DE19752085A1 - Polycarbonate carrier disc for large numbers of samples - Google Patents

Abstract

Polycarbonate carrier accepts large numbers of samples for microscopic investigation. Its disk substrate (12) has open-topped depressions (18) with bases and sidewalls, to hold the samples. These are evenly arrayed in the substrate, which is a polymeric material.

Description

The invention relates to a sample carrier for in particular microscopic examinations of a variety of Samples, preferably for fluorescence spectroscopy.

Smallest sample carrier for quasi-parallel analyzes Sample amounts are fundamental in the prior art known. Such sample carriers are for example in WO 95/01 559 A2 and DE 39 15 920 A1 are described. This known sample carriers have a substrate in which in a non-cutting manner, in particular by etching, a variety of to one of the side faces of the sub Strats open recesses are introduced. The Bottom walls of the depressions can be perforated or more generally, be partially porous.

Another sample holder with a variety of sepa rate wells forming sample receiving spaces is out DE 41 32 397 A1 known. This sample holder has one plate-shaped substrate on which a variety of contains depressions separated from one another by webs.  

This substrate is placed on a base plate the detachable with the web or lattice structure of the sub strats is connected. The bottom plate is porous, so that those formed by the bottom plate and the substrate Wells have permeable bottom walls.

The invention has for its object a sample carrier for in particular microscopic examinations a large number of samples (quasi-parallel analysis smallest sample quantities), which is easy is adjustable and with which the multitude of samples have quantities analyzed easily.

To solve this problem, the invention proposes a sample carrier for in particular microscopic examinations of a large number of samples, which can preferably be used for fluorescence spectroscopy and is provided with

• - A disc-shaped substrate with two sides areas and
• - A variety of separate sample rooms forming depressions in one of the sides surfaces of the substrate are introduced and the each have a bottom wall and side walls and to the relevant side surface of the substrate are open to
• - The arrangement of the wells evenly is and
• - The substrate having a polymer material.

The sample holder according to the invention has a disk shaped substrate made of a polymer material. The disc-shaped substrate is with two (main) sides provided areas that are circular areas acts. There is a lot in one of these sides  Number of wells arranged, each well has a bottom wall and side walls and be hitting side surface of the substrate is open. The arrangement of the wells is even, whereby in particular it is provided that the depressions individual groups are summarized and the Vertie each group equally in particular other orthogonal columns and rows are arranged.

The sample carrier according to the invention has in particular a substrate made of polycarbonate by injection molding technology or by hot stamping or a combination is made of both.

In an advantageous development of the invention is pre see that all wells are (point) symmetrical to the center or a diameter line of the fenden side surface of the substrate are arranged. This point-symmetrical arrangement of the wells The relative position of the depressions remains the same the same if the one made of polymer material Substrate cools. The one with the cooling usually accompanying shrinking process of the plastic substrate therefore affects the relative position of the depressions not detrimental.

The depressions are preferably grouped together arranged arranged, the arrangement of the wells within each group and the order of all Groups are even among each other. In particular in particular, the specializations of each group are related to each other of the orthogonal rows and columns. Here offer those known from microtitration plates number of specializations per group. So can for example, ninety-six or one-hundred per group  other recesses are provided in eight rows and twelve columns or ten rows and ten columns are arranged regularly. Such a rectangle groups of recesses having a shaped outer contour gene can be in particular on the discs Arrange shaped substrate that they are symmetrical to Radial extent are arranged, d. H. that their ranks (or, alternatively, their columns) parallel to one Radial line run while its columns (or, alternatively, their rows) run across it.

As an alternative to the above configuration and form of the group These can also be placed side by side the lying along individual radially extending Arrange rows.

Another alternative to the arrangement of the wells per group is that each group has a sector shaped section of the disc-shaped substrate covers, with the wells of each group along radially extending radial lines and along in Circumferential direction extending circumferential lines arranged are.

The arrangement of the individual groups of wells preferably takes place within a number of each other centric ring areas of the side surface of the sub strats, the ring areas of different sizes Have diameter. This is also an advantage provided that the number of groups of wells a constant multiple of the number per ring area the groups of wells of the neighboring is smaller in diameter ring area. One of the like design of the substrate makes it possible that groups of depressions of a ring area "  Gap "to the groups of recesses of the next small neren ring area are arranged. Here you can groups of Ver radial deepening viewed together the be aligned.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the Invention, the bottom walls of the wells are perforated, d. H. porous. Preferably located in the recess porous intermediate floors. Such a ge construction is especially for a media out exchange (test substances can pass through the porous floors diffuse) and in studies on biological Material (e.g. cells) is an advantage.

