WELL CARRIER DEVICE FOR A DISPENSING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a well carrier device for a dispensing device for dispensing a liquid sample, with a well carrier that comprises a coupling means for connecting with a rotating drive of the dispensing device in a rotationally fixed manner. The well carrier device is characterized in that the well carrier device comprises at least one holder element for holding at least one well for receiving a liquid sample, wherein the holder element is detachably connected to the well carrier.

Claims

1.-23. (canceled)

24. A well carrier device for a dispensing device for dispensing a liquid sample, with a well carrier that comprises a coupling that connects with a rotating drive of the dispensing device in a rotationally fixed manner, wherein the well carrier device comprises at least one well comprising a hole arranged at a well bottom and at least one holder element for holding the at least one well for receiving a liquid sample, wherein the holder element is detachably connected to the well carrier.

25. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein: a. the well carrier device is disc shaped; and/or b. the well carrier device has a circular shape in cross section; and/or C. the connection between the carrier device and the holder element is configured such that the holder element can be detached tool free from the well carrier.

26. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein the well carrier has a connecting portion for connecting with the holder element, and wherein: a. the connecting portion is arranged at an edge of the well carrier; and/or b. the connecting portion extends along a part of a circumference of the well carrier; and/or c. an extension of the connecting portion in an axial direction is smaller than an extension of the remaining part of the well carrier in the axial direction.

27. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein the well carrier comprises at least one magnet for magnetically connecting the holder element to the well carrier.

28. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein the well carrier comprises at least one opening for receiving a fixing means of the dispensing device during a dispensing process.

29. The well carrier device according to claim 28, wherein a number of openings corresponds with a number of wells that can be attached to the holder element.

30. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein the well carrier comprises at least one light.

31. The well carrier device according to claim 30, wherein: a. the light is arranged at a front face of a connecting portion; and/or b. a number of lights corresponds with a number of wells that can be attached to the holder element; and/or c. the light is arranged and/or orientated such that it lights the holder element.

32. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein the holder element is arc-shaped.

33. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein the holder element is formed such that it does not cover a well bottom.

34. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein: a. the holder element has a holding portion for holding a well, wherein the holding portion is configured such that the well is insertable from an axial direction and/or a radial direction into the holding portion; and/or b. the holder element has several holding portions wherein the holding portions are arranged offset to each other.

35. The well carrier device according to claim 24, wherein the holder element has an upper plate and a lower plate that are arranged offset to each other.

36. The well carrier device according to claim 35, wherein: a. the upper plate and the lower plate are connected with each other by at least two bars; and/or b. the upper plate and lower plate run parallel to each other.

37. The well carrier device according to claim 36, wherein the bar comprises at least one magnet for magnetically connecting the holder element to the well carrier.

38. The well carrier device according claim 24, wherein: a. in a connected state of the holder element with the well carrier, an upper side of the holder element is flush with an upper side of the well carrier and/or a lower side of the holder element is flush with a lower side of the well carrier; and/or b. the holder element is formed such that it is connectable with the well carrier by moving it in radial direction.

39. A dispensing device for dispensing a liquid sample, with a well carrier device according to claim 24, a rotating drive that is connected with the well carrier device in a rotationally fixed manner and a dispensing head for dispensing liquid sample located in a well of the well carrier device.

40. The dispensing device according to claim 39, wherein the dispensing device has a plate with a receiving comprising a front opening, wherein the well carrier device is arranged in the receiving and protrudes from the front opening.

41. The dispensing device according to claim 39, wherein the dispensing device comprises a control unit that controls the rotating drive such that the well carrier device is rotated in at least one of an insertion position, in which the holder element can be removed from the well carrier or connected with the well carrier, a dispensing position in which the liquid is dispensed from the well, or a parking position.

42. The dispensing device according to claim 39, wherein: a. the dispensing device comprises a fixing means which protrudes in an opening of the well carrier during a dispensing process; and/or b. the holder element is connectable to the well carrier or detachable from the well carrier when the well carrier is arranged in the receiving of the dispensing device.

Description

[0044] In the figures, the subject-matter of the invention is schematically shown, wherein identical or similarly acting elements are usually provided with the same reference signs.

[0045] FIG. 1 a perspective view of the well carrier device,

[0046] FIG. 2 a perspective view on a holder element holding wells,

[0047] FIG. 3 a perspective view on the holder element without wells,

[0048] FIG. 4 a view on a part of the dispensing device with the well carrier device in its insertion position,

[0049] FIG. 5 a view on a part of the dispensing device with the well carrier device in its dispensing position.

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a well carrier device 1 for a dispensing device 2 shown in FIG. 5 wherein the well carrier device 1 is shown in a disassembled state. The well carrier device 1 comprises a well carrier 3 that comprises a coupling means 4 for connecting with rotating drive 24 shown in FIG. 4 of the dispensing device 2. The coupling means 4 is formed such that a connection in a rotationally fixed manner can be realized between the well carrier device 1 and the rotating drive. That means, the well carrier device 1 is rotated by means of the rotating drive 24.

