Device, system and method for storing and sorting cellular samples
AssigneeCsem Centre Suisse D'Electronique Et De Microtechnique SA—Recherche Et DéVeloppement
InventorsSiegfried Graf, Helmut Knapp, Noa Schmid
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a sample sorter system adapted to receive and sort samples according to predetermined criteria. The sample sorter system comprises a receptacle that is adapted to receive and retain fluid and samples. The receptacle is operatively coupled with a drive and with a power source such that actuation of the drive causes the rotation of at least one circular component, which in turn causes the development of a flow regime in the receptacle such that the samples suspended in the fluid are conveyable along a closed path to at least one sample handling site that are positioned along said closed path.
Claims20
A sample sorter device for receiving and sorting individual samples, the sample sorter device comprising:
- a closed-loop, annular conduit for receiving samples suspended in fluid;
- the closed-loop, annular conduit forming a correspondingly closed loop, annular transporting route for the fluid and the samples;
- wherein at least a portion of the closed-loop, annular conduit is a rotatable component that, when rotated, generates in the conduit a flow regime of the fluid along the annular transporting route and subjects the samples suspended in the fluid to propelling drag forces.
A sample sorter system for receiving and sorting individual samples, the sample sorter system comprising:
- a drive;
- a power source;
- a closed-loop annular conduit for receiving fluid and the samples to be sorted;
- the closed-loop annular conduit defining a transporting route for the fluid and the samples to be sorted, when fluid is distributed throughout the closed-loop annular conduit, the samples are suspended therein;
- the closed-loop annular conduit including an upper part and a lower part wherein at least one portion of at least one of the upper and lower parts is a rotatable component operatively coupled to the drive and to the power source such that actuation of the drive rotates the rotatable component, the rotatable component configured to subject samples suspended in the fluid to propelling drag forces when rotated, wherein rotation of the rotatable component generates a fluid flow around the samples propelling the samples and fluid along the transporting route;
- and
- at least one piping system operatively coupled to the closed-loop annular conduit;
- the piping system including:
- i) a sample-removal piping system operative to selectively remove samples from the closed loop annular conduit during rotation, the sample-removal piping system including at least one of a release valve, a suction pump, and a sample elutriator;
- ii) a supply valve and a process valve communicating in parallel with the sample elutriator and with the closed-loop annular conduit;
- iii) a first process valve and a second process valve connected in series with the sample elutriator;
- and
- iv) a waste valve communicating in parallel with a piping that connects between the suction pump and the sample elutriator when the sample elutriator is upstream of the suction pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.