The regular arrangement of the wells within each group of wells has the advantage that for Approaching the individual wells always the same Control can be used. The analyzer, the microscope, dispensing and / or pipetting device So can be used to start in the individual Wells of samples from group Group are always controlled the same. This unite increases the automatic control of these devices and pre directions quite considerably.

The evaporation of solvents of the smallest sample size gene is sometimes problematic for analytical processes table and can lead to incorrect concentration determinations lead. The filled depressions of the inventor However, the sample carrier according to the invention can be mecha do not close it without the risk of that the closure member (cover or sealing film) with the sample amounts of the individual wells in contact reached. The result is a carryover of content  individual sample amounts in neighboring wells in follow the surface tensions primarily watery Rehearse. According to an advantageous development of the Invention eliminates the problem of the Evaporation of solvents of the sample amounts in the Wells solved in that a disc-shaped Cover part with protruding circumferential outer edge on Circumference to cover the one side surface of the Wells open to substrate and for reaching around of the substrate is provided. The protruding revolving The outer edge of the lid part is supported on the substrate, whereby the lid part from the side surface of the sub strats is spaced. Has in the locked state the lid part does not have any physical contact the individual wells, the distance between Substrate and lid part preferably not larger than is two millimeters. Due to the distance between sub strat and cover part forms a gas space with a maximum volume in the µl range. That evaporated river Liquid volume to saturate this gas space is ver dwindling low, so that the Unge generated thereby inaccuracies, for example in the concentration process of the samples in the wells quantities, minimal and for a variety of analytical Questions are still acceptable.

Preferably, the peripheral outer edge of the lid provided with an inner shoulder surface over which the Cover part rests on the peripheral edge of the substrate. For reasons of stability, it is useful if that Cover part also has an inner peripheral edge that runs in particular concentrically to the outer peripheral edge and also rests on the substrate. This is the lid part abge inside and outside on the substrate supports.  

Not around the lid part for filling the wells According to one, it is necessary to remove from the substrate partial development of the invention provided that the cover part is at least one in the radial direction tion extending recess, the shape equal to the outer contour of a group or part is a group of depressions of the substrate. In particular special, it is possible that the shape of the recess of the Cover part is chosen such that the recess access to the wells of several groups that can. By rotating the cover part relative to the sub strat can on all wells of the substrate are accessed, ensuring that always only a relatively small number of wells open at the top through the recess, d. H. by the Cover part are not covered. In particular it is possible that the recess is concentrated over several trical ring regions of the substrate, in which the one individual groups of wells are arranged, he stretches.

In the following, the figures are used to implement the figures games of the invention explained in more detail. In detail gene:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a polycarbonate-Pro benträger with a plurality of two concentric annular regions evenly distributed specific sets of recesses,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a polycarbonate-Pro benträger with respect to the exporting approximately example of FIG. 1 different arrangement of the recesses in each group,

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a lid portion for location on the substrate of FIG. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the cover part in FIG. 3 and the substrate according to FIG. 4,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a further embodiment example of a polycarbonate sample holder with in radially extending rows arranged wells and

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of a lid portion for location on the sample carrier according to Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1 in top plan view a specimen carrier is shown a first embodiment in Figure 10. The sample carrier 10 has a disk-shaped polycarbonate substrate 12 with two circular-shaped sides 14, of which the top is shown in FIG. 1. In the middle of the sample carrier 10 there is a through hole 16 in the sub strate 12 .

A multiplicity of depressions 18 are introduced into the top side 14 of the substrate 12 , which have bottom walls and side walls and which are open at the top in the illustration according to FIG. 1. The depressions 18 are combined into individual groups 20 , within which they are regularly arranged on a square surface 26 in mutually orthogonal rows 22 and columns 24 . In the example shown in FIG. 1, ten wells 18 are provided per row 22 and per column 24 . The individual groups 20 of depressions 18 are arranged evenly distributed in the circumferential direction within two concentric ring regions 28 , 30 . The inner ring region 28 has half as many groups 20 of depressions 18 as the outer ring region 30 . In the outer ring region 30 , the groups 20 of recesses 18 are partially arranged in a radially aligned direction with the groups 20 of recesses 18 of the inner ring region 28 ; the remaining groups 20 of recesses 18 of the outer ring region 30 are arranged in a gap with the recess groups 20 of the inner ring region 28 . All recess groups 20 are arranged symmetrically to a center line 32 extending parallel to the rows 22 , the center lines 32 each running in the radial direction.

