Automated staining system and reaction chamber

Inventors

Bui, Xuan S. • Hartman, Anthony L. • Fujimaki, Toshiyuki • Tokudaiji, Shinji • Okabe, Yoshitake • Mizusawa, Yoshitada

Assignees

Sakura Finetek USA Inc

Abstract

An apparatus including a reagent cartridge and a reaction chamber, the reagent cartridge having a reagent capsule removably positioned therein for dispensing of a reagent onto the reaction chamber. A system including a linearly translatable mounting assembly having a plurality of mounting stations dimensioned to receive at least one fluid dispensing cartridge, a linearly translatable bulk reagent dispensing assembly having a plurality of bulk reagent dispensing nozzles coupled thereto and a receiving assembly positioned beneath the mounting assembly and the bulk reagent dispensing assembly, the receiving assembly including a plurality of reaction stations. A method including determining an inventory of an automated sample processing system, downloading a processing protocol from a central controller to the automated sample processing system, operating the automated sample processing system based on the processing protocol and independently of the central controller and dispensing a reagent from the automated sample processing system.

Core Innovation

The invention describes an automated biological specimen staining system that includes a reaction compartment, a mounting assembly with a plurality of mounting stations for receiving at least one fluid dispensing cartridge, and a bulk reagent dispensing assembly having a plurality of bulk reagent dispensing nozzles. A receiving assembly positioned beneath the mounting assembly and the bulk reagent dispensing assembly includes a plurality of reaction stations, and each reaction station is independently linearly translatable between a first position in the reaction compartment and a second position outside the reaction compartment from each other of the plurality of reaction stations.

Each reaction station includes a reaction chamber support housing and a reaction chamber coupled to the reaction chamber support housing. The reaction chamber comprises a platen having a planar surface onto which a microscope slide is mounted, and the reaction chamber is supported at a horizontal angle of 5 degrees to 15 degrees and a vertical angle of 15 degrees to 45 degrees relative to level ground. The mounting assembly and the bulk reagent dispensing assembly are independently translatable to positions above respective reaction stations.

The disclosed system further includes structural and functional features to manage reagent spreading and draining on the slide, including wall and bend geometry and spacer structures that create a capillary gap and influence slide angle and bubble behavior. It also includes temperature modification using a temperature modifying assembly with thermoelectric coolers and an interlock assembly for locking reaction stations in place, including a bistable electromechanical solenoid behavior during power loss.

Additional features include overhead bulk reagent dispensing to reservoirs, barcode/RFID-style identifiers and scanners for protocol verification and display mismatch detection, bulk reagent sensing via load cells and light sources, traceability via staining logs, and a waste drain system with modifiable drain-tube/coupling orientations to prevent waste back-up.

Claims Coverage

The document presents one independent claim (clm-00001). The independent claim includes six inventive features centered on the system architecture, reaction chamber support, and translatable assemblies. Dependent claims add locking, waste drain, temperature-modifying assemblies, and spacer constraints.

Across the independent claim, the inventive coverage centers on an automated staining system architecture that places a slide-bearing reaction chamber on independently linearly translatable reaction stations, while a cartridge mounting assembly and a multi-nozzle bulk reagent dispensing assembly are independently translatable to align above respective reaction stations. The reaction chamber is defined to be supported at specified horizontal and vertical angles relative to level ground.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications