Patent Application
20060017357
The present invention relates generally to accessing an enclosed interior chamber. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing environmental fluctuations in an environmentally controlled chamber, which can occur with accessing the chamber from an external or differently maintained environment.
Drug discovery and many of the methods used in the process are slowly becoming automated. This increase in automation is used as an attempt to get drugs to the market place faster. However, the automation has created at least a number of issues in laboratories throughout the world. The first is that space is at an all time premium so the ability to expand storage and have the storage conform to the available lab space is essential in offering a unit that can be expanded at a later date. The second issue is that with the increasing amount of automation in drug discovery, more and more experiments are being run in a much shorter period of time resulting in a proliferation of sample containing plates that require short term storage and incubation for temporal analysis.
One of the methods available to decrease the time associated with drug discovery is to use machines that automatically perform protein crystallography and collect the related data. Protein crystallography requires maintaining test samples or materials within an environment or chamber having a high degree of temperature uniformity. Generally, crystallography machines include an access door from which test samples may be accessed by, for example, a robotic arm or user. Where it is necessary to repeatedly access the storage area in order to replenish or test the sample materials, repeated opening and closing of the access door may be required. Repeatedly opening the access door may cause temperature fluctuations in the chamber due to the recurring exposure to the ambient environment.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus that provides controlled access to materials that are accessible from at least two differently maintained environments. More specifically, a need exists to provide a method and apparatus that provides access to materials contained in a controlled environment while minimizing environmental fluctuations due to such access.
The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus and method is provided that in some embodiments permits access to materials contained in a controlled environment while minimizing environmental fluctuations due to such access.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a storage device can be located within an environmentally controlled chamber. The storage device can be accessible from within the environmentally controlled chamber as well as from an environment exterior to the storage device. Because of the configuration of the storage device, the environment exterior to the storage device can have a minimal impact on the environmentally controlled chamber. The storage device comprises a first door and a second door spaced relative to one another so as to define a storage area therebetween. Each of the first and second doors has an open position to permit access to the storage area and a closed position so as to enclose the storage area. The first door is preferably linked to the second door such that placing first door is in the open position places the second door is in the closed position and placing the first door is in the closed position places the second door is in the open position.
In another embodiment, the storage device can have a member disposed within the storage area, for example, free standing relative to the storage area by way of a cantilever connection to the first door. The member can be connected to the first and second doors such that moving the first door from the closed position to the open position displaces the member relative to the storage area so as to displace the second door relative to the member in which the second door is preferably displaced or pivoted from the open position to the closed position. More preferably, the member is configured so that it can be displaced to a position outside the storage area through an opening defined by the first door. The storage device can further include a plate having a pivot connection to the member. The plate can comprise a link configured such that the second door and plate are limited to rotational movement about the member. In addition, the member can be configured to hold at least one container within the storage area. In yet another embodiment of the storage device according to the present invention, the storage area can include at least one sensor configured to locate the position of the member relative to the storage area.
In another preferred embodiment, the storage device can further comprise a housing having an inner chamber and an opening in communication with the inner chamber. A connector can be provided for connecting the storage device to the housing such that when the second door is in the open position, the inner chamber is in communication with the storage area, and when the second door is in the closed position, the inner chamber is at least partially enclosed from the storage area by the second door. In addition, the inner chamber can define an inner chamber temperature. When the second door is in the open position, the storage area can have a storage area temperature substantially equal to the inner chamber temperature, and when the second door is in the closed position, the inner chamber temperature can remain substantially constant and the storage area temperature can be variable. In a preferred embodiment the inner chamber temperature can range from about 4° C. to about 40° C.
In yet another embodiment, a storage device according to the present invention can comprise an assembly means defining a storage area therein and including first means for providing access to and enclosing the storage area and second means for providing access to and enclosing the storage area. The first means can be linked to the second means such that accessing the storage area by the first means encloses the storage area by the second means and enclosing the storage area by the first means provides access to the storage area by the second means. In a preferred embodiment, the storage device can further comprise container means for holding a material within the storage area. The first, second and container means can be linked together such that accessing the storage area by the first means displaces the container means so as to enclose the storage area by the second means.
A method of accessing a container within a storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises providing an assembly having a first door and a second door spaced relative to the first door so as to define a storage area therebetween with the first door linked to the second door. A member can also be provided to hold the container in the storage area. The method further comprises placing the first door in the open position so as to place the second door is in the closed position and accessing the container in the storage area wherein the access is limited to access by the first door. Alternatively the method can comprise placing the first door in the closed position so as to place the second door in the open position and accessing the container in the storage area wherein access is limited to access by the second door. In a preferred embodiment of the invention can include determining the position of the container relative to the storage area.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides an apparatus and method by which access is granted to an internal storage area which can be configured to hold materials for later use or processing. The apparatus of the present invention provides at least two points of entry through which access to the storage area may be obtained. The entry points can be provided with enclosures which are configured in such a manner so as to limit access to the storage area. Moreover, the apparatus and its enclosures may be configured so as to control the environment within and around the storage area.
