Imaging systems including sliding drawers for receiving containers and related methods

Abstract

Some aspects of the present disclosure are generally related to imaging systems including drawers for receiving containers, for example, for imaging containers and any samples disposed therein under substantially identical conditions. In some embodiments, the drawer may be configured to slide in and out of a housing of the imaging system, where the drawer may be configured to receive a container when it is at least partially slid out of the housing. In some embodiments, a ring light is operatively coupled to the drawer such that the ring light is configured to move between a first pose and a second pose to facilitate the reception of the container within the drawer. Some aspects are generally directed to imaging systems that are configured to receive and reproducibly position containers of various sizes for reproducible imaging. Still other aspects are generally directed to related methods of using the imaging systems.

Description

IMAGING SYSTEMS INCLUDING SLIDING DRAWERS LOR RECEIVING CONTAINERSAND RELATED METHODSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 620,327, filed January 12, 2024, and entitled “IMAGING SYSTEMS INCLUDING SLIDING DRAWERS FOR RECEIVING CONTAINERS AND RELATED METHODS,” which is incorporated herein by reference in it its entirety for all purposesFIELD

[0002] Disclosed embodiments are related to imaging systems including sliding drawers for receiving containers, for example, for quantifying microorganism colonies.BACKGROUND

[0003] Consumer and Pharmaceutical Quality Control (QC) departments often times use a microbial detection and enumeration system to capture data from samples including raw materials, water (purified and water-for-injection), in-process materials, bulk drug substance, and environmental monitoring. Typically, QC proceeses are performed using manual positioning of petri dishes within a system and subsequent manual counting methods.SUMMARY

[0004] In some embodiments, an imaging system includes: a housing, a drawer configured to slide at least partially in and out of the housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the drawer is configured to receive a container positioned therein; and a ring light operatively coupled to the drawer, wherein the ring light is configured to move between a first pose when the drawer is in the closed configuration and a second pose when the drawer is in the open configuration.

[0005] In some embodiments, a method of receiving a container in an imaging system includes: moving a ring light from a first pose blocking a movement path of the container when the container is disposed in a drawer of the imaging system to a second pose clear of the movement path of the container when the container is disposed in the drawer of the imaging system; and moving the drawer between a closed configuration and an open configuration to move the container into and out of the imaging system.In some embodiments, an imaging system includes: a housing; a drawer configured to slide at least partially in and out of the housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the drawer includes a receptacle configured to receive a container positioned therein; and a pusher configured to move in and out of the receptacle between a fullyextended configuration and a fully withdrawn configuration, wherein the pusher is biased into the receptacle towards the fully extended configuration when the drawer is in the closed configuration and wherein the pusher is withdrawn from the receptacle to the fully withdrawn configuration when the drawer is in the open configuration associated with the drawer.

[0006] In some embodiments, a method of positioning a container in an imaging system includes: sliding a drawer including a receptacle and the container disposed in the receptacle from an open configuration to a closed configuration; and extending a pusher into the receptacle as the drawer moves from the open configuration to the closed configuration to bias the container in the receptacle towards a predetermined location.

[0007] It should be appreciated that the foregoing concepts, and additional concepts discussed below, may be arranged in any suitable combination, as the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. Further, other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:

[0009] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a perspective view of an imaging system in a closed configuration, according to some embodiments;

[0010] FIG. IB is a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional view of the imaging system in FIG. 1A, according to some embodiments;

[0011] FIG. 1C is schematic diagram of a side view of a drawer of the imaging system of FIG. 1A, according to some embodiments;

[0012] FIG. ID is schematic diagram of a perspective view of a drawer of the imaging system of FIG. 1A, according to some embodiments;

[0013] FIG. IE is schematic diagram of a top view of a drawer of the imaging system of FIG. 1A, according to some embodiments;

[0014] FIG. IF is schematic diagram of a bottom view of a drawer of the imaging system of FIG. 1A, according to some embodiments;

[0015] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of a perspective view of the imaging system in FIG. 1A but in a partially open / closed configuration, according to some embodiments;

[0016] FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of a perspective view of a drawer of the imaging system shown in FIG. 2A, according to some embodiments;

[0017] FIG. 2C is a schematic diagram of a side view of a drawer of the imaging system shown in FIG. 2A, according to some embodiments;

[0018] FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of a perspective view of an imaging system in FIG. 1A but in an open configuration, according to some embodiments;

[0019] FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of a perspective view of a drawer of the imaging system shown in FIG. 3A, according to some embodiments;

[0020] FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram of a side view of a drawer of the imaging system shown in FIG. 3 A, according to some embodiments;

[0021] FIG. 3D is a schematic diagram of a top view of a drawer of the imaging system shown in FIG. 3 A, according to some embodiments; and

[0022] FIG. 4 is a method flow diagram for using an imaging system, according to some embodiments.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Quality control is used in various fields to monitor and prevent the contamination of samples, products, water, etc. Conventional systems and methods for performing quality control involve manually positioning containers (e.g., petri dishes) containing samples within the system, followed by analysis typically done using manual counting methods. Such manual methods may introduce error during analysis of samples based on variations in the lighting source and associated bias from the counting methods.

[0024] The inventors have recognized that the use of lighting systems positioned around and oriented towards a container within an imaging system may help produce reproducible lighting conditions which may help to reduce errors associated with imaging and / or analyzing a container and sample disposed therein. However, in some such cases, the light sources may be positioned beneath an upper surface of a container positioned within the imaging system. This may make it difficult to position the container within the system for imaging as the lights surrounding the container for imaging purposes may prevent easy movement of the container during removal and / or insertion into the imaging system. This may be especially true for systems where a container is moved into and out of the imaging system using a drawer that slides between an open and closed configuration to move a container into and out of the imaging system. For example, a ring light may be positioned at least partially below a top of the container in the imaging system so as to illuminate the container. Such positioning of the ring light relative to the container, however, may result in the ring light being in an obstacle in the path through which the container is inserted and / or removed from the imaging system.

[0025] In view of the above, the Inventors have recognized that it is desirable to facilitate the insertion and removal of a container in an imaging system in a desired position relative to thelight sources and photosensitive detectors of the imaging system to provide for reproducible and / or improved imaging. Specifically, the inventors have recognized the benefits associated with moving a ring light out of the path of movement of a container received in a receptacle of a drawer during insertion and / or removal of the container from the imaging system. This movement of the ring light may be coordinated with movement of the tray either through appropriate mechanical mechanisms and / or the movement of the tray and ring light may be controlled in sync with one another using any appropriate actuators and associated controllers as detailed further below.

[0026] To provide the above noted functionality, in some embodiments, the imaging system may be configured to the move a ring light between two or more poses to move the ring light between a first pose where the plurality lights are configured to at least partially surround and be oriented towards the container disposed in the imaging system and a second pose out of the path of movement of the container during insertion and removal. In some embodiments, the ring light of the imaging system may be operatively coupled to a drawer of the imaging system, and the drawer may be configured to slide at least partially in and out of the housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The drawer may be configured to receive a container positioned therein (e.g., in a receptacle of the drawer). For example, the ring light may be configured to move from the first pose to the second pose when the drawer is moved from a closed configuration to an open configuration.

[0027] In some embodiments, an imaging system includes a drawer to receive a container in a receptacle formed therein, for example, for imaging the container and any samples disposed therein under substantially identical conditions. In some embodiments, the drawer may slide in and out of a housing of the imaging system, where the drawer may be configured to receive a container when it is at least partially slid out of the housing. In some embodiments, a ring light is coupled to the drawer such that the ring light may move between a first pose and a second pose, when, when in the first pose, the ring light may be substantially parallel to a plane in which the drawer slides, and, in the second pose, the ring light may be angled, e.g., at least partially or substantially perpendicular, to the plane in which the drawer slides. Changing the pose of the ring light, in some embodiments, may correspond to opening and / or closing the drawer and thus may facilitate the reception of the container within the drawer. For example, the ring light may be changed from a first pose to a second pose when opening the drawer (e.g., from a closed to an open configuration), thereby repositioning the ring light away from the vicinity of the drawer allowing a container to be inserted into the drawer without interference. After inserting the container within the drawer, the pose of the ring light may be changed when closing the drawersuch that the ring light is at least partially positioned around and oriented towards a container within the drawer, e.g., to illuminate the container under reproducible lighting conditions.

