Sample holder shuttle

Abstract

A sample holder shuttle for holding a sample holder for laboratory processing, such as PCR thermal cycling, focused acoustic energy processing, and the like. The sample holder may be received at the opening of the shuttle such that a plurality of sample holders may be held by the shuttle and moved simultaneously or otherwise manipulated. The cover may be engaged with the sample holder, for example, to press the sample holder down into contact with the shuttle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Methods and apparatus for a sample holder, such as a shuttle, to simultaneously hold and move multiple sample tubes. Background Art

[0002] Sample holders, including individual tubes or vessels, and vessels in multi-well plates, sometimes referred to as microtiter plates or microplates, are widely used in laboratories and other applications for holding and processing liquid samples, such as those used in diagnostic testing and research. Such vessels are used to expose samples to a variety of different treatments, including exposure to acoustic energy, heat / cooling cycles, such as those used in PCR processing, and the like. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In some embodiments, a sample holder shuttle for holding one or more sample holders for laboratory processing comprises a plate having a plurality of openings, each opening being configured to receive and hold a corresponding sample holder such that a lower portion of the sample holder overhangs or protrudes from a bottom side of the plate, for example, such that the lower portion is exposed for receiving acoustic energy, thermal energy, or other energy to process the sample in the sample holder. In some embodiments, the plate can be flat or planar and / or can have opposing first and second edges and opposing third and fourth edges, for example, the plate can have a rectangular shape. In some cases, a first holder wall and a second holder wall can extend from the plate, for example, the holder walls can extend upward from the top side of the plate at opposing first and second edges, respectively. The first holder wall and the second holder wall can be configured to engage with a robotic gripper or other automated handler and support the plate and the sample holders received at the plurality of openings. For example, the holder wall can be configured so that a robotic gripper can pick up the shuttle and associated sample holder and move or otherwise manipulate the shuttle and sample holder in a desired manner, such as between laboratory processing stations in an automated sample material handling system. In some embodiments, the sample holder shuttle can include a machine-readable feature, such as an RFID tag or barcode, that is configured to identify the source, compatibility, or other features of the shuttle and / or the sample holder held by the shuttle. Such features can help automatically track and process sample materials held by the shuttle. In some cases, the plate can include a notch extending inwardly from an edge of the plate, for example, a first notch can extend inwardly from a third edge of the plate. In some embodiments, the notch can be configured to align the cover relative to the plate and / or align the plate relative to another component.

[0004] In some embodiments, a plurality of openings can be constructed in the form of a symmetrical rectangular array such as an 8-by-12 rectangular array, a 4-by-6 rectangular array, a 6-by-8 rectangular array, or other rectangular arrays of sample tubes or other sample holders that are commonly used in laboratory processing. In some cases, opening can be constructed in the form of any regular or irregular array or arrangement. In some examples, a plurality of openings can be configured to engage with the edge of the sample holder so that the portion of the sample holder located below the edge is suspended or overhanging from the plate. In some embodiments, a portion of the sidewall of the sample holder (e.g., the sidewall of the tube) can engage with the plate at the corresponding opening so that the sample holder is supported by the plate and the lower portion of the sample holder is suspended below the plate. For example, a plurality of sample holders can each be configured to have a tube with a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the upper portion is configured to engage with a portion of the plate near a corresponding opening in the plurality of openings to support the tube so that the lower portion is suspended or protruding from the plate. Arranging the tube to overhang or protrude from the plate can expose the tube for receiving various processing conditions, such as receiving acoustic energy and / or thermal energy to process the sample material held in the tube. In some cases, engagement of the sample holder with the plate at the opening can orient the sample holder relative to the plate in a desired manner, for example, in directions along the plane of the plate (e.g., in the X and Y directions) and in a direction transverse to the plane of the plate (e.g., in the Z direction). For example, the sample holder can have a longitudinal axis along which the sample holder extends, and engagement of the sample holder with the opening can orient the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the plane of the plate.

[0005] In some embodiments, the first gripper wall and the second gripper wall can each include a gripping surface configured to engage with a robotic gripper or other automated handler, the gripping surfaces facing outward and away from the panel. For example, the gripping surfaces can be perpendicular to the plane of the panel and / or can include gripping surfaces having anti-slip features configured to engage with the robotic gripper. The anti-slip features can include surface roughness, resilient pads or other elements and / or grooves. In some cases, the gripper walls can be configured such that a robotic gripper can clamp onto the gripper walls by applying a force to the walls in an inward direction toward the center of the panel.

[0006] In some cases, a notch in a panel can have surfaces that are parallel to one or more other edges of the panel. For example, a notch extending inward from the third edge of a panel can have surfaces that are parallel to the first and second edges of the panel. This can help the notch orient the panel edge relative to another component, such as a cover or pipe rack.

