  
     
     
         53 . A method of using a chemical solution distribution system for distributing chemical solutions into multiwell plates having at least 384 wells, said chemical solution distribution system including a plurality of stations including a bar code reader station having a bar code reader and a plurality of liquid handler stations, each liquid handler station comprising 96 or more liquid dispensation tips, a photosensor, and a conveyer belt, said conveyor belt being capable of moving at least one multiwell plate between said plurality of stations, the method including: 
 detecting the presence of a multiwell plate on said conveyor belt with said photosensor;    reading and decoding information on a bar code on said multiwell plate with said bar code reader; and    transporting said multiwell plate to at least one of said plurality of stations, including stopping at least at one of said liquid handler stations to dispense liquid from said liquid dispensation tips into said wells, based in part on information on said bar code information.    
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein said bar code information of said multiwell plate enables said chemical solution distribution system to track said multiwell plate.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein: 
 said plurality of stations further includes one or more delidder stations; and    transporting said multiwell plate includes stopping at said delidder station.    
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein: 
 said plurality of stations further includes one or more stacker stations; and    transporting said multiwell plate includes stopping at said stacker station.