[0028] As used herein, a pose may be a particular position of the ring light in three- dimensional space in combination with a particular orientation of the ring light (e.g., which may include an angular orientation). Accordingly, moving a ring light between two poses (e.g., a first pose and a second pose) may include translating the ring light, rotating the ring light, or both translating and rotating the ring light. Movement of the ring light between two or more poses as described herein may facilitate reliable positioning and / or alignment of the ring light during various operations during, prior to, and / or subsequent to the imaging process. For example, a ring light may be in a first pose when the drawer is in a closed configuration and may be moved to a second pose (e.g., translated from a first position to a second position, rotated from a first orientation to a second orientation, or a combination of both) when the drawer is moved to an open configuration. According to some embodiments, when the ring light is in the first pose the container may be aligned with a plane in which the drawer slides, which may be approximately horizontal relative to a local direction of gravity in some embodiments. Accordingly, when the ring light is in the first pose, the ring light may be configured to illuminate the container within the drawer and may be disposed vertically below a top surface of the container relative to a direction of gravity and as described in more detail elsewhere herein. Additionally, or alternatively, when the ring light is in the second pose, the ring light may be oriented at least partially perpendicular and / or positioned out of plane relative to the first pose to permit the drawer and optionally a container disposed therein to be at least partially slid out of the housing of the imaging system while the ring light remains within the interior of the housing of the imaging system.

[0029] As noted above, a ring light may be configured to translate and / or rotate between a first pose and a second pose in any appropriate manner. For example, in some embodiments a ring light may be rotatably mounted to a drawer of the imaging system and may be configured to move from the first pose to the second pose as the drawer is moved from an open configuration to a closed configuration. This may be accomplished using camming surfaces, linkages, one or more actuators, combinations of the forgoing, and / or any other appropriate arrangement. Alternatively and / or additionally, the ring light may be configured to translate between the first and second pose using a motion stage driven by camming surfaces, linkages, one or more actuators, combinations of the above, and / or any other appropriate arrangement.

[0030] In addition to the above, in conventional imaging systems, variations in container size may complicate the automated and / or accurate analysis of different sized containers. For example, manual positioning of the containers within a receptacle of a drawer may result invariations in position relative to the one or more photosensitive detectors of the imaging system and / or variations in position relative to the light source(s). This both complicates analysis and may introduce another source of error into the measurements associated with these variations.

[0031] In view of the foregoing, the inventors have recognized the benefits of having an imaging system that is configured to receive and reproducibly position containers of various sizes within the imaging system relative to both the one or more photosensitive detectors and one or more light sources within the imaging system. That is, the imaging system may be configured to receive a first container having a first size or a second container having a second size and may be configured to reproducibly position each of the containers in a desired location within a field of view of the one or more photosensitive detectors of the imaging system. To provide the desired self-positioning, in some embodiments, an imaging system may include a drawer with a receptacle configured to receive receptacles of different sizes. A pusher may be configured to move in and out of the receptacle between a fully extended configuration and a fully withdrawn configuration. In some embodiments, the pusher is biased into the receptacle towards the fully extended configuration when the drawer is in the closed configuration. The biasing of the pusher into the receptacle of the imaging system may apply a force to a container when the container is disposed within the receptacle. In some embodiments, the application of such a force from the biasing of the pusher may bias the container towards a reproducible and / or predetermined location within the field of view of the photosensitive detector to obtain reproducible conditions when imaging the container. For example, the biasing of the container by the pusher may move the container to a location in the receptacle that is opposite the pusher. In contrast, the fully withdrawn configuration of the pusher, which corresponds to when the drawer is in the open configuration, may result in the entirety of the receptable being accessible, e.g., in which a container may be placed. Accordingly, when shifting the drawer from the open configuration to the closed configuration, the pusher may change from a fully withdrawn configuration towards the fully extended configuration when biased. This may reproducibly position a container within the receptacle when moving the drawer from the open to closed configuration.

[0032] For imaging and lighting purposes, in some embodiments, a container used with any of the embodiments disclosed herein may include an optically transparent material. For example, in some embodiments, the container includes an optically transparent glass, ceramic, and / or a polymer (e.g., polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, etc.). While the disclosed containers may be any appropriate type of container, in some embodiments, a container used in any of the embodiments disclosed herein is a petri dish.

[0033] Any of a variety of containers may be inserted into the receptacle of the drawer, as long as the container is sized and shaped, accordingly. For example, in some embodiments, thecontainer may be sized and shaped such that the container may be received in the receptacle of a drawer and permit the drawer to be moved into and out of the imaging system (e.g., sliding) between the open and closed configurations. In some embodiments, a container may have a maximum lateral dimension (e.g., in a plane that is substantially parallel to a base of the container when disposed in and supported by the receptacle of the drawer during imaging) of greater than or equal to 10 mm, greater than or equal to 20 mm, greater than or equal to 30 mm, greater than or equal to 40 mm, greater than or equal to50 mm, greater than or equal to 60 mm, greater than or equal to 70 mm, greater than or equal to 80 mm, greater than or equal to 90 mm, or greater than or equal to 96 mm. In some embodiments, the container may have a maximum lateral dimension of less than or equal to 100 mm, less than or equal to 96 mm, less than or equal to 90 mm, less than or equal to 80 mm, less than or equal to 70 mm, less than or equal to 60 mm, less than or equal to 50 mm, less than or equal to 40 mm, less than or equal to 30 mm, or less than or equal to 20 mm so as to be received within the receptacle of the drawer of the imaging system. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 10 mm and less than or equal to 100 mm, greater than or equal to 40 mm and less than or equal to 96 mm). Other ranges are also possible.

[0034] In addition to the above, in some embodiments, a height of the container may be less than a clearance between a base of the receptacle the housing of the imaging system such that the drawer may be inserted into the housing with the container disposed in the receptacle. In some embodiments, the height of the container may be greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 3 mm, greater than or equal to 10 mm, greater than or equal to 20 mm, greater than or equal to 25 mm, greater than or equal to 30 mm, or greater than or equal to 40 mm. In some embodiments, the height of the container is less than or equal to 50 mm, less than or equal to 40 mm, less than or equal to 30 mm, less than or equal to 25 mm, less than or equal to 20 mm, less than or equal to 10 mm, or less than or equal to 3 mm. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 50 mm, greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 25 mm). Other ranges are also possible.

[0035] The container may contain any of a variety of materials and / or samples for imaging analysis. In some embodiments, microorganism cultures cultured in agar may be container within the container. In some embodiments, the container may contain electronics (e.g., microelectronics), microbiological specimen, mineralogical species, micro total analysis systems, and / or tissues or other biological samples (e.g., stained tissues or samples) for analysis. Other materials contained within the disclosed containers are also contemplated as the disclosure is not so limited.

[0036] Turning to the figures, specific non-limiting embodiments are described in further detail. It should be understood that the various systems, components, features, and methods described relative to these embodiments may be used either individually and / or in any desired combination as the disclosure is not limited to only the specific embodiments described herein.

[0037] As described above, some aspects of the present disclosure are generally related to imaging systems including drawers or receiving containers. FIGS. 1-3 show the same imaging system 100 and / or components of imaging system 100, but in different configurations according to some embodiments. For instance, FIGS. 1A-1F show various views of at least a portion of imaging system 100 in its closed configuration according to some embodiments, whereas FIGS. 2A-2C show various views of at least a portion of imaging system 100 in a partially open configuration according to some embodiments, and FIGS. 3A-3D show various views of at least a portion of imaging system 100 in a fully open configuration (e.g., open configuration) according to some embodiments. Reference is made to each of these sets of figures below in regards to the various states of the imaging system.

