High throughput capillary electrophoresis system
AssigneeCetek Corporation
InventorsHerbert J. Hedberg, Brian Kangas, James L. Waters
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is directed to a high throughput capillary electrophoresis (CE) system, which comprises multiple mobile CE detector modules that are transportable by a programmable fluid-handling arm assembly to fixed samples in microtiter plate wells for analysis. The CE system of the invention is capable of simultaneously automating sample preparation and multiple CE analysis of the sample in a continuous timely process. The CE detector modules of the invention may be equipped with any suitable detection method, such as an ultraviolet (UV) absorbance or a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detector.
Claims70
A capillary electrophoresis system comprising:
- a base;
- a plurality of wells disposed on the base;
- an arm assembly mounted to the base and movable in three dimensions;
- a detector docking station mounted to the base;
- and
- a detector module comprising a capillary extending from an inlet end to an outlet end, a pair of electrodes extending adjacent the capillary inlet end and the capillary outlet end, and a detector aligned with a portion of the capillary, the arm assembly operative to move the detector module from the detector docking station to a working position with the capillary inlet end and an associated electrode disposed in a selected well and the capillary outlet end and an associated electrode disposed in a corresponding selected well.
A detector module for cooperation with a capillary electrophoresis system comprising:
- a housing comprising an upper housing and a cartridge removably mounted to the upper housing, a channel disposed through the housing, the channel comprising an inlet end extending through the cartridge, an outlet end extending through the cartridge, and a midportion of the channel extending along an upper surface of the cartridge from the inlet end to the outlet end;
- a capillary disposed in the channel in the housing and extending from the inlet end to the outlet end;
- a first electrode extending through and depending from at least the cartridge of the housing in association with the capillary at the inlet end and a second electrode extending through and depending from at least the cartridge of the housing in association with the capillary at the outlet end;
- and
- a detector disposed in alignment with a portion of the capillary.
A detector module for cooperation with a capillary electrophoresis system comprising:
- a housing having a channel therethrough;
- a capillary disposed in the channel in the housing and extending from an inlet end to an outlet end;
- a first electrode depending from the housing in association with the capillary at the inlet end and a second electrode depending from the housing in association with the capillary at the outlet end;
- a detector disposed in alignment with a portion of the capillary;
- and
- a temperature regulating mechanism operative to maintain the capillary at a selected temperature comprising a cooling channel formed in the housing for a coolant to circulate in the coolant channel.
A detector module for cooperation with a capillary electrophoresis system comprising:
- a housing having a channel therethrough;
- a capillary disposed in the channel in the housing and extending from an inlet end to an outlet end;
- a first electrode depending from the housing in association with the capillary at the inlet end and a second electrode depending from the housing in association with the capillary at the outlet end;
- a detector disposed in alignment with a portion of the capillary;
- and
- a sealing element at the inlet end and the outlet end operative to seal a respective capillary and associated electrode to a working well.
A detector module for cooperation with a capillary electrophoresis system comprising:
- a housing having a channel therethrough;
- a capillary disposed in the channel in the housing and extending from an inlet end to an outlet end;
- a first electrode depending from the housing in association with the capillary at the inlet end and a second electrode depending from the housing in association with the capillary at the outlet end;
- a detector disposed in alignment with a portion of the capillary;
- and
- a liftable mechanism comprising a magnetizable plate configured to be lifted by an arm assembly of the capillary electrophoresis system.
A capillary electrophoresis system comprising:
- a base;
- a plurality of wells disposed on the base;
- an arm assembly mounted to the base and movable in three dimensions;
- a detector docking station mounted to the base, a pair of electrodes are disposed on the docking station;
- and
- a detector module comprising a capillary extending from an inlet end to an outlet end, and a detector aligned with a portion of the capillary, the arm assembly operative to move the detector module from the detector docking station to a working position with the capillary inlet end disposed in a selected well and the capillary outlet end disposed in a corresponding selected well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.