Sample vessel agitation apparatus and method
AssigneeTTP Labtech Limited
InventorsAnthony DOUGLAS, Gary COCHRANE, Robert BUMSTEAD
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Abstract
An agitation device for agitating products held in wells of sample vessels or a laboratory microplate is disclosed. The device is arranged to retain a microplate and to agitate an agitation member comprising an array of agitation projections which enter the wells of the microplate. The agitating motion can be horizontal and damping means can be provided between an actuator and parts of the device to reduce overall vibrations. A related method of agitation of microplate or sample vessel contents is described. A novel arrangement for receiving a replaceable agitation member for the device is also disclosed.
Claims23
An agitation device, for agitating products held in an array of sample vessels, comprising:
- a body, comprising a vessel receiving area, adapted to receive an array of sample vessels for holding the products to be agitated;
- actuating means, for creating an agitating motion;
- and
- an agitation member receiving member, connected to the actuating means, and arranged to receive an agitation member comprising an array of agitation projections, so that when placed on the receiving member, the projections are arranged to enter the sample vessels;
- wherein the device is arranged to hold the sample vessels substantially still relative to the body and to induce an agitating motion in the array of agitation projections via the agitation member receiving member, to agitate products in the sample vessels.
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23-58. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.