Crystal forming apparatus and method for using same
AssigneeNeuro Probe Incorporated
InventorRichard H. Goodwin JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A crystal forming apparatus and method for using the apparatus, the apparatus including a plate and a film. The plate has a site adapted to hold a screening solution. The film is adjacent to the plate. The film seals the site and is adapted to contain a precipitant solution inside the site with an air gap between the screening solution and the precipitant solution. In a preferred embodiment, the film is transparent. In another preferred embodiment, the plate comprises a second transparent film supported by a lattice structure and the precipitant solution is sandwiched between the two films.
Claims50
A crystal forming apparatus comprising:
- a plate having a site adapted to hold a screening solution;
- and
- a film adjacent to the plate, wherein the film seals the site, and wherein the film is adapted to contain a precipitant solution inside the site with an air gap between the screening solution and the precipitant solution.
A method for forming crystals comprising:
- depositing a screening solution into a well of a microplate;
- depositing a precipitant solution onto a film;
- and
- placing the film over the well such that the precipitant solution is suspended over the screening solution.
A crystal forming apparatus comprising:
- a microplate having wells adapted to receive a screening solution;
- and
- a film bonded to a frame, wherein the frame is coupled to the microplate such that the film seals the wells, and wherein the film is adapted to receive a precipitant solution.
A crystal forming apparatus comprising:
- a first film supported by a first support structure, wherein the first film is adapted to receive a screening solution and a precipitant solution;
- a second film supported by a second support structure, wherein the second support structure is adjacent to the first film, wherein the second film is on a side of the second support structure opposite the first film, and wherein the first film, the second film, and the second support structure are adapted to seal the screening solution and the precipitant solution within a site with an air gap between the screening solution and the precipitant solution.
A method for forming crystals comprising:
- depositing a screening solution onto a first film;
- depositing a precipitant solution onto the first film proximate to the screening solution;
- sealing the screening solution and the precipitant solution within a site between the first film and a second film;
- and
- providing, within the site, an air gap between the screening solution and the precipitant solution.
A method for identifying solutions that enable crystal growth of a compound comprising:
- depositing a plurality of screening solutions into wells of a microplate;
- depositing a plurality of precipitant samples onto a film at positions corresponding to the wells of the microplate, wherein each precipitant sample comprises a mixture of a solution of the compound and the screening solution in the corresponding well;
- and
- placing the film over the microplate such that the precipitant samples are suspended over their corresponding wells.
A method for identifying solutions that enable crystal growth of a compound comprising:
- depositing a plurality of screening solutions onto a first film at discrete sites;
- depositing a plurality of precipitant samples onto the first film, wherein each individual precipitant sample of the plurality of precipitant samples is adjacent to a corresponding screening solution at its discrete site, and wherein each individual precipitant sample comprises a mixture of a solution of the compound and the corresponding screening solution;
- placing a second film over the first film such that the plurality of precipitant solutions and the plurality of screening solutions contact the second film;
- sealing each individual precipitant sample and its corresponding screening solution within its discrete site;
- and
- providing, at each discrete site, an air passage between the individual precipitant sample and its corresponding screening solution.
A method for identifying solutions that enable crystal growth of a compound comprising:
- providing a first film with a plurality of discrete sites, wherein each discrete site contains two or more subsites;
- depositing a plurality of screening solutions onto the first film at one or more subsites of each discrete site;
- depositing a plurality of precipitant solutions onto the first film at one or more subsites of each discrete site, such that the one or more subsites of each discrete site contain at least one precipitant sample and at least one screening sample, wherein the at least one precipitant sample comprises a mixture of the solution of the compound and the at least one screening sample;
- placing a second film over the first film such that the plurality of precipitant solutions and the plurality of screening solutions contact the second film;
- at each discrete site, sealing the at least one precipitant sample and the at least one screening sample within its discrete site;
- and
- providing an air passage between the subsites of each discrete site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.