[0007] In some cases, the cover can be configured to extend over at least a portion of the plate to cover a plurality of openings and / or a sample holder held by the shuttle. In some embodiments, the cover can include alignment features configured to engage with the shuttle and / or the sample holder to orient the cover relative to the shuttle. For example, the alignment features on the cover can engage with a recess in the plate to align the cover with the plate. In some examples, the plate can include a first recess and a second recess, and the cover can include a first alignment feature and a second alignment feature configured to engage with a corresponding one of the first and second recesses to align the cover with the plate. For example, the first and second alignment features can each include a wedge-shaped member including opposing sides that are arranged at an angle relative to each other and configured to engage with corresponding surfaces of the corresponding recesses. The first and second recesses can each have a surface that is parallel to an edge of the plate and can be configured to engage with corresponding sides of a corresponding one of the wedges, for example, to align the cover with respect to the edge of the plate.

[0008] In some cases, the cover can be configured to extend above at least a portion of the plate to cover a plurality of openings and / or the sample holders held by the shuttle, and the cover can be configured to press downwards on one or more sample holders received at the plurality of openings. For example, the cover can be configured to be supported relative to the plate by one or more sample holders, and the cover can be configured to have a mass that is enough to urge one or more sample holders to engage with the plate. The engagement force can help keep the sample holder engaged with the shuttle and / or or orient one or more sample holders relative to the plate. In some embodiments, one or more sample holders can include a radially extending flange that is positioned on the plate adjacent to the opening in which the sample holder is received, and the force that the cover acts on one or more sample holders can urge the flange to contact the plate so that the sample holder is oriented relative to the plate.

[0009] In some embodiments, a plurality of sample holders can each be configured as a tube having a lower portion and an upper portion. The upper portion can be configured to engage with a portion of the plate of the shuttle near a corresponding one of the plurality of openings to support the tube, such that the lower portion is suspended from the plate. A cover can be configured to engage with each of the plurality of sample holders to encourage the plurality of sample holders to contact the plate. In some cases, each of the plurality of sample holders can include a lid covering the opening at the upper portion of the sample holder, and the cover can be configured to engage with the lid to encourage the sample holder to contact the plate. In some embodiments, each lid can include a recess, and the cover can include a plurality of protrusions, each of which is configured to engage with a recess of a corresponding lid of the sample holder. The engagement of the protrusions with the corresponding lid can orient the cover relative to the shuttle and / or orient the sample holder relative to the shuttle, and / or can help the sample holder engage with the plate of the shuttle.

[0010] In some cases, the plurality of sample holders can each be configured as a tube having a lower portion, an upper portion, and an interior volume extending from an opening at the upper portion to the lower portion. The upper portion can be configured to engage a portion of a plate of the shuttle near a corresponding one of the plurality of openings to support the tube such that the lower portion depends from the plate, and the plurality of sample holders can be configured to hold a sample in the interior volume for treatment with focused acoustic energy.

[0011] In some cases, the opening of the shuttle plate can receive a corresponding sample holder so that the sample holder can be relatively easily removed from the opening, for example, by lifting the sample holder from the shuttle. In some embodiments, the openings of the shuttle can each be configured to engage with a sample holder received at the opening to lock the sample holder in place relative to the shuttle. For example, the opening can be configured to engage with the sample holder to prevent the sample holder from rotating about the longitudinal axis and / or moving along the longitudinal axis relative to the shuttle. This engagement can facilitate automatic capping / decapping of the sample holder or otherwise ensure that the sample holder does not separate from the shuttle.

[0012] In some embodiments, a sample holder assembly for holding one or more sample holders for laboratory processing is provided. The assembly may include a shuttle having a plate, the plate including a plurality of openings, each opening configured to receive and hold a corresponding sample holder such that a lower portion of the sample holder is suspended from the bottom side of the plate and exposed to receive acoustic energy to process the sample in the sample holder. The assembly and / or the shuttle may have any one or more of the features described above or otherwise herein, and may include those one or more features in any suitable combination. For example, the shuttle may have an opening (or not) configured to lock the sample holder relative to the shuttle, may have a clamp wall (or not), may have a cover alignment notch (or not), and the like. The assembly may include a cover (or not), the cover having any of the features described, such as a mass and configuration that facilitates contact between the sample holder and the shuttle.

[0013] Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Aspects of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which reference numerals refer to elements, and in which:

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sample holder shuttle and associated sample holder and cover in an illustrative embodiment;

[0016] Figure 2 is a side view of a sample holder shuttle and associated sample holder and cover positioned above an acoustic energy processing device for exposing sample material in the sample holder to acoustic energy;

[0017] Figure 3 shows a top perspective view of an alternative cover positioned over a plurality of sample holders held by a sample holder shuttle in another illustrative embodiment;

[0018] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 a bottom perspective view of a cover member illustrating a protrusion located at a bottom of the cover member to engage with a sample holder;

[0019] Figure 5 is a top perspective view of a sample holder rack for use with a sample holder shuttle and a sample holder held by the shuttle in an illustrative embodiment;

[0020] Figure 6 Shown are the sample holder shuttle and Figure 5 an end view of a plurality of sample holders held by a sample holder rack;