[0038] FIG. 1A shows an imaging system 100 that includes a housing 105 and a drawer 110. As described above and is described in more detail in the context of the remaining figures, the drawer 110 is configured to slide at least partially in and out of the housing between an open and a closed configuration. For example, the drawer may be configured to move into and out of the housing in a direction that is at least partially parallel to an underlying supporting surface the housing is disposed on during operation.

[0039] FIG. IB is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the imaging system 100 shown in FIG. 1A. Again, imaging system 100 includes housing 105 and drawer 110 configured to slide at least partially in and out of housing 105 of imaging system 100 in the direction(s) shown by arrow 108. Additional components of imaging system 100 within the interior of housing 105 are visible in the cross-sectional view of imaging system 100. For example, ring light 120and a second light source 121 may be disposed within the housing 105. In the depicted configuration both the ring light and the second light source are arranged in poses such that the lights are positioned in spaced apart planes that are parallel to the plane in which drawer 110 slides in and out of housing 105 of imaging system 100 and are configured to be oriented towards a container disposed in the drawer during to direct light towards the container during an imaging process. A photosensitive detector 130 is also shown and is located above ring light 120 and second light source 121 relative to a direction of gravity during operation. Photosensitive detector 130 is positioned and oriented in a direction such that a container received in the drawer is disposed within a field of view of the photosensitive detector when the drawer is in the closed configuration during an imaging process. In some embodiments, the photosensitive detector isoriented in a direction that is at least partially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the drawer into and out of the housing, (e.g., sliding of the drawer).

[0040] The photosensitive detector, in accordance with some embodiments, may transduce photonic signals into electrical signals. In some such embodiments, the electrical signals may then be converted into an image, for example, to be analyzed later, as described elsewhere herein. The photosensitive detector may include or be a charge coupled device (CCD) detector, a photomultiplier tube, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) detector, and / or a photodiode detector. Other types of photosensitive detectors are also possible, as this disclosure is not so limited. In accordance with some embodiments, the photosensitive detector may include or be a camera having one or more of the foregoing detectors, e.g., a CCD camera or a CMOS camera.

[0041] As illustrated in FIG. IB, and throughout some of the remaining views of FIG. 1, ring light 120 is in its first pose, where it is disposed in a plane that is at least partially, and in some embodiments is substantially, parallel to the plane in which the drawer slides. In the depicted first pose the ring light may also be disposed at a vertical position that is vertically below an upper surface of a container disposed in the drawer during opening and / or closing relative to a direction of gravity during operation. As used herein a ring light, according to some embodiments, may correspond to a plurality of lights that are configured to be arranged around a perimeter of a container disposed within a drawer of the system in the closed configuration. In some embodiments, the ring light may have a shape that is approximately circular or ring shaped. However, other arrangements and shapes of the lights for positioning the plurality of lights around a perimeter of a container may also be used as the disclosure is not so limited (e.g., square, rectangular, oval, etc.). In some such embodiments, the plurality of lights may also be arranged in a single plane that, in the first pose, is substantially parallel to the plane in which the movement of the drawer occurs (e.g., sliding of the drawer). As shown in FIG. IE, the plurality of lights of the ring light, in some embodiments, may be oriented to emit light radially inwards (e.g., towards the center of the ring light) in directions 128. In some embodiments, the plurality of light sources of the ring light may be positioned to be adjacent to a container, when present in the receptacle of the drawer. Accordingly, the ring light may be configured so that the plurality of lights may be oriented towards one or more side surfaces of the container, e.g., around an outer perimeter of the container. For instance, when the container is a petri dish, the petri dish may be within the circumference, or other perimeter, of the plurality of lights of the ring light. Such an orientation of the plurality of light sources of the ring light may advantageously emit light towards the outer perimeter of the container during an imaging process when the drawer isin the closed configuration and the ring light is in the first pose to obtain reproducible lighting conditions.

[0042] In some embodiments, the ring light of the imaging system includes a plurality of light sources, for example, greater than or equal to 2, greater than or equal to 3, greater than or equal to 4, greater than or equal to 5, greater than or equal to 6, greater than or equal to 7, greater than or equal to 8, greater than or equal to 9, greater than or equal to 10, greater than or equal to 12, greater than or equal to 15, greater than or equal to 20, greater than or equal to 20, greater than or equal to 25, greater than or equal to 35, greater than or equal to 40, greater than or equal to 45, greater than or equal to 50, greater than or equal to 75, greater than or equal to 100, greater than or equal to 150, or greater than or equal to 200 lights. In some embodiments, the plurality of lights of the ring light includes less than or equal to 250, less than or equal to 200, less than or equal to 150, less than or equal to 100, less than or equal to 75, less than or equal to 50, less than or equal to 45, less than or equal to 40, less than or equal to 35, less than or equal to 30, less than or equal to 25, less than or equal to 20, less than or equal to 15, less than or equal to 12, less than or equal to 10, less than or equal to 9, less than or equal to 8, less than or equal to 7, less than or equal to 6, less than or equal to 5, less than or equal to 4, or less than or equal to 3 lights. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 250 lights). Other ranges are also possible.

[0043] In some embodiments, the second light source 121 may be configured to emit light towards a bottom surface of the container disposed within a receptacle of drawer 110 and the photosensitive detector 130 such that the light transmits through the container to the photosensitive detector, when the container is present in the imaging system. In some embodiments, the imaging system may include a diffuser through which light from the second light source may transmit before transmitting through the container, thereby providing light having a more uniform intensity from the second light source when transmitting through the container. In some embodiments, the second light source may include a plurality of light sources, e.g., arranged in an array. The number of light sources comprising the plurality of light sources, in some embodiments, may be greater than or equal to 2, greater than or equal to 10, or greater than or equal to 100 lights. In some embodiments, the number of light sources comprising the plurality of light sources is less than or equal to 1,000, less than or equal to 100, less than or equal to 10 lights. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 1,000). Other ranges are also possible.

[0044] The imaging systems described herein may be configured to utilize the ring light to transmit light radially through one or more side surfaces of the container and the second light source to transmit light through a bottom of the container, e.g., when the container is present inthe receptacle of the drawer. This combination of light sources from different locations and oriented in different directions, in some embodiments, may provide uniform lighting conditions for reproducible imaging using the one or more photosensitive detectors within the housing of the imaging system The uniform light source may advantageously improve the quality of images collected by the imaging system, in comparison to conventional imaging systems, and may further improve subsequent analysis of images collected by the imaging system (e.g., by eliminating bias when counting species presence in the image).

[0045] As noted previously, while the ring light 120 may be desirable from an imaging and analysis perspective, when the ring light is positioned in the first pose it may interfere with movement of a container into and out of the imaging system. Thus, the imaging system may be configured to change a pose of the ring light 120 from the first pose to a second pose as elaborated on below. FIG. 1C shows a side cutaway view of drawer 110 of the imaging system 100 as shown in FIG. 1A. As described in more detail elsewhere herein, ring light 120 is operatively coupled to drawer 110 by a rotatable hinge, pin joint, or other appropriate connection such that the ring light may rotate relative to the drawer and the rotatably connected portion of the ring light may be translated with the drawer during opening and closing. FIG. 1C shows dashed circle 129 that corresponds to the axis of rotation along which ring light 120 rotates when moving from its first pose to its second pose. The axis of rotation of the ring light is oriented out of the page such that the dashed circle surrounds the axis of rotation.

