US 12,286,614 B2
Well plate incubator
Russell A. Newstrom, Alameda, CA (US); Andrew W. McFarland, Berkeley, CA (US); Darcy K. Kelly-Greene, Pleasanton, CA (US); J. Tanner Nevill, El Cerrito, CA (US); and Gang F. Wang, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to Bruker Cellular Analysis, Inc., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed by BRUKER CELLULAR ANALYSIS, INC., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/936,478.
Application 17/936,478 is a continuation of application No. 16/537,389, filed on Aug. 9, 2019, granted, now 11,492,584.
Application 16/537,389 is a continuation of application No. 15/282,923, filed on Sep. 30, 2016, granted, now 10,407,658, issued on Sep. 10, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/235,863, filed on Oct. 1, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2023/0242860 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C12M 1/00 (2006.01); C12M 1/02 (2006.01); C12M 1/12 (2006.01); C12M 1/32 (2006.01); C12M 1/34 (2006.01); C12M 1/36 (2006.01); C12M 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC C12M 41/14 (2013.01) [C12M 23/12 (2013.01); C12M 23/38 (2013.01); C12M 23/46 (2013.01); C12M 37/04 (2013.01); C12M 41/22 (2013.01); C12M 41/32 (2013.01); C12M 41/34 (2013.01); C12M 41/48 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An incubator comprising:
an enclosure having an internal chamber configured to support a cell culture plate comprising a plurality of wells, wherein the enclosure comprises a support for the cell culture plate, at least one passage configured for gas entry, a connector adapted to connect a pressurized gas source to the at least one passage, and a plurality of openings configured to allow access to the wells of the cell culture plate;
a controller configured to maintain a temperature of the internal chamber within a desired range;
a first heating/cooling device engaged directly or indirectly with the enclosure, the first heating/cooling device controlled by the temperature controller; and
a sealing element comprising a first plurality of openings corresponding to at least a subset of the plurality of openings in the enclosure,
wherein the sealing element is movable between a closed position, a first open position, and a second open position, and wherein:
when the sealing element is in the closed position, each of the plurality of the openings in the enclosure are occluded; and
when the sealing element is in the first open position, the first plurality of openings of the sealing element are in register with a first subset of the plurality of openings in the enclosure, thereby providing access to the internal chamber of the enclosure and any cell culture plate contained therein, and all other openings of the plurality of openings in the enclosure are occluded; and
when the sealing element is in the second open position, the first plurality of openings in the sealing element are in register with a second subset of openings in the enclosure and all other openings of the plurality of openings in the enclosure are occluded;
wherein the incubator is configured to maintain a selected internal temperature, humidity, and gas content within the internal chamber of the enclosure.