[0021] Figure 7 shows a top view of a sample holder shuttle having an opening configured to engage a sample holder in an illustrative embodiment;

[0022] Figure 8 Shown Figure 7 a top perspective view of a sample holder shuttle;

[0023] Figure 9 shows a top view of a sample holder shuttle in another illustrative embodiment having an opening configured to engage a sample holder;

[0024] Figure 10 shows a top view of a sample holder shuttle in yet another illustrative embodiment, the sample holder shuttle having an opening configured to engage a sample holder; and

[0025] Figure 11 Shown is a top view of a sample holder shuttle in yet another illustrative embodiment having an opening configured to engage a sample holder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Figure 1An illustrative embodiment of a sample holder shuttle 2 and associated sample holders 10 and cover 3 is shown. The shuttle 2 is configured to hold one or more sample holders 10 and move the sample holders 10 between various positions, such as different positions, at which sample material in the holders 10 is subjected to one or more processing procedures. Examples of such processes include, but are not limited to, treatment with focused acoustic energy or other sonication, thermal cycling or other temperature adjustment, storage, incubation, pipetting, capping / decapping, and the like. The sample holder 10 can be configured in any suitable manner. For example, the sample holder 10 can include a vessel 1 having a rim 13 and defining an opening at an upper end of the vessel 1 to an interior volume in which a sample material 12 can be held. The sample material 12 can be any suitable liquid, solid, semi-solid, and / or combination thereof, and can include bone or other tissue, leaves, seeds or other plant material, blood, or any other biological material that may be subjected to one or more laboratory processes and analyses. The sample holder 10 may include a lid 11 to cover the opening of the interior volume of the vessel 1, for example, the lid 11 can seal the interior volume from the external environment. The lid 11 can be engaged with the vessel 1 by means of threaded engagement, interference fit, welding, etc., and thus the vessel 1 may include threads or other engagement features to engage with the lid 11 at the inner and / or outer surfaces of the vessel wall. In some embodiments, the lid 11 may include a recess 14, for example, including fins, ribs, notches or other features to assist in automatic capping / decapping. For example, a robot or other tool can be configured to engage with the lid 11, for example, at an engagement feature in the recess 14 or other portion of the lid 11, so that the lid 11 is rotated relative to the vessel 1, thereby threading the lid 11 and the vessel 1 and / or placing the lid 11 on the vessel 1 or removing the lid 11 from the vessel 1. The lid 11 and / or the vessel 1 can include a gasket such as an o-ring or other features to help seal the opening of the vessel 1 closed, for example, to isolate the sample material 12 in the vessel from the environmental conditions outside the vessel 1. In some cases, the vessel 1 can include a sidewall extending from the rim 13 to the bottom of the vessel 1, which can be round, square, etc. The vessel 1 can be made of any suitable material such as polypropylene, polymethylpentene, or polycarbonate to provide a vessel with good suitability for use in thermal cycling processing (e.g., for PCR processing or other thermal applications) and / or focused acoustic energy processing—such as that performed using a Covaris sonication instrument (Covaris, Woburn, MA)—or other ultrasonic processing.However, the vessel 1 can be made of any single material or combination of materials, such as polymethylpentene, polycarbonate, polypropylene, low density polyethylene (LDP), high density polyethylene (HDP), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and / or cyclic olefin polymer (COP) materials (or other materials) that provide the desired properties for acoustic energy treatment or other treatment conditions.

[0027] Shuttle 2 may include a plate 21 including opposing first and second edges 22 and 23 and opposing third and fourth edges 24 and 25. In some cases, plate 21 may define a rectangular shape, although other shapes are possible, such as trapezoidal and other polygonal shapes, circular, elliptical, irregular shapes, and the like, and plate 21 may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, plastic, composite, thermoset, and the like. Plate 21 may be planar, e.g., the top surface of plate 21 may lie in a single plane, and plate 21 may include a plurality of openings 26, each configured to receive and retain a corresponding sample holder 10 such that a lower portion of the sample holder depends from a bottom side of plate 21 and is exposed, e.g., for receiving acoustic energy to treat a sample in sample holder 10. Openings 26 may be arranged in a regular rectangular array, e.g., an 8 by 12 array, or in any other suitable regular or irregular arrangement. The opening 26 can be sized and / or shaped to position the corresponding sample holder 10 in a direction parallel and / or perpendicular to the plane of the plate 21, for example, so that the sample material 12 is precisely positioned to be exposed to the focal zone of the acoustic energy. For example, the sample holder vessel 1 can have a circular cross-sectional shape, and the opening 26 can have a size and / or shape that fits tightly or otherwise appropriately with the vessel 1 and positions the vessel 1 in a desired manner along the upper plane of the plate 21 in one or more directions (e.g., orthogonal directions). In some cases, the sample holder 10 can have a rim 13 or other feature that engages with the plate 21 so that the sample holder 10 is appropriately positioned or otherwise oriented relative to the plate 21. For example, the rim 13 of the vessel 1 can have a lower surface that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vessel 1 (e.g., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical shape of the vessel). The rim 13 can contact the upper surface of the plate 21 surrounding the opening 26, and the vessel 1 is positioned in the opening 26 so that the vessel 1 extends from the plate 21 in a desired manner, for example, depending perpendicularly from the plate 21. Proper positioning of the vessel 1 relative to the plate 21 can be useful, for example, so that the vessel 1 and sample material 12 are properly positioned for exposure to a focal region of acoustic energy (e.g., in the form of a circular spot or line) or other treatment.