A sample carrier 10 'according to another embodiment example of the invention is shown in plan view in Fig. 2 ge. As far as' speak the individual parts of the sample carrier 10 to those of the assembly holder 10 of FIG. 1 ent, they are seen with the same reference numerals ver.

As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, the difference between that in the sample carriers 10 and 10 'is that the number and arrangement of the wells 18 per well group 20 are different. The surfaces 26 , within which the recesses 18 of a group 20 of the sample carrier 10 are accommodated, are rectangular, that is to say not square, the recesses 18 being arranged evenly distributed over eight rows 22 and twelve columns 24 . For the rest, the division of the substrate 12 into two concentric ring areas 28 , 30 and the number of recess groups 20 per ring area 28 , 30 are the same for both sample carriers.

Fig. 3 shows a bottom view of a cover part 34 , which has a disc body 36 with an upstanding from the outer edge 38 and a concentrically arranged to the outer edge 38 also upstanding inner edge 40 . Concentric to the inner edge 40, a through hole 42 is provided, the 10 'lying lid part 34 is aligned on the substrate 12 in the sample carrier with the center hole 16 of the sample carrier 10 (see Fig. 4). The outer edge 38 comprises the substrate 12 of the sample carrier 10 'and has on its inside 44 a step 46 , the distance to the disk body 36 is equal to the height of the inner edge 40 . Over the inner edge 40 and the step 46 of the outer edge 38 , the cover part 34 lies on the sample holder 10 '.

The cover part 34 serves to cover the introduced into the upper side 14 of the substrate 12 gene gene 18 , so that the evaporation of the amounts of sample introduced into the recesses 18 is stopped. To at on the sample carrier 10 'lying lid part 34 access to the wells 18 of the sample carrier 10' to receive the lid portion 34 are formed two recesses 48 in the disk body 36 whose shape is equal to the surface 26 of a group 20 of Vertie levies 18 of the sample carrier 10 'is. By rotating the lid part 34 and sample carrier 10 'relative to one another, the depressions 18 of each group 20 can thus be accessed or these depressions 18 exposed, for example in order to introduce sample quantities and / or analysis liquids and / or the like into the depressions 18 or can be seen from these.

Fig. 5 and 6 show another embodiment of a sample carrier 10 '' and a cover member 34 ''. As far as the corresponding parts of the sample carrier 10 '' and the lid portion 34 '' to those of the sample carrier 10, 10 'and the cover part 34 of Fig. 1 to 4, they are provided with the same reference numerals.

The difference between the sample carrier 10 ″ and the sample carriers 10 and 10 ′ lies in the arrangement of the depressions 18 along the radially extending lines 32, it also being true for the sample carrier 10 ″ that the number of depressions 18 in the outer ring region 30 of the substrate 12 is twice as large as the number of depressions 18 in the inner ring region 28 . On every two th radially extending line 32, depressions 18 are thus only arranged in the outer ring region 30 , while no recesses are arranged along these lines 32 within the inner ring region 28 . The cover part 34 '' for covering the sample holder 10 '' has an elongated recess 48 which extends in the radial direction and whose extension in the radial direction is equal to the length of the longer rows 22 of recesses 18 of the sample holder 10 ''. 10 '' thus takes place with the use of the lid portion 34 'of the access to the wells 18 of the sample carrier' rows by Pro benträger 10 '' and cover portion 34 '' are rotated relative to each other.

A plurality of depressions 18 can be accommodated on the substrate 12 on the sample carriers 10 , 10 ′ and 10 ″ described here and shown in the figures. Assuming that the substrate 12 has an outer diameter of approximately 12 cm, 2304 depressions 18 can be accommodated on the sample carriers 10 'and 10 ''with the arrangement according to FIGS. 1 and 2, while the sample carrier 10 2400 Wells 18 has. Each recess 18 has an edge length or a diameter of approximately 1.3 mm.

The thickness of the substrate is preferably between 0.6 and 1.2 mm to choose. It is preferred the distance between the inside of the bottom walls of the recess and the underside of the substrate (bottom wall thickness) each according to refractive index n of the substrate material used to select. This distance is more preferred Way when using polycarbonate (n = 1.6) between between 120 and 130 µm when using polyolefins or glass (n = 1.52) approx. 170 µm and when using Polymethyl methacrylate PMMA (n = 1.49) approx. 200 µm. The Bottom wall thickness can also be used regardless of the Substrate material should be less than 10 µm. This is ins especially when using standard microscope objectives advantageous.

