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US 6,554,991 B1Granted
Automated system for two-dimensional electrophoresis
AssigneeLarge Scale Proteomics Corporation
InventorsJack Goodman, N. Leigh Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides an integrated, fully automated, high-throughput system for two-dimensional electrophoresis comprised of gel-making machines, gel processing machines, gel compositions and geometries, gel handling systems, sample preparation systems, software and methods. The system is capable of continuous operation at high-throughput to allow construction of large quantitative data sets.
Claims41
A spot cutter for cutting spots from a loose electrophoresis gel, comprising:
- a support table including a working region capable of receiving and supporting said electrophoresis gel when said electrophoresis gel is laid loose in the absence of any attached backing material onto said working region;
- an image detector capable of imaging said electrophoresis gel when said electrophoresis gel is in position on said support table;
- a means for laying onto said working regions said electrophoresis gel loose in the absence of any attached backing material;
- a spot cutter head including a hollow punch that is capable of moving downward into contact with said support table, thereby passing through said electrophoresis gel, with said hollow punch cutting out an electrophoresis gel region substantially equal in size to an inner dimension of said hollow punch;
- a positioning mechanism for positioning said spot cutter head relative to said support table, said spot cutter head being affixed to and movable by said positioning mechanism;
- and
- a controller communicating with said image detector and receiving an electrophoresis gel image, positioning said positioning mechanism, and activating said spot cutter head.
4 more elements
A spot cutter for cutting spots from an electrophoresis gel, comprising:
- a support table including a working region capable of receiving and supporting said electrophoresis gel when said electrophoresis gel is laid onto said working region;
- an image detector capable of imaging said electrophoresis gel when said electrophoresis gel is in position on said support table;
- a spot cutter head including a hollow punch that is capable of moving downward into contact with said support table, thereby passing through said electrophoresis gel, with said hollow punch cutting out an electrophoresis gel region substantially equal in size to an inner dimension of said hollow punch;
- a positioning mechanism for positioning said spot cutter head relative to said support table, said spot cutter head being affixed to and movable by said positioning mechanism, said positioning mechanism having:
- a first robotic arm segment rotatably attached to a support structure, with said first robotic arm segment being rotated about a substantially vertical axis by a rotation mechanism;
- a second robotic arm segment pivotally attached to said first robotic arm and being pivoted in a substantially horizontal plane by a second pivot drive mechanism, with said spot cutter head being attached to said second robotic arm segment;
- wherein said rotation mechanism and said second pivot drive mechanism are directed by said controller, and said positioning mechanism enables said spot cutter head to be positioned at any location over said working region;
- and
- a controller communicating with said image detector and receiving an electrophoresis gel image, positioning said positioning mechanism, and activating said spot cutter head.
6 more elements
A spot cutter for cutting spots from an electrophoresis gel having a limited spatial stability, comprising:
- a support table including a working region capable of receiving and supporting said electrophoresis gel when said electrophoresis gel is laid loose onto said working region;
- an image detector capable of imaging said electrophoresis gel when said electrophoresis gel is in position on said support table;
- a spot cutter head including a hollow punch that is capable of moving downward into contact with said support table, thereby passing through said electrophoresis gel, with said hollow punch cutting out an electrophoresis gel region substantially equal in size to an inner dimension of said hollow punch;
- a positioning mechanism for positioning said spot cutter head relative to said support table, said spot cutter head being affixed to and movable by said positioning mechanism, the positioning mechanism having:
- a first robotic arm segment pivotally and rotatably attached to a support structure, with said first robotic arm segment being pivoted by a first pivot drive mechanism in a substantially vertical plane and rotated about a substantially vertical axis by a rotation mechanism;
- and
- a second robotic arm segment pivotally attached to said first robotic arm and being pivoted in a substantially vertical plane by a second pivot drive mechanism, with said spot cutter head being pivotally attached to said second robotic arm segment and pivoted by a spot cutter head pivot drive mechanism;
- wherein said first pivot drive mechanism, said rotation mechanism, said second pivot drive mechanism, and said spot cutter head pivot drive mechanism are directed by said controller, and said positioning mechanism enables said spot cutter head to be positioned at any location over said electrophoresis gel;
- and
- a controller communicating with said image detector and receiving an electrophoresis gel image, positioning said positioning mechanism, and activating said spot cutter head.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.