[0028] The shuttle 2 can include first and second gripper walls 27 extending upward from the plate 21, for example, at or near opposing first and second edges 22 and 23, respectively. The first and second gripper walls 27 can be configured to engage with a robotic gripper or other device so that a sample holder 10 held by the shuttle 2 can be picked up, moved, and / or placed in a desired manner. Thus, the gripper walls 27 can support the plate 21 and the sample holders 10 received at the plurality of openings 26 for any suitable motion. The gripper walls 27 can each have a gripping surface configured to engage with a robotic gripper or other device, the gripping surface facing outward and away from the plate 21, for example, so that the robotic gripper can apply an inwardly directed clamping force on the walls 27. Alternatively or additionally, the gripper walls 27 can have gripping surfaces arranged in other ways, such as surfaces facing downward and toward the plate 21, surfaces facing inward and parallel to the plane of the plate 21, surfaces defined by holes or recesses in the walls 27, and the like. In some cases, the gripper walls 27 can each include a gripping surface that includes an anti-slip feature 27a configured to engage with a robotic gripper, such as a suitable surface roughness, a resilient pad, or one or more grooves. The gripper walls 27 can extend along all or part of the edges 22, 23 and can extend upward relative to the plate 21 to any suitable extent. In some cases, the gripper walls 27 can be centered along the respective edges 22, 23. The gripper walls 27 can include a single wall element and / or multiple wall elements separated from each other by one or more gaps.

[0029] In some cases, cover 3 can be configured to extend over at least a portion of plate 21 to cover at least some of openings 26 and / or sample holders 10 held by shuttle 2. In some cases, cover 3 can help cover the opening of a vessel 1 held by shuttle 2, for example, when the opening of the vessel 1 is not covered by lid 11. Alternatively or additionally, cover 3 can cover lid 11 of sample holder 10, for example, to help prevent foreign matter from accumulating on lid 11 and / or plate 21, and / or to help maintain sample holder 10 properly positioned on shuttle 2. In some cases, shuttle 2 and / or cover 3 can include alignment features to help properly position cover 3 relative to shuttle 2. For example, cover 3 can include one or more alignment features 31 configured to engage with corresponding notches 28 or other alignment features on shuttle 2 to align cover 3 with plate 21. In some cases, the cover 3 may include first and second alignment features 31 configured to engage with respective ones of the first and second notches 28 to align the cover 3 with the plate 21. Each of the alignment features 31 may include a wedge-shaped member having opposing sides arranged at an angle relative to one another and configured to engage with corresponding surfaces of the respective notches 28. In some cases, the notches 28 may each have a surface parallel to the first and second edges 22 and 23 of the plate 21 and configured to engage with respective sides of the respective ones of the wedges. Thus, if the cover 3 is lowered onto the shuttle 2 such that the leading or lowermost end of the wedge 31 is positioned within the notch 28, the wedge 31 and the notch 28 may interact to properly align the cover 3 relative to the shuttle 2 when the cover 3 is lowered onto the shuttle 2. Other alignment features are possible, including tapered engagement features on the cover and shuttle, alignment pins, and the like. A machine-readable feature 29, such as an RFID tag, a barcode, alphanumeric text, or the like, on the shuttle 2 can be provided to identify the source of the shuttle or the compatibility of the shuttle. For example, a processing device intended for processing a sample material 12 held by a sample holder 10 on the shuttle 2 can read the machine-readable feature 29 to ensure that the shuttle 2 and the associated sample holder 10 are suitable for use with the processing device and / or to help track the position of the shuttle / sample holder and the processing of the sample material 12 in the sample holder 10. This can be used as part of an automated sample tracking and processing process that tracks the movement and processing progress of the sample holder 10 and shuttle 2 as they move through a multi-step laboratory process.In some cases, the sample holder 10 may also include machine-readable features that can be read so that the sample holder 10 can be associated with a particular shuttle 2, for example, so that after the sample holder 10 is associated with the shuttle 10, the movement and handling of the sample holder 10 can be tracked without having to read each individual sample holder 10.