[0046] Additionally, the imaging system may include a camming arrangement to facilitate movement of the ring light between the first pose where the ring light at least partially obstructs movement of a container into and out of the imaging system and second pose where the ring light is disposed outside of an expected path of movement of a container into and out of the imaging system. For example, a cam 122 (e.g., a sliding surface, roller, wheel, bearings, or other appropriate type of cam) may be directly or indirectly attached to the ring light at a location where the cam may apply a rotational moment to the rotatable connection. A camming surface 124, such as the depicted curved rail or other appropriately shaped canning surface, may be arranged such that the cam 122 may be cammed against the camming surface to rotate the ring light 120 from the first pose to the second pose when drawer 110 is moved between the closed configuration as shown in FIG. 1A to its open configuration as shown in FIG. 3. In the configuration illustrated in Fig. 1C, cam 122 is not yet in contact with camming surface 124 but contacts the camming surface when the drawer is moved to the right transitioning ring light 120 from a first pose to a second pose. In some embodiments, cam 122 may always be in contact with camming surface 124.

[0047] As the drawer 110 slides from left to right in FIG. 1C, cam 122 may be configured to move vertically down the vertical portion of the camming surface 124 to facilitate rotational motion of the ring light 120 while being translationally moved in accordance with the sliding motion of drawer 110. In some embodiments, following the rotation of ring light 120 to a rotated configuration, the cam 122 may continue along the horizontal portion of camming surface 124 to translationally move the ring light 120 while the drawer continues to slide from left to right. This concomitant movement of cam 122 along camming surface 124 and translational motion of the ring light 120 continues until the ring light reaches a second pose when the drawer reaches an open configuration. Note that while a single camming arrangement is depicted in the embodiments shown herein, multiple camming arrangements may be present, e.g., on either side of the drawer and / or other arrangement of one or more camming arrangements.

[0048] While a camming arrangement is shown in combination with the ring light throughout the embodiment of the imaging system in FIGS. 1-3, any of a variety of arrangements for moving the ring light between the first and second pose are also possible as the disclosure is not so limited. For example, the arrangement may include linkages, actuators, gears, or screw mechanisms. Other arrangements are possible as this disclosure is not so limited. In some embodiments, the arrangement may facilitate purely rotational motion of the ring light, purely translational motion of the ring light (e.g., vertically up), or a combination of both rotational and translational motion (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1-3). In some embodiments, where the arrangement facilitates both rotational and translational motion of the ring light when moving between the first and second pose, the rotational motion and the translational motion can occur separately and / or in sync with each other. Furthermore, the rotational and / or translational motion of the ring light when moving between poses may occur separately or in sync with the motion of the drawer, e.g., when the drawer moves from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

[0049] The camming surface along which the cam is configured to roll may have any of variety of shapes, in some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the camming surface includes at least one straight portion and at least one curved surface, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. In some embodiments, the straight portion of the camming surface may facilitate translational movement of the ring light when the cam rolls along thereon, whereas the curved portion of the camming surface may facilitate rotational motion (e.g., and / or translational motion). In some embodiments, the camming surface includes a rail. While illustrated and discussed as a camming surface configured to operate with a cam, other types of surfaces that function with any of a variety of rollers as described above are also possible. Non-limiting examples of other types of surfaces on which the one or more cams may be configured to move include tracks, complementary geared surface (e.g., when the cam is a gear configured to moveover a corresponding rack), rails, beams, solid structures with appropriate camming surfaces formed thereon, and / or any other appropriate camming arrangement as the disclosure is not so limited..

[0050] FIG. ID is a perspective view of drawer 110 of imaging system 110 as shown in FIG. 1A. Drawer 110 includes a receptacle 115 which may be configured to receive and support a container containing a sample disposed therein. The rotatable connection of the ring light 120 and camming arrangement of the cam 122 and camming surface 124 is also illustrated in the figure. As described in more detail below, stopper 126 may be configured to help maintain the ring light 120 in the desired second pose when the drawer is in its open configuration by preventing rotation of the ring light beyond a maximum permitted rotation angle. Drawer 110 also includes pusher 150, which may be configured to reproducibly position a container contained within receptacle 115. Drawer 110 further includes spring jack 160 as also elaborated on further below.

[0051] A pusher, as illustrated as element 150 in FIG. ID, may be a plate. The plate may have a structure such that a thickness of the plate is substantially less than a width of the plate. While illustrated as a plate, other structures for the pusher are possible, e.g., where the pusher has a different size or shape than a plate. For example, the pusher may be relatively thick when compared to a plate, in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, the pusher may only extend along a portion of the width of the container and / or the receptacle. Other variations in the shape and / or size of the pusher are also possible, as this disclosure is not so limited.

[0052] The pusher may have any of a variety of thicknesses. In some embodiments, the thickness of the pusher may be selected so that it is less than or equal to the height of a container that may be placed in the receptacle of the drawer. In some embodiments, the thickness of the pusher is less than or equal to 1 cm, less than or equal to 9 mm, less than or equal to 8 mm, less than or equal to 7 mm, less than or equal to 6 mm, less than or equal to 5 mm, less than or equal to 4 mm, less than or equal to 3 mm, or less than or equal to 2 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the pusher is greater than or equal to 1 mm, greater than or equal to 2 mm, greater than or equal to 3 mm, greater than or equal to 4 mm, greater than or equal to 5 mm, greater than or equal to 6 mm, greater than or equal to 7 mm, greater than or equal to 8 mm, or greater than or equal to 9 mm. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 1 cm). Other ranges are also possible.

[0053] In some embodiments, the pusher may be configured to apply a force to reproducibly position a container in a predetermined location when the container is disposed in receptacle 115. In some embodiments, the predetermined location may be dependent on a size ofthe container disposed within the receptacle. In some embodiments, the container includes a petri dish, and the curved surface of pusher 150 is configured to interface with at least a portion of the petri dish. Thus, as elaborated on further below, in some embodiments, when pusher 150 is biased against a container disposed in receptacle 115, the container may be reproducibly displaced towards a predefined location within the receptacle opposite to the pusher when the drawer is in the closed configuration and the container is disposed in a receptacle of the drawer.

[0054] The pusher may be configured to move between a fully extended configuration and a fully withdrawn configuration relative to a receptacle of the drawer. In some embodiments, when the drawer is in the closed configuration, the pusher may be biased into the receptacle. For example, in the absence of a container, the pusher may be biased towards a fully extended configuration when the drawer is closed, as shown in FIGS. 1D-1E. In some embodiments, in the presence of a container, the pusher may be in a partially extended configuration when the drawer is in a closed configuration, as the container may partially prevent the pusher from extending into the fully extended configuration shown in FIGS. ID- IE. In contrast, the pusher may be in a fully withdrawn configuration when the drawer is open, as shown in FIG. 3B, whether in the absence or presence of a container.

[0055] The pusher may be operatively coupled with any of a variety of mechanisms for applying a variable biasing force to the pusher as the pusher interacts with the mechanism, e.g., when the drawer is moved from an open configuration to a closed configuration and contains a container therein. In some embodiments, the mechanism for biasing the pusher is a substantially elastic component. In some embodiments, the elastic component may include a material and configuration that may be elastically deformed to store energy when compressed or stretched from an original shape to a second shape and release the stored energy when returning to the original shape from the second shape. For example, in some embodiments, the elastic component may be an elastic material, a linear spring, a rotational spring, a spring jack, and / or any other construction capable of applying a biasing force to the pusher directed into the associated receptacle when the drawer is closed. For example, in some embodiments, as in the embodiments of the imaging system depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the imaging system may include a spring configured to bias the pusher into the receptacle when the drawer is in the closed configuration. In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, the spring is a spring jack.

[0056] The surface of the pusher configured to interface with a container disposed within the receptacle of the drawer may be any of a variety of shapes. In some embodiments, the pusher includes a surface that complementary to a shape of a container to be inserted into the drawer. For instance, the surface of the pusher may be curved and be configured to interface with a circular petri dish. Still, in some embodiments, the surface of the pusher may be angled and / or V-shaped and that is configured to interface with the container when disposed within the receptacle. In some embodiments, the shape of the surface of the pusher configured to interface with the container may have a widest portion at an outer location and a narrowest portion at an inner location of the surface. For example, consider pusher 150 as shown in FIG. ID, the surface 152 is widest at its outer most portion to accommodate containers of any size smaller than this width, and the width then narrows to the centermost portion of the surface 152. Accordingly, when biasing the pusher against a container to position the container, the container naturally moves to the innermost portion of surface 152 of pusher 150 where the surface is most narrow.

