Apparatus for measuring aggregation patterns on a microplate

An aggregation pattern detecting apparatus, comprising:

• a main body defining thereon a generally upwardly facing support surface;
• microplate means removably positionable at a preset position on the support surface of said main body, said microplate means defining therein a plurality of reactive vessels in which aggregation patterns are formed;
• a frame body movably supported on said main body for movement generally parallel to said microplate means, said frame body mounting thereon light means and photosensitive means which are movable with the frame body and are vertically spaced so that the light means is disposed above the microplate means and the photosensitive means is disposed below the microplate means;
• drive means connected to said frame body for effecting movement thereof;
• control means operatively interconnected to the drive means for controlling operation thereof;
• reference plate means having a plurality of through holes corresponding to some of the reactive vessels on the microplate means and removably positionable at said preset position on said support surface in lieu of said microplate means;
• means cooperable with said reference plate means for determining a positional relationship between said through hole positions and a predetermined reference position, whereby a relationship between said reactive vessels and said predetermined reference position is established;
• said control means including memory means for storing the positional relationship between said through holes and said predetermined reference position;
• and
• said control means including means for executing predetermined mathematic operations for determining measurement start positions for the reactive vessels on the microplate means based on the stored positional relationship when the microplate means is mounted on the main body for measurement purposes.

An aggregation pattern detecting apparatus comprising:

• a main body defining thereon a generally upwardly facing support surface;
• microplate means removably positionable at a preset position on said support surface, said microplate means defining therein a plurality of reactive vessels in which aggregation patterns are formed;
• a light source and a photosensitive means supported on said main body, said microplate means being interposed between said light source and said photosensitive means when positioned in said preset position;
• frame means movably supported on said main body for movement generally parallel to said microplate means, said light source and said photosensitive means being mounted on said frame means for movement therewith;
• drive means connected to said frame for effecting movement thereof;
• reference plate means removably positionable at said preset position on said support surface in place of said microplate means and having a plurality of through holes which correspond to some of said reactive vessels on said microplate means for defining reactive vessel positions which will be occupied by the corresponding reactive vessels when said microplate means occupies said preset position;
• means cooperable with said reference plate means for determining a positional relationship between said through hole positions and a predetermined reference position, whereby a relationship between said reactive vessels and said predetermined reference position is established;
• and
• means for positioning said frame means relative to said microplate means based on said established positional relationship between said reactive vessel positions and said predetermined reference position.

A method for calibrating an aggregation pattern detecting apparatus which includes means defining a generally upwardly facing support surface, microplate means removably positionable at a preset position on said support surface, said microplate means defining therein a plurality of reactive vessels in which aggregation patterns are formed, said microplate means being interposed between a light source and a photosensitive means when positioned in said preset position, a frame supported for movement generally parallel to said microplate means, said light source and said photosensitive means being mounted on said frame for movement therewith, comprising the steps of:

• providing a reference plate means having a plurality of through holes which correspond to some of said reactive vessels on said microplate means;
• determining that said microplate means is not positioned at said preset position on said support surface;
• positioning said reference plate means at said preset position on said support surface;
• and p1 determining a positional relationship between said through holes and a predetermined reference position while said reference plate means occupies said preset position, thereby establishing a positional relationship that will exist between said reaction vessel positions and said predetermined reference position when said microplate means occupies said preset position.

A method for calibrating an aggregation pattern detecting apparatus which includes means defining a generally upwardly facing support surface, microplate means removably positionable at a preset position on said support surface between a light source and a photosensitive means that comprise optical detecting means, said microplate means defining a plurality of reactive vessels in which aggregation patterns are formed, and means for relatively moving said microplate means and said optical detecting means, comprising the steps of:

• providing a reference plate means having a plurality of through holes which correspond to some of said reactive vessels on said microplate means;
• determining that said microplate means is not positioned at said preset position on said support surface;
• positioning said reference plate means at said preset position on said support surface;
• and
• determining a positional relationship between said through hole positions and a predetermined reference position while said reference plate means occupies said preset position, thereby establishing a positional relationship that will exist between said reactive vessel positions and said predetermined reference position when said microplate means occupies said preset position.