[0030] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 FIG2 is a side view of a shuttle 2 and a cover 3 and two sample holders 10 held by the shuttle 2. In some embodiments, the cover 3 can be positioned to extend over the shuttle 2 to cover at least some of the openings 26 of the shuttle 2 and the sample holders 10 held by the shuttle 2. The cover 3 can be configured to press downwardly on one or more sample holders 10 received at the openings 26, e.g., to orient the sample holders 10 relative to the plate 21. For example, the cover 3 can contact the lid 11 or other portion of the sample holder 10 to press downwardly on the sample holder 10. This downward force, or a force acting on the sample holder 10 directed toward the plate 21, can help maintain engagement of the sample holder 10 with the shuttle 2. In some cases, the cover 3 can be configured to have a mass sufficient to urge the sample holder 10 into engagement with the plate 21, e.g., to orient the sample holder 10 relative to the plate 21. For example, the sample holders 10 can each include a radially extending flange or other portion that is positioned on or otherwise contacts the plate 21 adjacent the opening 26 in which the sample holder 10 is received. The force of the cover 3 on the sample holder 10 can urge the flange or other sample holder portion into contact with the plate 21 to orient the sample holder 10 relative to the plate 21. In some cases, the force of the cover 3 on the sample holder 10 can cause the sample holder vessel 1 to be suspended from the plate 21 such that the longitudinal axis of the vessel 1 is perpendicular to the plate 21 or the plane of the plate 21 or is otherwise properly oriented relative to the plate 21 or the plane of the plate 21. Properly orienting the sample holder 10 can help properly position the vessel 1 and the sample material 12 for processing.

[0031] For example, Figure 2 1 is a schematic diagram of an acoustic processing system 100 that can be used to process a sample material 12 held by a sample holder 10 on a shuttle 2. In some embodiments, the acoustic processing system 100 includes an acoustic energy source having an acoustic transducer 14 (e.g., including one or more piezoelectric elements) that can generate an acoustic field (e.g., at a focal region 17) suitable for inducing mixing, such as by cavitation and / or other effects on a sample contained in a vessel 1. The vessel 1 held by the shuttle 2 can be moved from Figure 2The position shown is lowered so that at least a portion of the vessel 1 is positioned in contact with the coupling medium 16 of the acoustic treatment system 100. Acoustic energy can be transmitted from the transducer 14 to the vessel 1 through the coupling medium 16, such as a liquid (e.g., water), a gel or other semi-solid, or a solid such as silica, metal, or other material. Thus, the transducer 14 can be spaced apart from the vessel 1, and acoustic energy can be transmitted from outside the vessel volume to be transmitted into the vessel 1 via the coupling medium 16. In the event that the coupling medium 16 is a liquid, a coupling medium container 15 can be used to contain the coupling medium 16. Proper positioning of the sample holder 10 relative to the shuttle 2 can help ensure that the vessel 1 and sample material are positioned at a known position relative to the acoustic field, for example, at least partially within the focal zone 17 of the acoustic energy. Although Figure 2A spherical focal zone 17 is shown, but a linear focal zone can also be generated, for example, spanning multiple vessels 1 held by the shuttle 2 to simultaneously process multiple samples, or multiple focal zones 17 can be generated. The system control circuit 101 can control various functions of the system 100, including the operation of the acoustic transducer 14, the positioning of the shuttle 2 and the vessels 1 held by the shuttle 2, receiving operator input (such as commands for system operation), outputting information (e.g., outputting to a visual display, indicator lights, outputting sample processing status information in the form of electronic data, etc.), etc. Therefore, the system control circuit 101 can include any suitable components to perform the desired control, communication and / or other functions. For example, the system control circuit 101 may include: one or more general-purpose computers, computer networks, one or more microprocessors, etc. for performing data processing functions, one or more memories for storing data and / or operating instructions (for example, including volatile and / or non-volatile memories such as optical and magnetic disk drives, semiconductor memories, tape or disk memories, etc.), a communication bus or other communication equipment for wired or wireless communication (for example, including various wires, switches, connectors, Ethernet communication equipment, WLAN communication equipment, etc.), software or other computer-executable instructions (for example, including instructions for performing functions related to the load current control circuit for controlling the transducer 14 and other components), and a plurality of computer-executable instructions. commands), a power supply or other power source (e.g., a battery, a transformer, and a plug for mating with an electrical outlet, etc.), relays and / or other switching devices, mechanical linkages, one or more sensors or data input devices (e.g., a sensor for detecting the temperature and / or presence of the medium 16, a camera or other imaging device for capturing and analyzing image information about the vessel 1 or other components, a position sensor for indicating the position of the acoustic transducer 14 and / or the vessel 1, etc.), user data input devices (e.g., buttons, dials, knobs, keyboards, touch screens, or other), information display devices (e.g., LCD displays, indicator lights, printers, etc.), and / or other components for providing desired input / output and control functions. U.S. Patents 6,948,843 and 6,719,449 are incorporated herein by reference for details regarding the construction and operation of the acoustic transducer and the control of the acoustic transducer.