[0057] While in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the pusher is configured to reproducibly position a container to a point at the front and center of the receptacle. Other locations within the receptacle to which the container may be reproducibly positioned are also possible and may be dictated by the shape of the pusher and / or the direction in which the force applied to the pusher may be directed.

[0058] When positioning the container within the receptacle of the drawer using the pusher, the container may slip over the pusher when thin pushers are used. In such a manner, the pusher does not reproducibly position the container within the receptacle as desired. Thus, in some embodiments, the surface 152 of the pusher configured to contact the container, as shown in FIG. ID, is oriented towards the interior of the receptacle of the drawer and is angled relative to a vertical direction of the imaging system relative to a direction of gravity during operation. In some such embodiments, the surface of the pusher is angled downward to help retain a container within the receptacle, e.g., angled such that the surface 152 at least partially faces the base of the receptable. Without wishing to be bound by theory, this may help avoid the bottom surface of the container sliding up and over the angled surface when the pusher is biased against the container.

[0059] FIG. IE is a top-down view of the drawer 110 of imaging system 100 shown in FIG. 1A. As mentioned above, ring light 120 includes the plurality of lights oriented such that the lights emit light radially inwards in directions 128. In some embodiments, when a container is disposed in receptacle 115 of drawer 110, the plurality of lights of ring light 120 may illuminate one or more side surfaces of the container when imaging the container. Drawer 110 additionally includes pusher 150. Pusher 150 includes camming surfaces 155, which is operatively coupled to spring jack 160.

[0060] Camming surfaces 155 of pusher 150 can be better seen in FIGS. IF and 2B. FIG. IF is a bottom-up view of drawer 110 of the imaging system 100. Spring jack 160 including spring 165 in combination with the camming surfaces 155 of pusher 150 can be seen. In some embodiments, spring jack 160 is configured to bias pusher 150 by applying a force to camming surfaces 155, which is described in more detail below in the context of FIG. 2B. For example, aspusher 150 and camming surfaces 155 are moved from right to left, camming surfaces 155 of the pusher 150 press into and expand the spring jack 160, and thus spring 165 is extended.Accordingly, as camming surfaces 155 move from right to left, spring 165 extends to accommodate the widening of camming surfaces 155 within the spring jack 160, and in return increases a biasing force that spring jack 160 applies to camming surfaces 155. Spring jack 160 applies the force to the camming surfaces 155 in a distal direction towards the receptacle, therefore biasing pusher 150 towards a container disposed within the receptacle in contact with surface 152 of pusher 150, when the container is present.

[0061] FIG. IF additionally shows mechanical stop 158, which is included as a portion of pusher 150. Mechanical stop 158 is a pin in FIG. IF, and is configured such that, when the drawer 110 moves from the closed configuration to the open configuration (e.g., from FIG. 1 to FIG. 3), the pusher 150 does not slide the entire distance with the drawer 110. For example, referring again to FIG. IE, pusher 150 extends into a portion of receptacle 115 of drawer 110 when the drawer 110 is in its closed configuration and the pusher 150 is in its fully extended configuration. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 3A and as described in more detail elsewhere herein, pusher 150 does not extend into the receptacle 115 of drawer 110 when drawer 110 is in its open configuration, as the pusher 150 is in its fully withdrawn configuration. This difference in the positioning of the pusher between the closed and open configurations of the drawer (e.g., in the absence of a container disposed in the receptacle of the drawer) results from the mechanical stop at least partially restricting the motion of the pusher when changing the drawer from its closed to open configuration. Note that while shown as a pin, the mechanical stop may be anything that could be configured to restrict motion of the pusher, for example, a bracket, a screw, a nail, and / or an elastomer. Other types of mechanical stops are also possible. Additionally, types of stops other than mechanical stops are possible, for example, magnetic stops.

[0062] Additionally, note that in FIGS. 1A-1E, the imaging system is in its closed configuration and no container is present in the receptable of the drawer. As a result, there is no force counteracting the bias applied by the spring jack 160 to pusher 150, and thus pusher 150 assumes its fully extended configuration and partially extends into receptacle 115 of drawer 110, as shown in FIG. IE. The distance that pusher 150 may extend into receptacle 115 is complementary to the dimensions of the smallest container that may be reproducibly positioned within the receptacle 115 by the pusher 150. Sizes of containers that may be inserted into the imaging systems, in some embodiments, are described elsewhere herein.

[0063] As described above, in the first pose, the ring light may be positioned at least partially below a top of the container in the imaging system so as to illuminate the container, which may result in the ring light being in an obstacle in the path through which the container isinserted and / or removed from the imaging system. In contrast, in some embodiments, when the ring light is in the second pose as shown in FIG. 3, a container may be easily inserted into a receptacle of the drawer by a user, for example, without the ring light being an obstacle to the user. In operation, the drawer may be slid at least partially out of the housing of the imaging system while the ring light changes from a first to a second pose, thereby facilitating the receiving of a container in a receptacle of the drawer. Following, in some embodiments, the drawer including the container therein may be inserted into the housing of the imaging system and change from an open to a closed configuration, where the ring light may simultaneously change from the second pose to the first pose such that the ring light is again oriented in a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane in which the drawer slides. As will be appreciated, an imaging system may be configured to move a ring light between any appropriate number of poses depending on the embodiment. For example, the imaging system may be configured to repeatedly change the ring light between the first and second pose when sequentially loading and / or unloading different containers containing samples therein (e.g., receive a first container in the drawer, remove the first container from the drawer, then receive a second container in the drawer, etc.).

[0064] In the above described configuration, the drawer is in a closed configuration and the ring light is in a first pose that is substantially parallel to a plane in which the drawer slides. In FIGS. 2A-2C, the drawer in a partially open / closed configuration and the ring light is transitioning from the first pose to a second pose. FIGS. 2A-2C show the same imaging system 100 as illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1F, but in this case, the imaging system is in a partially open / closed configuration. In the partially open configuration, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2A, drawer 110 is partially withdrawn from housing 105 of imaging system 100. A cutaway, perspective view of the drawer 110 of the imaging system 100 in the partially open / closed configuration is shown in FIG. 2B. Here, it can be seen that ring light 120 is transitioning from the first pose as shown in FIGS. 1A-1F where the ring light is substantially parallel to the plane in which the drawer slides, to a second pose as shown in FIGS. 3A-3D where the ring light is substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the drawer slides. Accordingly, the ring light 120 in FIGS. 2A-2C is in a pose that is between the first and second pose, corresponding to the drawer being between the open and closed configuration.

[0065] FIG. 2C shows that cam 122 is in contact and has moved along a portion of camming surface 124, as compared to FIG. 1C, so as to begin facilitating the transition of the ring light between its first pose and second pose. This contact between cam 122 and camming surface 124 occurs when sliding the drawer 110 from the closed configuration to the openconfiguration. FIGS. 3A-3D depict the drawer in the open configuration and the ring light in the second pose, where it is substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the drawer slides.