In particular, the sample carrier can have the known dimensions of conventional compact discs, mini CDs or the like. The through hole 16 can in particular have a diameter of 1.5 cm. The innermost ring area lying between the through hole 16 and the inner ring area 28 , which can be configured in a suitable manner for storing sample data, has in particular an outer diameter of 4.5 cm. The outer diameter of the substrate can be in particular 12 cm.

Claims (18)

1. Sample carrier for in particular microscopic examinations of a large number of samples, preferably for fluorescence spectroscopy

• - A disc-shaped substrate ( 12 ) with two side surfaces ( 14 ) and
• - A plurality of separate sample recording spaces forming recesses ( 18 ) which are introduced into one of the side surfaces ( 14 ) of the substrate ( 12 ) and each have a bottom wall and side walls and to the relevant side surface ( 14 ) of the substrate ( 12 ) are open to
• - The arrangement of the depressions ( 18 ) is uniform and
• - The substrate ( 12 ) having a polymer material.

2. Sample holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the depressions ( 18 ) are arranged symmetrically to the center ( 16 ) or a diameter line of the side surface ( 14 ) of the substrate ( 12 ). 3. Sample holder according to claim 2, characterized in that the depressions ( 18 ) are arranged in groups ( 20 ), the arrangement of the depressions ( 18 ) within each group ( 20 ) and the arrangement of all groups ( 20 ) with one another is regular. 4. Sample carrier according to claim 3, characterized in that the depressions ( 18 ) of each group ( 20 ) in mutually orthogonal rows ( 22 ) and columns ( 24 ) are arranged. 5. Sample carrier according to claim 3, characterized in that the recesses ( 18 ) of each group ( 20 ) are arranged side by side along a radially extending row (center lines 32 ). 6. sample holder according to claim 3, characterized net that each group is sector-shaped, with their Depressions along radially extending Radial lines and along in the circumferential direction extending circumferential lines are arranged. 7. Sample carrier according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the groups ( 20 ) of depressions ( 18 ) in a plurality of concentric ring regions ( 28 , 30 ) of the side surface ( 14 ) of the substrate ( 12 ) are arranged, wherein the ring areas ( 28 , 30 ) have different sizes of diameter. 8. Sample holder according to claim 7, characterized in that the number of groups ( 20 ) of recesses ( 18 ) per ring area ( 28 , 30 ) is a constant multiple of the number of groups ( 20 ) of recesses ( 18 ) of each adjacent and smaller in diameter ring area ( 28 , 30 ). 9. sample holder according to claim 7 or 8, if referring back to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that all the ring areas ( 28 , 30 ) groups ( 20 ) of depressions ( 18 ), viewed in radial extension with each other. 10. Sample holder according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the bottom walls of the recesses ( 18 ) are porous. 11. Sample holder according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a disc-shaped cover part ( 34 ; 34 '') with a protruding circumferential outer edge ( 38 ) on the circumference for covering the one side surface ( 14 ) of the substrate ( 12 ) open recesses ( 18 ) and for gripping around the substrate ( 12 ) is provided. 12. Sample holder according to claim 11, characterized in that the peripheral edge ( 38 ) of the lid part ( 34 ; 34 '') has an inner shoulder surface ( 46 ) for resting on the substrate ( 12 ). 13. Sample holder according to claim 12, characterized in that the cover part ( 34 ; 34 '') has a standing circumferential inner edge ( 40 ) for resting on the substrate ( 12 ). 14. Sample holder according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the cover part ( 34 ; 34 '') has at least one recess ( 48 ) extending in the radial direction, the shape of which is equal to the outer contour ( 26 ) of a group ( 20th ) of depressions ( 18 ) or a part of a group ( 20 ) of depressions ( 18 ) of the substrate ( 12 ) or comprises these. 15. Sample holder according to claim 14, as far as referred back to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the cover part ( 34 ; 34 '') has at least one recess ( 48 ) which extends in the radial direction over the concentric Ringbe ( 28 , 30 ) extends. 16. Sample carrier according to claim 15, 14 and 9, characterized in that the shape of the at least one recess ( 48 ) of the cover part ( 34 ; 34 '') is equal to the overall outer contour of the radially aligned groups ( 20 ) of depressions ( 18 ). the ring areas ( 28 , 30 ) of the substrate ( 12 ). 17. Sample carrier according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the substrate ( 12 ) has polycarbonate. 18. Sample carrier according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the substrate ( 12 ) by injection molding and / or hot stamping is Herge.