[0032] Figure 3Another illustrative arrangement of a cover 3 for use with a sample holder shuttle 2 and associated sample holder 10 is shown. In some embodiments, the cover 3 can include gripper walls 37, e.g., arranged in a manner similar to the gripper walls provided for the shuttle 2. This can allow the cover 3 to be moved by a robotic gripper or other automated device, e.g., so that the cover 3 can be placed on the shuttle 2, e.g., to help hold the sample holder 10 in place, and / or removed from the shuttle 2, e.g., to allow a sample holder to be placed in and / or removed from the shuttle 2. In some cases, the cover 3 can include legs 32 or other features to help define the distance between the underside of the cover 3 and the sample holder 10, helping to support the cover 3 on the shuttle 2 and / or allowing the cover 3 to be placed on a surface remote from the shuttle 2 while avoiding contact between the underside of the cover 3 and the surface. This can help reduce the risk of potential contamination of sample material, as the cover 3 is less likely to pick up and deposit foreign matter on the sample holders 10 and / or the shuttle 2. Furthermore, if not all openings 26 of the shuttle 2 are filled with sample holders 10, the legs 32 can also help maintain a desired distance between the cover 3 and the shuttle 2, as well as the orientation of the cover 3 relative to the shuttle 2. For example, if only a few sample holders 10 are received at one end of the shuttle 2, the cover 3 can contact the sample holders 10 that would otherwise be unsupported relative to the shuttle 2. The legs 32 can contact the plate 21 and support the cover 3 in areas where no sample holders 10 are positioned, thereby maintaining the desired orientation and position of the cover 3 relative to the shuttle 2. In some cases, the cover 3 can be configured to latch or otherwise engage or connect with the shuttle 2, for example, so that the cover 3 is locked or held in place relative to the shuttle 2 unless the latch or other engagement feature is disengaged. For example, this can allow a robotic gripper to grip only the cover 3 and pick up the cover 3 along with the attached shuttle 2 and the sample holder 10 engaged with the cover 3. As an example, the cover 3 can include a latch comprising an arm pivotally mounted to the cover 3 at a pivot axis. The latch arm can have a lower end located below the pivot axis that can be positioned adjacent to the shuttle 2 on which the cover 3 is placed, for example, such that the lower end of the latch arm is adjacent to a portion of the gripper wall 27 of the shuttle 2. The lower end of the latch arm can have a hook extending inwardly from the lower end of the latch arm and capable of engaging an opening or other surface of the gripper wall 27. The upper end of the latch arm can extend above the pivot axis, for example, a portion of the upper end of the latch arm can extend to a position adjacent to the gripper wall 37 of the cover 3.The latch arm can be spring-biased to pivot about a pivot axis such that the lower end of the latch arm is biased to move inwardly toward the gripper wall 27 of the shuttle 2, and the upper end of the latch arm is biased to move away from the gripper wall 37 of the cover 3. Thus, if the cover 3 is placed on the shuttle 2, the hook on the lower end of the latch arm can engage, under spring bias, an opening or other feature of the gripper wall 27 of the shuttle 2, coupling the cover 3 to the shuttle 2. This engagement can allow the cover 3 to be picked up, for example, by a robotic gripper gripping the gripper wall 37, and the cover 3 can support the shuttle 2, so that the shuttle 2 moves with the cover 3. To disengage the cover 3 from the shuttle 2, the upper end of the latch arm can be moved inwardly toward the cover 3, disengaging the hook on the latch arm from the shuttle 2. This can be accomplished, for example, by a robotic gripper gripping or otherwise contacting the upper ends of the latch arms so that the upper ends move inwardly against the spring bias to disengage the lower ends from the shuttle 2. This allows the cover 3 to be removed from the shuttle 2. Note that the latch arms can be provided on opposite sides of the cover 3, such as extending downwardly from the two gripper walls 37, so that the shuttle 2 can be engaged at or in an area near the two gripper walls 27. Other means for removably engaging the cover 3 and the shuttle 2 are possible.

[0033] Figure 4 Another feature shown in FIG is that the cover 3 may include an alignment feature 31 in the form of one or more protrusions, such as frustoconical elements, depending downwardly from the lower surface of the cover 3. The alignment feature 31 may engage with a corresponding lid 11 or other portion of the sample holder 10 to help hold the holder 10 in place and / or align the holder 10 relative to the shuttle 2. As an example, Figure 4 The truncated conical alignment feature 31 in the sample holder 10 can engage with the recess 14 in the cover 11 of the sample holder 10 so that the sample holder 10 is properly aligned in a direction along the plane of the plate 21 (e.g., horizontally) and / or in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the plate 21 (e.g., vertically).