[0066] FIG. 3B is a perspective, cutaway view of drawer 110 of the imaging system. In this view, it can be seen that the ring light 120, which is operatively coupled to drawer 110, is in its second pose such that it is out of the way of the receptacle 115 of drawer 110. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3A, ring light 120 remains within the interior of housing 105 when drawer 110 is slid out of housing 105, thereby facilitating access to the receptacle 115 of drawer 110. FIG. 3B further shows stopper 126 near bracket 124 is illustrated. Stopper 126 functions as a physical stop that ring light 120 interacts with when changing from the open configuration to the closed configuration. For example, cam 122 slides along camming surface 124 with the ring light 120 oriented as illustrated in FIG. 3B until ring light 120 contacts stopper 126, which initiates rotation of the ring light 120 from the orientation shown in FIG. 3B to the orientation of the ring light shown in FIG. ID. In some embodiments, the ring light is configured to move from the second pose to the first pose under the influence of gravity as the drawer is moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration. In some embodiments, rotation of the ring light when moving from the open configuration to the closed configuration is facilitated by gravity. In some such embodiments, a damper may be operatively coupled to the ring light so that the speed of rotation of the ring light by gravity is dampened to minimize any impacts experienced by the ring light, e.g., due to the dampened rotational speed.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 3B and the side, cutaway view shown in FIG. 3C, the cam 122 associated with ring light 120 rolled along the length of the camming surface 124 until a plane in which a plurality of lights of the ring light reside was completely moved to its second pose where it is oriented near perpendicularly to the plane in which the drawer 110 moves (e.g., slides). The axis of rotation of the ring light, at the position that is outlined by dashed circle 129 in FIG. 3C, has been repositioned from a first location near to the upright portion of the camming surface 124 (e.g., as seen in FIG. 1C) when the ring light is in the first pose to a second location past the opposite end of the camming surface 124 when the ring light is in the second pose. Accordingly, the combined rotational and translational motion of the ring light from the closed configuration to the open configuration result in the corresponding movement from the first pose to the second pose of the ring light.

[0068] As shown in FIGS 3B and 3C, when ring light 120 is in its second pose corresponding to the open configuration of the drawer of the system, ring light 120 is angled, and in some embodiments at least partially or substantially perpendicular, to the plane in which the drawer slides. In some embodiments, the ring light is not oriented substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the drawer slides. For example, the angle between the bottom surface of thering light and the surface of the drawer containing the receptacle (e.g., as viewed from a side view as shown in FIG. 3C), may be greater than or equal 15 degrees, greater than or equal to 30 degrees, greater than or equal 45 degrees, greater than or equal or equal to 60 degrees, greater than or equal to 75 degrees, greater than or equal to 90 degrees, greater than or equal to 105 degrees, greater than or equal to 120 degrees, greater than or equal to 135 degrees, greater than or equal to 150 degrees, or greater than or equal to 165 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle may be less than or equal to 180 degrees, less than or equal to 165 degrees, less than or equal to 150 degrees, less than or equal to 135 degrees, less than or equal to 120 degrees, less than or equal to 105 degrees, less than or equal to 90 degrees, less than or equal to 75 degrees, less than or equal to 60 degrees, less than or equal to 45 degrees, or less than or equal to 30 degrees. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 15 degrees and less than or equal to 180 degrees). Other ranges are also possible.

[0069] In some embodiments, the ring light may be moved to allow a user to access the receptacle of the drawer, e.g., when the drawer is in the open configuration. For example, the ring light undergoes rotational motion and translational motion when moving from a first pose to a second pose in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 in order for the ring light to not obstruct the receptacle of the drawer when the drawer is in the open configuration. In some embodiments, the ring light may not rotate, and may only be translated linearly (e.g., from a first pose to a second pose). In some embodiments, the ring light may only be rotated (e.g., from a first pose to a second pose), and may not be translated linearly. The motion of the ring light between poses facilitates the movement of the ring light out of a path through which a container is placed into the receptacle of the drawer, according to some embodiments.

[0070] FIG. 3D shows a top-down, cutaway view of drawer 110 in the open configuration of the imaging system. The top-down view illustrates the ring light 120 in its second pose while the drawer 110 is in its open configuration. The view of FIG. 3D further shows the camming surfaces 155 of pusher 150 that are configured to interface with spring jack 160.

[0071] In FIG. 2B, where the drawer 110 is in the partially open / closed configuration, it can be seen that pusher 150 remains extended in receptacle 115 of drawer 110, e.g., the pusher remains in its fully extended configuration. Furthermore, FIG. 2B provides an additional view of camming surfaces 155 of pusher 150. As described above, camming surfaces 155 are configured to interface with spring jack 160. For example, camming surfaces 155 may interface with (e.g., cam against) cams 162 of spring jack 160 and extend spring 165 of spring jack 160. In some embodiments, as spring 165 extends, cams 162 apply a distally-directed force (e.g., towards the receptacle of the drawer) to pusher 150 to bias pusher into the receptacle. As a non-limitingexample, as pusher 150 and camming surfaces 155 are moved from right to left, camming surfaces 155 of the pusher 150 cam along cams 162 and expand the distance over which spring 165 is extended. Accordingly, as spring 165 extends to accommodate the increasing width of pusher 150 between cams 162 of spring jack 160, a force that cams 162 of spring jack 160 may reciprocally apply to camming surfaces 155 may increase to further bias pusher 150 towards receptacle 115.

[0072] When a container is present in the receptacle of the drawer and the drawer is inserted into the housing of the imaging system, the camming surfaces of the pusher may contact corresponding cams of the spring jack, where the spring jack expands to accommodate the increasing width of the pusher between the cams. The spring jack may reciprocally apply a force to the camming surfaces of the pusher, which may apply a force to the pusher that is distally directed into the receptacle. The cams of the spring jack configured to interface with the camming surfaces of the pusher may be any of a variety of embodiments, given the cam is configured to allow the camming surfaces to interact with the spring jack (e.g., or alternative component configured to apply a force to the pusher). In some embodiments, the cam may be a non-rotatable surface and / or an elastic material configured to store energy when compressed and release the stored energy after compression.

[0073] As noted above, FIGS. 3A-3D show an embodiment of an imaging system 100 is in an open configuration. For example, FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of imaging system 100 in its open configuration. In this case, drawer 110 is partially slid out from housing 105 of imaging system 100 so that receptacle 115 of drawer 110 is completely accessible to a user of the imaging system, e.g., outside of housing 105. To facilitate placement of a container within the receptacle 115 of the drawer 110, the receptacle 115 may include cutouts 118 to facilitate manipulating a container into and / or out of the receptacle 115.

[0074] The cutouts 118 of receptacle 115 may be sized and configured to allow a user of the imaging system to insert at least a portion of one or more fingers within the cutout of the receptacle in order to manipulate a container within the receptacle. In some embodiments, the cutouts 118 of receptacle 115 facilitate grasping of the container in the receptacle by a user, and thus the placement and removal of a container from the receptacle of the imaging system. Accordingly, the cutouts make the imaging system more user friendly relative to conventional systems where such cutouts are absent. For instance, in some embodiments, the container may be a petri dish, and the petri dish may be placed in the receptacle such that it is lid side down to image some and / or all of a sample container therein. In such a configuration, removal of the petri dish from the receptacle may be difficult in the absence of the cutouts, and thus the presence of the cutouts functionally improves the ability of the user to manipulate the container within thereceptacle of the drawer. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3A, multiple cut outs may be present. In some such embodiments, the multiple cutouts may be positioned on opposing sides of the receptacle to facilitate the placement and / or removal of the container disposed in the receptacle. In some embodiments, the cutouts may be positioned along an edge of the receptacle that is out of an expected path of the pusher, e.g., when the pusher moves between a fully withdrawn configuration and a fully extended configuration.

[0075] In some embodiments, each dimension (e.g., a width, length, and / or depth) of the cutout may independently be greater than or equal to 5 mm, greater than or equal to 1 cm, greater than or equal to 2 cm, greater than or equal to 3 cm, or greater than or equal to 4 cm. In some embodiments, each dimension (e.g., a width, length, and / or height) of the cutout may independently be less than or equal to 5 cm, less than or equal to 4 cm, less than or equal to 3 cm, less than or equal to 2 cm, or less than or equal to 1 cm. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., greater than or equal to 5 mm and less than or equal to 5 cm). Other ranges are also possible.

[0076] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the imaging system is in its open configuration, pusher 150 is retracted in its fully withdrawn configuration such that it does not block any of receptacle 115 of drawer 110 and, thus, a user may insert a container into receptacle 115 when the imaging system 100 is in the open configuration without the pusher 150 blocking any portion of the receptacle 115.

