Integrated robotic sample transfer device

Abstract

Embodiments include integrated robotic sample transfer devices and components thereof which are used for reliably and accurately transferring small samples of material from one registered position to another registered position. Such transfers of material may be carried out by a single pin tool or an array of pin tools of a pin tool head assembly of robotic sample transfer devices. Some embodiments also include automated cleaning of the pin tools used to transfer the sample material. Some embodiments are fully integrated units having internal fluid supply and waste tanks, vacuum source, fluid pumps, controllers and user interface devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated robotic sample transfer device, comprising:
 a housing;   a three axis robotic positioning assembly disposed within the housing having a fixed mount portion, a translatable carrier translatable in three axes with respect to the fixed mount portion and working surface and having a stepper motor corresponding to each axis and at least one linear encoder assembly for generating position data for at least one axis of the translatable carrier;   a pin tool head assembly secured to the translatable carrier member having an array of regularly spaced pin tools with sample reservoirs disposed in the distal ends thereof and configured for axial displacement relative to a pin head body secured to the translatable carrier of the three axis robotic positioning assembly;   a substantially horizontal work surface disposed within the housing and secured in fixed relation to the fixed mount portion of the three axis positioning assembly and having a fluid rinse station, a vacuum drying station including a plurality of regularly spaced vacuum drying ports corresponding to the regular spacing of the array of pin tools, a self-leveling ultrasonic cleaning well and a microtiter plate mount block configured to releasably secure a sample well;   a controller including a processor disposed within the housing at a position which is above the level of the work surface;   a rinse fluid supply tank in fluid communication with the fluid rinse station and disposed within the housing;   a waste fluid tank in fluid communication with an overflow basin of the fluid rinse station and disposed within the housing;   a vacuum source in fluid communication with the vacuum drying station; and   an ultrasonic cleaning fluid reservoir in fluid communication with a self-leveling ultrasonic cleaning well.   
     
     
         2 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  wherein in the ultrasonic cleaning fluid reservoir comprises a gravity feed reservoir having a supply port configured to couple into fluid communication with the ultrasonic cleaning well when coupled to an inlet port of the ultrasonic cleaning well and be substantially sealed when the removed from the inlet port of the ultrasonic cleaning well. 
     
     
         3 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a rinse fluid supply tank fluid level indicator. 
     
     
         4 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a rinse fluid supply pump disposed within the housing, in fluid communication with the rinse fluid supply tank and fluid rinse station and configured to pump rinse fluid from the rinse fluid supply tank to the fluid rinse station. 
     
     
         5 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a waste fluid tank fluid level indicator. 
     
     
         6 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a vacuum drying supply tank in fluid communication with the vacuum drying ports of the vacuum drying station. 
     
     
         7 . The sample transfer device of  claim 6  further comprising a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the vacuum drying supply tank. 
     
     
         8 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  wherein a nominal upper surface of the fluid rinse station, nominal upper surface of the vacuum drying station, nominal upper surface of the ultrasonic cleaning well, nominal upper surface of a chip disposed in the chip mount block and microtiter plate/sample well mounted in the sample well mount blocks all being at substantially the same z-axis level. 
     
     
         9 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising an imaging camera and image processing controller. 
     
     
         10 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a bar code reader head and bar code reader processor in communication with the bar code reading head and controller. 
     
     
         11 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  wherein the fluid rinse station comprises an array of regularly spaced individual rinse tubes having a regular spacing corresponding to the regular spacing of the pin tools of the pin tool head assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a door on the housing covering an opening to a processing chamber disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  wherein the controller comprises an assembly of electronics and logic circuits which are disposed within the housing at a position which is above the level of the work surface. 
     
     
         14 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a universal power supply in communication with the controller that produces a constant output voltage with varied input voltage to allow device to operate in varying countries. 
     
     
         15 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  wherein the entire dry weight of the device is less than about 150 pounds. 
     
     
         16 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a graphic user interface disposed on an outer surface of the housing and in communication with the controller. 
     
     
         17 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a humidity sensor disposed within the processing chamber of the device and in communication with the controller which is configured to sense the humidity within the processing chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The sample transfer device of  claim 17  further comprising closed loop feedback from the humidity sensor with the controller in conjunction with a humidity control device for maintaining a substantially constant humidity within the processing chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The sample transfer device of  claim 1  further comprising a temperature sensor disposed within the processing chamber of the sample transfer device in communication with the controller which is configured to sense the temperature within the processing chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The sample transfer device of  claim 19  further comprising closed loop feedback from the temperature sensor with the controller and a temperature control device for maintaining a substantially constant temperature within the processing chamber.