[0034] Figure 5 A tube rack 5 is shown which, in some embodiments, may be used to receive a sample holder vessel 1 held by the shuttle 2 . Figure 5 The tube rack 5 in FIG. 1 is only one of many possible components that may receive the sample holder 10 held by the shuttle 2, such components including, for example, Figure 2The rack 5 can be used for a variety of purposes, such as supporting the shuttle 2 and the associated sample holder 10 when the sample holder 10 is loaded onto the shuttle 2, assisting in the automatic capping / uncapping of the sample holder vessels 1, etc. For example, in some cases, the rack 5 can include a plurality of cavities 51 each for receiving a corresponding vessel 1. Each cavity 51 can include one or more tabs 52 or other engagement features to engage with the corresponding vessel 1 received in the cavity 51, such as Figure 6 As shown. In some cases, the vessel 1 may include one or more fins 1a or other engagement features configured to engage with tabs 52 or other engagement features in the cavity 52 of the tube holder 5. The engagement of the vessel fins 1a with the tabs 52 (or other engagement features) can help prevent the vessel 1 from rotating within the cavity 52 beyond a certain amount, for example, preventing the vessel 1 from rotating beyond 30 to 90 degrees. Thus, the cap 11 on the vessel 1 can be engaged, for example, by an automated capper / decapper, such that the cap 11 can be rotated relative to the vessel 1 for removal of the cap 1 from the vessel 1 and / or engagement of the cap 11 with the vessel 1.

[0035] While in some embodiments, the sample holder vessel 1 can be received into the opening 26 of the shuttle 2 such that the vessel 1 can be relatively easily removed from the opening 26 (e.g., by lifting in a vertical direction) and / or rotated about a longitudinal or vertical axis while held in the opening 26 of the shuttle 2, the shuttle 2 can be configured to engage with the vessel 1 such that the vessel 1 cannot be easily removed from the opening 26 and / or rotated about a longitudinal or vertical axis. Such engagement can help, for example, to ensure that the vessel 1 does not become disengaged from the shuttle 2, does not rotate relative to the shuttle 2 (e.g., for automated capping / decapping purposes), and / or does not move vertically or along the longitudinal axis (e.g., when the relatively lightweight vessel 1 is immersed in a water bath of a sonication system and the vessel 1 "floats" upward relative to the shuttle 2). Figure 7 and Figure 8A shuttle 2 is shown including an opening 26 configured to engage with a sample holder vessel 1 such that the vessel, when received in the opening 26, is locked in place relative to the shuttle 2. Thus, engagement of the vessel 1 with the shuttle 2 at the opening 26 can prevent rotation of the vessel 1 relative to the shuttle 2 about a vertical axis (or an axis perpendicular to the plate 21) and / or movement of the vessel 1 relative to the plate 21 along the vertical axis. In some embodiments, the opening 26 can have an oval or elongated shape, for example, such that two opposing portions of the opening 26 along a minor axis define a partial circular shape having a radius that is smaller than a radius of a cylindrical portion of a vessel to be received in the opening 26, and two other opposing portions of the opening along the major axis are configured to avoid contact with a vessel received at the opening 26. The opposing portions defining the partial circular shape are configured to engage with the cylindrical portion of the vessel such that the vessel is squeezed and potentially deformed between the opposing wall portions. This securely engages the vessel with the opposing circular wall portion, thereby preventing rotational and / or longitudinal movement of the vessel 1 relative to the shuttle 2. Figure 7 and Figure 8 The configuration of openings 26 in is only one possible arrangement and other configurations may be used for the same purpose. For example, Figure 9 The shuttle 2 is shown with an opening 26 having a circular shape having a toothed or sawtoothed feature extending around the opening. The toothed or sawtoothed feature is configured to engage with the vessel wall, for example, thereby deforming the vessel and / or causing the toothed / sawtoothed feature to cut into the vessel wall to prevent rotational and / or longitudinal movement of the vessel relative to the shuttle 2. Figure 10 An arrangement is shown in which the opening 26 has a generally circular shape with three spikes or triangular projections extending radially inwardly from the opening wall. The spikes or triangular projections are configured to cut into and / or deform the vessel wall when the vessel is engaged at the opening. Figure 11 Another arrangement is shown in which the opening has a generally circular shape and protrusions having a generally rectangular shape extending radially inwardly from the opening wall. These protrusions, such as teeth, serrations or spikes, are configured to cut into and / or deform the vessel wall when the vessel is received to securely engage the vessel with the shuttle 2.

[0036] Although various aspects of the present invention have been described with reference to various illustrative embodiments, these aspects are not limited to the described embodiments. Therefore, it will be apparent that many alternatives, modifications, and variations of the described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the embodiments set forth herein are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the various aspects of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sample holder shuttle for holding one or more sample holders for laboratory processing, the shuttle comprising: a plate comprising opposing first and second edges, opposing third and fourth edges, and a plurality of openings, each opening configured to receive and retain a corresponding sample holder such that lower portions of the sample holders depend from a bottom side of the plate and are exposed to receive acoustic energy to treat a sample in the sample holder; first and second gripper walls extending upwardly from a top side of the plate at opposing first and second edges, respectively, the first and second gripper walls configured to engage a robotic gripper and support the plate and sample holders received at the plurality of openings; as well as A first notch extends inwardly from the third edge, the first notch being configured to align a cover relative to the panel.

2. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1 , wherein: The plurality of openings are configured in a symmetrical rectangular array.

3. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1 , wherein: The plurality of openings are configured to engage a rim of a sample holder such that a portion of the sample holder below the rim is suspended from the plate.

4. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of sample holders, each sample holder being constructed as a tube having a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion being configured to engage with a portion of the plate near a corresponding one of the plurality of openings to support the tube such that the lower portion depends from the plate.

5. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1 , wherein: The first and second gripper walls each include a gripping surface configured to engage the robotic gripper, the gripping surfaces facing outwardly and away from the panel.

6. The sample holder shuttle of claim 5, wherein: The clamping surface is perpendicular to the plane of the plate.

7. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1 , wherein: The first gripper wall and the second gripper wall each include a gripping surface including anti-slip features configured to engage the robotic gripper.

8. The sample holder shuttle of claim 7, wherein: The anti-slip features include surface roughness, resilient pads, or grooves.

9. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1 , wherein: The first notch has a surface parallel to the first edge and the second edge.

10. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1, further comprising an RFID tag configured to identify the source of the shuttle or the compatibility of the shuttle.

11. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1 , further comprising a cover configured to extend over at least a portion of the plate to cover the plurality of openings, the cover comprising an alignment feature configured to engage the first recess to align the cover with the plate.

12. The sample holder shuttle of claim 11, further comprising a second notch extending inwardly from the fourth edge, wherein The cover includes a first alignment feature and a second alignment feature configured to engage with a corresponding one of the first notch and the second notch to align the cover with the plate.

13. The sample holder shuttle of claim 12, wherein: The first and second alignment features each include a wedge including opposing sides that are angled relative to each other and configured to engage corresponding surfaces of the respective recess.

14. The sample holder shuttle of claim 13, wherein: The first notch and the second notch each have a surface parallel to the first edge and the second edge and configured to engage a respective side of a respective one of the wedges.

15. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1, further comprising a cover configured to extend over at least a portion of the plate to cover the plurality of openings, the cover configured to press down on one or more sample holders received at the plurality of openings.

16. The sample holder shuttle of claim 15, wherein: The cover is configured to be supported relative to the plate by one or more of the sample holders, the cover being configured to have a mass sufficient to urge one or more of the sample holders into engagement with the plate to orient the one or more sample holders relative to the plate.

17. The sample holder shuttle of claim 16, wherein: Each of the one or more sample holders includes a radially extending flange positioned on the plate adjacent the opening in which the sample holder is received, and wherein the force of the cover acting on the one or more sample holders urges the flange into contact with the plate to orient the sample holder relative to the plate.

18. The sample holder shuttle of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of sample holders, each sample holder configured as a tube having a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion configured to engage a portion of the plate adjacent a respective one of the plurality of openings to support the tube such that the lower portion depends from the plate, and wherein The cover is configured to engage each of the plurality of sample holders to urge the plurality of sample holders into contact with the plate.

19. The sample holder shuttle of claim 18, wherein: Each sample holder of the plurality of sample holders includes a lid covering an opening at the upper portion of the sample holder, and wherein the cover is configured to engage the lid to urge the sample holder into contact with the plate.

20. The sample holder shuttle of claim 19, wherein: Each cap includes a recess and the cover includes a plurality of protrusions, each protrusion configured to engage the recess of a corresponding cap of a sample holder.

21. The sample holder shuttle according to claim 1 further includes a plurality of sample holders, each sample holder being constructed as a tube having a lower portion, an upper portion, and an internal volume extending from an opening at the upper portion to the lower portion, the upper portion being constructed to engage with a portion of the plate near a corresponding one of the plurality of openings to support the tube so that the lower portion depends from the plate, and the plurality of sample holders being constructed to hold a sample in the internal volume for processing by focused acoustic energy.

22. The sample holder shuttle of claim 1, wherein: The plurality of openings are each configured to engage a sample holder received thereat to lock the sample holder in position relative to the shuttle.

23. The sample holder of claim 22, wherein: The opening is configured to engage the sample holder to prevent the sample holder from rotating about and moving along the longitudinal axis relative to the shuttle.

24. A sample holder assembly for holding one or more sample holders for laboratory processing, the assembly comprising: A shuttle having a plate including a plurality of openings, each opening configured to receive and hold a corresponding sample holder such that lower portions of the sample holders depend from a bottom side of the plate and are exposed to receive acoustic energy for processing samples in the sample holders.

25. The assembly of claim 24, further comprising: A cover is configured to extend over at least a portion of the plate to cover the plurality of openings, the cover being configured to press down on one or more sample holders received at the plurality of openings.

26. The assembly of claim 25, wherein The cover is configured to be supported relative to the plate by one or more of the sample holders, the cover being configured to have a mass sufficient to urge one or more of the sample holders into engagement with the plate to orient the one or more sample holders relative to the plate.

27. The assembly of claim 24, wherein: Each of the plurality of openings is configured to engage a sample holder received therein to lock the sample holder in position relative to the shuttle.

28. The assembly of claim 27, wherein The opening is configured to engage the sample holder to prevent the sample holder from rotating about and moving along the longitudinal axis relative to the shuttle.

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