[0077] The receptacle of the drawer of the imaging system, which is configured to receive a container (e.g., containing a sample), may have any of a variety of shapes, in accordance with some embodiments. The receptacle illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 is substantially circular, and may be configured to receive a container such as a circular petri dish. In some embodiments, the shape of the receptacle may be ovular, square, rectangular, or any other regular or irregular shape. According to some embodiments, the receptacle may be configured to receive a container that is sized and adapted to be placed within the receptacle of the drawer without preventing the drawer from moving (e.g., sliding) between its open and closed configurations when present (e.g., physically prevent the sliding of the drawer). In some embodiments, the container may be a petri dish. In some embodiments, the imaging system further includes the container, which in some such cases may be a petri dish.

[0078] In some embodiments, a receptacle may be sized and shaped to receive and support a container with a maximum lateral dimension (e.g., in a plane that is substantially parallel to the base of the receptacle of the drawer) of less than or equal to 100 mm, less than or equal to 90 mm, less than or equal to 80 mm, less than or equal to 70 mm, less than or equal to 60 mm, less than or equal to 50 mm, less than or equal to 40 mm, less than or equal to 30 mm,less than or equal to 20 mm, or less than or equal to 10 mm so as to be received within the receptacle of the drawer of the imaging system. In some embodiments, the height of the container may correspond or be less than a distance from the base of the receptacle to a portion of the housing of the imaging system such that the drawer may be inserted into the housing when the container is disposed in the receptacle. In some embodiments, the height of the container may be less than or equal to 50 mm, less than or equal to 40 mm, less than or equal to 30 mm, less than or equal to 20 mm, or less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0079] FIG. 4 is a method flow diagram related to using the imaging system described in FIGS. 1-3. The method 400 includes moving a ring light from a first pose to a second pose while at least partially sliding a drawer out of a housing of the imaging system from a closed configuration to an open configuration 410. This corresponds to the movement of the drawer and ring light shown between FIGS. 1 and 3. Additionally, in some embodiments, the pusher changes from an at least partially extended configuration, or possibly fully extended configuration, extending into the receptacle of the drawer when the drawer is in the closed configuration (e.g., as shown in FIG. ID) to a fully withdrawn configuration when the drawer is in the open configuration (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3B). As shown in FIGS. 1-3, at least partially sliding the drawer out of the housing of the imaging system may include sliding the drawer out of the housing to the extent that the receptacle of the drawer is accessible by a user outside of the housing of the imaging system and / or to a fully open configuration.

[0080] Once the imaging system is in the open configuration (e.g., the drawer is positioned such that the receptacle of the drawer is accessible to a user outside of the housing of the imaging system), the method 400 may include receiving the container in the drawer 420. In some embodiments, receiving the container in the drawer includes positioning the container in a receptacle of the drawer. As shown in FIGS. 3A-3D, when the drawer is in the open configuration, the ring light is in its second pose within the housing of the imaging system to facilitate receiving the container in the receptacle of the drawer that is outside of the housing of the imaging system. The receptacle of the drawer may receive the container while the drawer is in the open configuration and the pusher is in its fully withdrawn configuration, as shown in FIG. 3A-3D. The pusher being in its fully withdrawn configuration facilitates the placement of a container of any of a variety sizes, as described elsewhere herein, given the container that is sized and adapted to fit within the receptacle of the drawer.

[0081] Following placement of the container in the receptacle of the drawer, in some embodiments, the method may include sliding the drawer into the housing of the imaging system from the open configuration to the closed configuration. In some embodiments, the method may include moving the ring light from the second pose to the first pose either during or aftermovement of the drawer to the closed configuration at 430. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, moving the drawer into the housing of the imaging system may include at sliding the drawer into the housing so that the receptacle of the drawer is located within the housing of the imaging system when the drawer is in the closed configuration, e.g., to image a container disposed therein. In some embodiments, when the drawer is moved from an open configuration to the closed configuration, the ring light may move from the second pose to the first pose, at least in part, under the influence of gravity.

[0082] As the drawer changes from the open configuration to the closed configuration, the method 400 may further include biasing the container in the receptacle to a desired location within the receptacle as the drawer is moved from the open configuration towards the closed configuration. This biasing may result in the pusher changing from the fully withdrawn configuration (e.g., when the drawer is in the open configuration) towards the fully extended configuration (e.g., when the drawer is in the closed configuration), though it should be noted that the pusher may not extend to the fully extended configuration when a container is positioned in the receptacle. In either case, the pusher may bias the container, for example, by applying a force to the container that is transferred from a spring (e.g., a spring jack) in contact with at least a portion of the pusher (e.g., spring jack 160 in contact with camming surfaces 155 of pusher 150, as shown in FIGS. 1-3). Accordingly, in some embodiments, the pusher is configured to bias the container against a side of the receptacle, e.g., at a location opposite the pusher, when the drawer is in the closed configuration and the container is received in the receptacle. In some embodiments, the pusher may be configured to change a size of the receptacle based on the size of the container. In some embodiments, biasing the container using the pusher changes the size of the receptacle based on the size of the container.

[0083] In some embodiments, when a size of the container is smaller than the size of the receptacle of the drawer when the pusher is in the fully withdrawn configuration, the pusher may bias the container and the pusher may at least partially extend into the receptacle so as to position the container at desired location within the receptacle of the drawer, e.g., at a location opposite the pusher. For instance, the pusher may be configured as described above, having a surface that has a wider portion at an outer location and a narrower portion at an inner location. For example, a V-shaped surface where the container is configured to be received in the interior of the V (e.g., in the acute angle of the V). In some embodiments, the wider portion of the surface of the pusher may be angled such that at least a portion of the force applied to the container by the pusher is perpendicular to the direction in which pusher is biased into the receptacle, and thus biases the container towards the narrower portion of the surface of the pusher (e.g., towards the point of the V).

[0084] After the drawer has been moved to its closed configuration, the ring light is moved from its second pose to its first pose, and the pusher biases the container to a desired position within the receptacle, the method 400 may further include directing light from the ring light to one or more side surfaces of the container when the ring light is in the first pose and the container is disposed in the drawer 450. In some embodiments, in addition to and / or alternatively, the second light source 121 as shown in FIGS. IB and 3B may also direct light towards a bottom surface of the container.

[0085] The method 400 may further include detecting at least a portion of the light from the ring light using a photosensitive detector within the housing of the imaging system to image a sample contained in the container 460. According to some embodiments, at least a portion of the light from the second light source may also or alternatively be detected using the photosensitive detector.

[0086] In some embodiments, method 400 of FIG. 4 includes analyzing the sample contained in the container by detecting light using the photosensitive detector. In some embodiments, the method includes imaging the sample in the container using the photosensitive detector. In some embodiments, method 400 includes analyzing the image collected from the photosensitive detector 470.

[0087] As described elsewhere herein, the photosensitive detector may be any of a variety of detectors, for example, a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, a complementary MOS (CMOS) camera, and / or any other appropriate type of sensor capable of imaging or otherwise detecting light within the desired field of view. In some such embodiments, the photosensitive detector may be configured to collect images of the container and sample disposed therein. In some embodiments, the photosensitive detector may be configured to measure an intensity and / or wavelength of the light transmitted through, reflected by, and / or otherwise associated with the container and sample disposed therein. Accordingly, depending on the information gathered by the photosensitive detector, analysis of the resulting data may vary. For example, if an image is collected via a photosensitive detector including a camera, manual and / or automatic analysis may occur (e.g., counting of colonies in a cultured sample of microorganisms). In some embodiments, where the photosensitive detector quantifies a change in light intensity before and after the container is inserted into the imaging system and / or over time after the container is inserted into the imaging system, a change in the light intensity may be analyzed, e.g., to track the evolution or decomposition of a chromophore. Alternatively, detected wavelengths of light may be used in various types of analyzes.

