Microscope Stage With Automated Liquid Handling for Sample Imaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manual pipetting of reagents in high-throughput experiments is time-consuming, inefficient, and prone to contamination, especially when multiple reagents need to be added quickly to samples.

Innovation Solution

A microscope stage with a receiving surface and a liquid handling head that allows automated dispensing and aspiration of fluids onto a sample carrier, featuring a surface and head moving device for alignment with multiple sample areas, enabling flexible and efficient fluid handling without human interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual pipetting is used to add reagents to samples, then flexibility in reagent selection is maintained, but time consumption increases and contamination risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexperiment throughputVSAvoidmanual intervention requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service automation where the liquid handling head automatically performs pipetting operations without manual intervention. The automated liquid handling head can be programmed to add multiple reagents to multiple samples simultaneously, eliminating the need for manual pipetting while maintaining experimental flexibility through programmable control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical pipetting system with an automated liquid handling head that uses precise mechanical positioning and controlled fluid delivery. The liquid handling head can be moved to different positions using a moving device, allowing automated addition of reagents to multiple sample locations without human intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Speed

If multiple reagents are added manually in quick succession, then experimental speed increases, but contamination risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereagent addition speedVSAvoidsample contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The automated liquid handling head performs rapid reagent addition through programmed control, eliminating manual operations that introduce contamination risk. The system can quickly transition between adding different reagents to different samples without manual intervention, maintaining speed while reducing contamination through automated sterile handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The liquid handling head acts as an intermediary between the reagent sources and the samples. This automated intermediary device controls the delivery of reagents through precise positioning and controlled fluid dispensing, preventing direct human contact with samples while enabling rapid reagent addition to multiple locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If manual pipetting is performed for high-throughput experiments, then reagent dispensing is possible, but time consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of samples processedVSAvoidwalk-away time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The automated liquid handling system enables continuous operation without interruption for manual interventions. The liquid handling head can automatically move between samples and reagent sources, adding multiple reagents to multiple samples in sequence without the breaks required by manual pipetting, thus eliminating walk-away time while maintaining high throughput capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual pipetting mechanics with an automated liquid handling head that uses precise mechanical positioning systems. The moving device allows the liquid handling head to access multiple sample locations and reagent sources automatically, enabling continuous high-speed reagent dispensing to multiple samples without manual intervention or walk-away time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20250291169A1Microscope stage and method for examining a sample

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH

AI summary

A microscope stage includes a receiving surface configured to receive a first sample carrier with a plurality of sample areas, an imaging area, and a surface moving device configured to move the receiving surface along at least two directions. The surface moving device has a range of movement along the at least two directions such that each one of the plurality of sample areas is alignable with the imaging area. The microscope stage further includes at least one liquid handling head configured to dispense fluids onto the first sample carrier, and a head moving device configured to move the at least one liquid handling head along the at least two directions. The head moving device has a range of movement along the at least two directions such that the at least one liquid handling head is alignable with each one of the sample areas of the plurality of sample areas.