[0051] Moreover, the well carrier device 1 comprises at least one holder element 5 for holding at least one well 6 for receiving a liquid sample. The holder element 5 is configured to hold twelve wells 6. However, other non-shown holder elements 5 can hold more or less than 12 wells. The holder element 5 is detachably connected to the well carrier 3. The wells 6 are arranged at the outer rim of the holder element 5.

[0052] The well carrier device 1 has a disc-shape and a circular cross section when the holder element 5 is connected with the well carrier 3. The well carrier 3 has a connecting portion 7. The connecting portion 7 is arranged at the outer rim of the well carrier 3 and extends in a circumferential direction of the well carrier 3. In particular, the connecting portion 7 extends about 170? in the circumferential direction of the well carrier 3.

[0053] At one end of the connecting portion 7 a magnet 8 is arranged. Likewise, a magnet 8 is arranged at another end of the connection portion 7. Lighting means 10 are arranged at a front face of the connecting portion 7. The lighting means 10 are arranged offset to each other in the circumferential direction of the well carrier 3. The magnets 8 are also arranged at the front face.

[0054] The extension of the connection portion 7 in axial direction is smaller than the extension of the remaining part of the well carrier 3. Thus, in an assembled state of the well carrier 3 an upper side of the well carrier 3 is flush with an upper side of the holder element 5. Additionally, an lower side of the well carrier 3 is flush with a lower side of the holder element 5 when the holder element 5 is connected with the well carrier 3.

[0055] The well carrier 3 comprises several openings 9 that are arranged offset to another in a tangential direction T. A fixing means of a dispensing head of the dispensing device is inserted into the opening 9 during a dispensing process in order to fix the well carrier device 1 in a predetermined position. Each of the openings 9 is assigned to one well 6. That means, the number of openings 9 corresponds to the number of holding portions 11 of the holder elements 5 which can hold a well 6, respectively.

[0056] The holder element 5 can be detached from the well carrier 3 by moving the holder element 5 along a radial direction R. Likewise, the holder element 5 can be connected to the well carrier 3 by moving the holder element 5 along the radial direction R wherein the direction is opposite to the radial direction R for detaching the holder element 5 from the well carrier 3.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view on a holder element 5 holding wells 6 and FIG. 3 shows a perspective view on the holder element 5 without wells 6. The holder element 5 comprises an upper plate 12 and a lower plate 13 that are arranged offset to each other along an axial direction A. Additionally, the holder element 5 comprises three bars 14. The bar 14 is connected at one end with the lower plate 13 and at the other end with the upper plate 12.

[0058] The bars 14 are arranged offset to each other along the tangential direction T of the holder element 5 and/or are built identically. Thus, free space remains between the upper plate 12 and the lower plate 13. This enables that the wells 6 can be lightened by the lighting means 10 arranged at the connection portion 7.

[0059] The bars 14 that are arranged at the respective end of the holder element 5 comprises a magnet 15, respectively. The remaining bar 14 is arranged between the two bars 14 in the tangential direction T does not comprise a magnet. The magnets 15 are used to magnetically connect that holder element with the magnets 8 arranged in the connection portion of the well carrier 3.

[0060] As is seen from FIG. 3 the holder element 5 comprises several holding portions 11. Each of the holding portions 11 can hold one well 6. The holding portions 11 are arranged offset to each other along the tangential direction T of the holder element 5. The holding portions 11 are built such that the well 6 can be inserted by moving the well 6 along the axial direction A and/or the radial direction R. The holding portions 11 are formed by recesses formed in the upper plate 12 and the lower plate 12.

[0061] FIG. 4 shows a view on parts of the dispensing device 2 with the well carrier device 1 in its insertion position. In said position the holder element 5 can be connected to the well carrier 3 or detached from the well carrier 3.

[0062] The dispensing device 2 comprises a plate 23 with a receiving 21 in which the well carrier device 1 is inserted. The receiving 21 has a front opening 22. The front opening 22 is arranged in a non-shown housing of the dispensing device 2 and arranged such that the holder element 5 passes through said front opening 22 by its movement away from the well carrier 3 or to the well carrier 3. That means, the extension of the front opening 22 in tangential direction T is so broad that the holder element 5 can pass through it. Moreover, the dispensing device 2 comprises a dispensing head 20. The liquid sample located in the well 6 can be dispensed by the dispensing head 20.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a view on a part of the dispensing device 2 with the well carrier device 1 in its dispensing position. In the dispensing position the well carrier device 1 is rotated by the rotating device 24 of the dispensing device 2 such that the dispensing head 20 can dispense liquid sample from the well 6 into a non-shown target carrier. In the dispensing position it is not possible to detach the holder element 5 from the well carrier 3.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0064] 1 Well carrier device [0065] 2 Dispensing device [0066] 3 Well carrier [0067] 4 Coupling means [0068] 5 Holder element [0069] 6 Well [0070] 7 Connecting portion [0071] 8 Magnet in well carrier [0072] 9 Opening [0073] 10 Lighting means [0074] 11 Holding portion [0075] 12 Upper plate [0076] 13 Lower plate [0077] 14 Bar [0078] 15 Magnet in bar [0079] 20 Dispensing head [0080] 21 Receiving [0081] 22 Front opening [0082] 23 Plate [0083] 24 Rotating drive [0084] A Axial direction [0085] R Radial direction [0086] T Tangential direction