For example, shown in
The rear door 18 can also be configured to provide controlled communication between the same or different environment exterior to the storage device 10. More specifically, the rear door 18 can be configured such that in the open position, the rear door provides an alternative access to the storage area 12 from an environment external to the storage device 10. The rear door 18 can be further configured such that in the closed position, the rear door can 18 at least partially enclose the storage area 12 from the environment external to the storage device 10. The storage device 10 can further include a connector 30 for connecting the storage device 10 to another housing or device, for example, a crystallization machine 2 as previously described. The storage device 10 and the connector 30 can be configured so as to facilitate attachment of the storage device 10 to another housing by any means known in the art, for example, by bolting, welding, pin rivets, etc.
In one embodiment of storage device 10, the front door 16 can be linked to the rear door 18. More specifically, the front door 16 is linked to the rear door 18 such that when the front door 16 is in the open position the rear door 18 is placed in the closed position and when the front door 16 is in the closed position the rear door 18 is placed in the open position. It is to be understood that the front door 16 can be linked directly or indirectly to the rear door 18. Moreover, the front door 16 can be linked to the rear door 18 by mechanical means, electrical means, pneumatic means or any combination thereof. For example, the front door 16 can be interlocked with the rear door 18 by switches, sensors and/or motors configured such that when the front door 16 is in the open position the rear door 18 is placed in the closed position and when the front door 16 is in the closed position the rear door 18 is placed in the open position.
Again referring to
The member 26 can be connected to the rear door 18 such that the rear door 18 is permitted to move relative to or pivot about the member 26 between the open and closed positions. For example, the rear door 18 can include a plate 34 having a pivot connection 28 to the member 26. The motion of the rear door 18 can be further restrained or controlled by a second or upper linkage 24 attached to the frame 20 and the rear door 18. Alternatively, the linkage 24 can be fixed to any stationary point within the storage device 10. The upper linkage 24 can restrict rear door 18 such that when member 26 is linearly displaced by moving the front door 16 from the open position to the closed position, the rear door 18 is restricted so as to pivot about the member 26 from the open position to the closed position. Alternatively, the interconnection between the member 26 and the rear door 18 can be configured in any manner so long as it provides upon the displacement of the member 26 that the rear door 18 moves from the open position to the closed position. Such alternative interconnection can depend on the configuration of the rear door 18, for example, where the rear door 18 either pivots about a separate stationary member or where the rear door 18 slides or linearly moves between open and closed positions.
Shown in
Moving from
The member 26 can be further configured to hold a sample of material within the storage area 12. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the member 26 can include a container to hold a sample. Alternatively, the member 26 can be configured with a plurality of containers to hold discrete samples of materials. For example, as seen in
In an embodiment where, for example, the storage device 10 is employed with an environmentally controlled housing, such as for example, a crystallization machine 2, it may be of interest to precisely locate the hotel 44 or more specifically to locate where an individual plate 40 or container 42 is located within the storage area 12. Accordingly, the storage device 10 can include at least one sensor 46, as seen in
In an embodiment where the storage device 10 is connected to an environmentally controlled housing or crystallization machine 2 such that the rear door 18 controls communication between the interior chamber 4 and the storage area 12, the front and/or the rear door 16, 18 can be configured so as to control the heat transfer between the storage area 12 and the interior chamber 4. More specifically, the interior chamber 4 can be maintained such that it defines an interior chamber temperature preferably ranging from about 0° C. and 50° C. and more preferably from about 4° C. to about 40° C. The front and/or the rear doors 16, 18 can be made of a material that minimizes heat transfer between the storage area 12 and the interior chamber 4 and between the storage area 12 and the external or ambient environment. In addition, the front door 16 and/or the rear door 18 can be insulated, for example, by being constructed from double pane glass. Moreover, the front and/or rear doors 16, 18 can be heated by a heat source so as to minimize the build up of condensate on the front and rear doors 16, 18 due to temperature differences between the storage area 12, the interior chamber 4 and the external environment. The frame 20 and other associated components of the storage device 10 can be constructed from aluminum or any other material known in the art for container construction.
In an embodiment where a user may need to physically interact with the storage area 12, for example, to access the hotel 44, the front and/or the rear doors 16, 18 can be constructed from a transparent or translucent material which can permit a user to see into the storage area 12 without opening the front door 16, or alternatively, to see into the interior chamber 4 without opening the rear door 18. Generally, the front and the rear doors 16, 18 can be dimensioned and configured so as to suit space requirements for a particular application. For example, referring to
Although examples of the apparatus and method is shown being used in a crystallization machine, it will be appreciated that the apparatus and method can be used in other applications. Also, although the apparatus and method is useful to maintain controlled environments in the biotech industry it can also be used to do other things and/or in other industries.
The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
This application claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application entitled, “Method and Apparatus for Accessing a Storage Plate Device,” filed Jul. 16, 2004, having a Ser. No. 60/588,337 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60588337 | Jul 2004 | US |