[0088] As will be appreciated, method 400 is generally related to inserting the container into the imaging system and then imaging the container therein. In some embodiments, someand / or all of the steps of method 400 may be performed while the container is placed within a receptacle of the drawer. For example, moving a ring light from a first pose to a second pose while at least partially sliding a drawer out of a housing of the imaging system from a closed configuration to an open configuration 410 may be performed after imaging a container in the context of method step 460. In such a manner, drawer may be in the open configuration following imaging of the container and a user may then remove the container from the receptacle of the drawer without the ring light being in an expected path through which the container is inserted and / or removed. In some such embodiments, the drawer may remain in the open configuration and receive a container (e.g., a second container after a first container was removed) as in method step 420, where other method steps may then follow. Still, in other such embodiments, the method may include moving the ring light from the second pose to the first pose either during or after moving the drawer into the housing from the open configuration to the closed configuration 430, for example, when a user is done using the imaging system.

[0089] When moving the drawer out of the housing of the imaging system to then remove the container, the pusher may change from an at least partially extended configuration (e.g., if accommodating the container) in the drawer to a fully withdrawn configuration when the drawer is in the open configuration. In some embodiments, the pusher may change from a partially of fully extended configuration when the drawer is in the closed configuration to a fully withdrawn configuration when the drawer is in the open configuration because the pusher may not be biased into the receptacle of the drawer when the drawer is in the open configuration.

[0090] Additionally, note that in some embodiments, the pusher may remain in a fully withdrawn configuration even when the drawer is in the closed configuration. This may occur, for example, when a container is placed in the receptacle when the drawer is in the open configuration and the container fills the receptacle of the drawer. Accordingly when the drawer is moved to the closed configuration, due to the presence of the container, the pusher remains in the fully withdrawn configuration.

[0091] Additionally, the method 400 may include some and / or all of the steps shown in method flow diagram of FIG. 4. In some embodiments, some and / or all of the steps may be repeated or performed simultaneously. Additionally, while the steps of the method shown in FIG. 4 are described in a sequential order, it is also possible that the steps may be performed in a different order than as illustrated in the method flow diagram and / or described herein.

[0092] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and / or structures for performing the functions and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and / or modifications is deemed tobe within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is / are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and / or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An imaging system comprising: a housing; a drawer configured to slide at least partially in and out of the housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the drawer is configured to receive a container positioned therein; and a ring light operatively coupled to the drawer, wherein the ring light is configured to move between a first pose when the drawer is in the closed configuration and a second pose when the drawer is in the open configuration.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, further comprising a cam and a camming surface configured to move the ring light between the first pose and the second pose.

3. The imaging system of claim 2, wherein the cam is at least one roller operatively connected to the ring light and the camming surface is at least one rail that the at least one roller is engaged with.

4. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring light is configured to be positioned vertically below a top surface of the container relative to a photosensitive detector of the imaging system when the ring light is in the first pose and the container is disposed in the drawer.

5. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring light is configured to direct light towards one or more side surfaces of the container when the ring light is in the first pose and the container is disposed in the drawer.

6. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when in the first pose, the ring light is substantially parallel to a direction of movement of the drawer and, when in the second pose, the ring light is oriented in a direction that is at least partially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the drawer.

7. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the container disposed in the drawer.

8. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is a petri dish.

9. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one photosensitive detector configured to be oriented towards the container when the container is received in the drawer and the drawer is in the closed configuration.

10. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rail includes a straight portion and a curved portion.

11. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring light is configured to rotate from the first pose to the second pose.

12. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring light is configured to translate from the first pose to the second pose.

13. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drawer comprises a receptacle configured to receive the container,14. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising cutouts positioned on opposing sides of the receptable configured to facilitate the placement and / or removal of the container from the receptacle.

15. The imaging system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring light is configured to move from the second pose to the first pose under the influence of gravity as the drawer is moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration.

16. A method of receiving a container in an imaging system, comprising: moving a ring light from a first pose blocking a movement path of the container when the container is disposed in a drawer of the imaging system to a second pose clear of the movement path of the container when the container is disposed in the drawer of the imaging system; and moving the drawer between a closed configuration and an open configuration to move the container into and out of the imaging system.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising positioning the container in a receptacle of the drawer.

18. The method of claim 16 or 17, further comprising directing light from the ring light to one or more side surfaces of the container when the ring light is in the first pose and the container is disposed in the drawer.

19. The method of any one of claims 16-18, further comprising detecting at least a portion of the light from the ring light using a photosensitive detector within the housing of the imaging system.

20. The method of any one of claims 16-19, wherein, when in the first pose, the ring light is substantially parallel to a direction of movement of the drawer and, when in the second pose, the ring light is oriented in a direction that is at least partially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the drawer.

21. The method of any one of claims 16-20, wherein moving the ring light from the first pose to the second pose includes translation and / or rotation of the ring light.

22. The method of any one of claims 16-21, wherein the ring light moves in sync with the drawer.

23. An imaging system comprising: a housing; a drawer configured to slide at least partially in and out of the housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the drawer includes a receptacle configured to receive a container positioned therein; and a pusher configured to move in and out of the receptacle between a fully extended configuration and a fully withdrawn configuration, wherein the pusher is biased into the receptacle towards the fully extended configuration when the drawer is in the closed configuration and wherein the pusher is withdrawn from the receptacle to the fully withdrawn configuration when the drawer is in the open configuration associated with the drawer.

24. The imaging system of claim 23, wherein the pusher is configured to bias the container against a side of the receptacle located opposite the pusher when the drawer is in the closed configuration and the container is received in the receptacle.

25. The imaging system of claim 23 or 24, wherein the pusher is configured to change a size of the receptacle based on a size of the container.

26. The imaging system of any one of claims 23-25, wherein the pusher is a plate.

27. The imaging system of any one of claims 23-26, wherein a surface of the pusher configured to contact the container is curved.

28. The imaging system of any one of claims 23-27, wherein the pusher includes a curved or V-shaped surface oriented towards the container when the container is disposed in the receptacle.

29. The imaging system of any one of claims 23-28, further comprising an elastic component configured to bias the pusher into the receptacle when the drawer is in the closed configuration.

30. The imaging system of any one of claims 23-29, wherein the elastic component is a spring jack.

31. The imaging system of any one of claims 23-30, further comprising a ring light in the housing.

32. The imaging system of claim 31, wherein the ring light is operatively coupled to the drawer and is configured to move between a first pose when the drawer is in the closed configuration and a second pose when the drawer is in the open configuration.

33. The imaging system of claim 31 or 32, further comprising at least one photosensitive detector configured to detect light from the ring light after it passes through at least a portion of a sample in the container.

34. The imaging system of any one of claims 23-33, further comprising the container disposed in the drawer.

35. The imaging system of any one of claims 23-34, wherein the container is a petri dish.

36. A method of positioning a container in an imaging system, comprising: sliding a drawer including a receptacle and the container disposed in the receptacle from an open configuration to a closed configuration; and extending a pusher into the receptacle as the drawer moves from the open configuration to the closed configuration to bias the container in the receptacle towards a predetermined location.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising sliding the drawer at least partially out of a housing of the imaging system from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

38. The method of claim 36 or 37, further comprising receiving the container in the receptacle of the drawer.

39. The method of any one of claims 36-38, wherein biasing the container towards the predetermined location includes applying a force to the container in the receptacle with the pusher.

40. The method of any one of claims 36-39, wherein biasing the container towards the predetermined location includes biasing the container against a side of the receptacle located opposite the pusher.

41. The method of any one of claims 36-40, further comprising applying a force directed into the receptacle to the pusher.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the force is applied to the pusher by an elastic component.

43. The method of any one of claims 36-42, wherein a surface of the pusher configured to contact the container is curved.

44. The method of any one of claims 36-43, wherein biasing the container in the receptacle using the pusher changes a size of the receptacle.

45. The method of any one of claims 36-44, further comprising illuminating the container with a ring light.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the ring light is operatively coupled to the drawer and the ring light moves from a first pose to a second pose when the drawer slides from the closed configuration to the open configuration.

Images