US 7,501,094 B2Granted

Preparation and characterization of formulations in a high throughput mode

AssigneeSyngenta Limited

InventorsStephen Robert Bysouth, Sidney Wilson Hite, III, John Henry Nettleton-Hammond, Karin Ingegärd Bergström, Amrish Bohara, Rowena Roshanthi Landham, Ingrid Gunborg Lukkari

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Abstract

The invention is an automated robotic system for the production and testing of formulations at a very high throughput. It is an integrated system of hardware and software capable of preparing and evaluating hundreds of emulsions per day. The system can formulate aqueous solutions (SL), oil in water emulsions (EW), suspo-emulsions (SE), micro capsule suspensions (CS), micro-emulsions (ME), and suspension concentrates (SC) at the 1 ml to 25 ml scale. The system can process emulsions rapidly in an automated way and enable very flexible formulation recipes to be introduced. The system allows chemists to generate experimental samples of varying recipe and method to be conducted in parallel with projected throughput of up to 1200 formulations processed and characterized per day. Materials and consumables can be distributed from storage storage systems to the work stations where dispensing of ingredients in various states can be performed, including solids, liquids, gels, pastes, suspensions and waxes. The emulsions formed can be characterized using methods including phase diagnosis, turbidity analysis, viscosity and particle sizing using automated test equipment. An integrated module can also perform Tank Mix Compatibility testing in high throughput mode. The modular system allows future processes and tests to be added, either to a station, or as a new station. The software capability includes tracking of processes from start to finish and the integration of analytical data with the as-designed and as-formulated experimental results.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A modular robotic system comprising:

a rack and vial storage system storing therein a plurality of racks and vials;
a consumables storage system storing materials;
a first, second and third location;
a first robotic arm for transferring said vials from said first location to said second location, or for transferring said racks from said first location to said second location;
a dispensing, pipetting or characterization station or solid dispensing station for dispensing active ingredients, water, or additives to said vials to yield a formulation,
wherein said first robotic arm transfers materials from said consumables storage system to said dispensing, pipetting, or characterization station or to said solid dispensing station;
a mixing or homogenizing station for mixing or homogenizing said, formulation to yield a mixture;
a phase stability station for phase analysis of said mixture;
optionally a liquids, suspensions, gels or meltables station and
optionally a capping, decapping, bar-code reading or cap-supply station;
wherein said first location is
said rack and vial storage system,
said dispensing, pipetting or characterization station,
said mixing or homogenizing station, or
said phase stability station;
and
wherein said second location
said rack and vial storage system,
said dispensing, pipetting or characterization station,
said mixing, or
said phase stability station;
and
a flexible second robotic arm, wherein said flexible second robotic arm transfers said racks or said vials from said first robotic arm to said third location upon said modular robotic system where said third location is said capping or decapping or bar-code reading or cap-supply station;
said rack and vial storage system,
said dispensing, pipetting or characterization station,
said mixing or homogenizing station,
said phase stability station,
said solid dispensing station or
said liquids, suspensions, gels or meltables station.

26 more elements

A modular robotic system comprising:

a rack and vial storage system storing therein a plurality of racks and vials;
a consumables storage system storing materials;
afirst, second, and third location;
a first robotic arm for transferring said vials from said first location to a said second, or for transferring said racks from said first location to said second location;
a dispensing, pipetting or characterization station for dispensing active ingredients, water or additives to said vials;
a solid dispensing station for dispensing solids by weight into said vials, wherein said solids are active ingredients or additives;
a liquids, suspensions, gels or meltables station for dispensing viscous fluid, gels, pastes or meltables, wherein said high viscous fluids, said gels, paste and meltables are active ingredients or additives;
wherein said combination of said active ingredients, water, and additives from said dispensing, pipetting or characterization station, said solid dispensing station or said liquids, suspensions, gels or meltables station yields a formulation;
a mixing or homogenizing station for mixing or homogenizing said formulation to yield a mixture;
and
a phase stability station for phase analysis of said mixture;
a flexible robotic arm station, including a flexible second robotic arm that transfers said racks from said first robotic arm to said third location upon said modular robotic system;
and
a comminution station for grinding solid particles;
wherein said first location is;
said rack and vial storage system;
said dispensing, pipetting or characterization station
said mixing or homogenizing station;
said phase stability station;
said solid dispensing station;
said liquids, suspensions, gels;
or meltables station;
or
said comminution station;
wherein said second location is:
said rack and vial storage system;
said dispensing, pipetting or characterization station;
said mixing or homogenizing station;
said phase stability station:
said solid dispensing station;
said liquids, suspensions, gels, or meltables station:
said flexible arm station;
or
said comminution station;
and
wherein said third location is:
said rack and vial storage system;
said dispensing, pipetting or characterization station;
said mixing station:
said phase stability station;
said solid dispensing station;
said liquids, suspensions, gels or meltables station;
or
said comminution station.

41 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/662,142Filed 15 Sep 2003
Published: US 2005/0058574 A117 Mar 2005
Granted: 10 Mar 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification27 codes

G01N 35/0099
Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor:…
G01N 15/0227
By optical means: using imaging; using holography
G01N 15/0272
Investigating particle size or size distribution: with screening; with classification by filtering
B01J 2219/00308
Reactor vessels in a multiple arrangement: interchangeably mounted in racks or blocks