Rotary scanning apparatus

Claim 1

A rotary scanning apparatus comprising: a plurality of separation lanes disposed in a nonplanar array; an optical detection system for detecting radiation emanating from the separation lanes, the optical detection system comprising: collection optics for collecting and focusing the radiation; a detector for measuring the intensity of the radiation; and, a rotary scanner for providing relative movement between the collection optics and the separation lanes.

Claim 15

An apparatus for determining the base sequence of a nucleic acid sample, wherein the components of the nucleic acid sample are labeled with one of four fluorescent dyes which fluoresce at four different wavelengths, each dye being attached to fragments terminating at a different one of A, G, C, or T bases, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrophoresis lanes, the lanes being disposed in a nonplanar array; a light source for providing excitatory electromagnetic radiation; an optical detection system for detecting radiation emanating from the electrophoresis lanes comprising: collection optics for collecting and focusing the radiation; a spectrograph for spectrally separating the radiation emanating from the separation lanes an array detector for measuring the intensity of the spectrally separated radiation; a rotary scanner for providing relative movement between the excitatory electromagnetic radiation and the collection optics and the separation lanes; and a computer coupled to the detector and the rotary scanner for controlling the detector and the rotary scanner, for receiving intensity data from the detector, and position data from the rotary scanner, and for correlating time with the intensity and position data.

Claim 16

An apparatus for determining the base sequence of a nucleic acid sample, wherein the components of the nucleic acid sample are labeled with one of four fluorescent dyes which fluoresce at four different wavelengths, each dye being attached to fragments terminating at a different one of A, G, C, or T bases, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrophoresis lanes, the lanes being disposed in a nonplanar array; a light source for providing excitatory electromagnetic radiation; an optical detection system for detecting radiation emanating from the electrophoresis lanes comprising: collection optics for collecting and focusing the radiation; a spectrograph for spectrally separating the radiation emanating from the separation lanes an array detector for measuring the intensity of the spectrally separated radiation; a rotary scanner for providing relative movement between the excitatory electromagnetic radiation and the collection optics and the separation lanes; and a computer coupled to the detector and the rotary scanner for controlling the detector and the rotary scanner, for receiving intensity data from the detector, and position data from the rotary scanner, and for correlating time with the intensity and position data.

Claim 17

An apparatus for determining the base sequence of nucleic acids, wherein the nucleic acids are labeled with fluorescent dyes, the nucleic acids terminating at a different one of A, G, C, or T bases, being run in four different lanes, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of separation lanes disposed in a nonplanar array; an optical detection system for detecting radiation emanating from the separation lanes, the optical detection system comprising: collection optics for collecting and focusing the radiation; a spectral separating element for spectrally separating the radiation emanating from the separation lanes; a detector for measuring the intensity of the radiation; a rotary scanner for providing relative movement between the collection optics and the separation lanes; and a computer coupled to the detector and the rotary scanner for controlling the detector and the rotary scanner, for receiving intensity data from the detector, and position data from the rotary scanner, and for correlating time with the intensity and position data so as to determine the base sequence of the nucleic acid.

Claim 18

An apparatus for determining the base sequence of nucleic acids, wherein the nucleic acids are labeled with fluorescent dyes, the nucleic acids terminating at a different one of A, G, C, or T bases, being run in four different lanes, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of separation lanes disposed in a nonplanar array; an optical detection system for detecting radiation emanating from the separation lanes, the optical detection system comprising: collection optics for collecting and focusing the radiation; a spectral separating element for spectrally separating the radiation emanating from the separation lanes; a detector for measuring the intensity of the radiation; a rotary scanner for providing relative movement between the collection optics and the separation lanes; and a computer coupled to the detector and the rotary scanner for controlling the detector and the rotary scanner, for receiving intensity data from the detector, and position data from the rotary scanner, and for correlating time with the intensity and position data so as to determine the base sequence of the nucleic acid.

Claim 19

An apparatus for determining the relative electrophoretic migration velocity and amount of components in a mixture, wherein the mixture components are labeled with a fluorescent dye and separated by electrophoresis, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrophoresis lanes disposed in a non-planar curvilinear array; optical detection means for detecting radiation emanating from the electrophoresis lanes; and, rotary scanning means for providing relative movement between the optical detection means and the electrophoresis lanes.

Claim 20

An apparatus for determining the relative electrophoretic migration velocity and amount of components in a mixture, wherein the mixture components are labeled with a fluorescent dye and separated by electrophoresis, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrophoresis lanes disposed in a non-planar curvilinear array; optical detection means for detecting radiation emanating from the electrophoresis lanes; and, rotary scanning means for providing relative movement between the optical detection means and the electrophoresis lanes.

Claim 21

An apparatus for determining the chromatographic migration velocity and amount of components in a mixture, wherein the mixture components are labeled with a fluorescent dye and separated by chromatography, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of chromatography lanes disposed in a non-planar array; optical detection means for detecting radiation emanating from the chromatography lanes; and, rotary scanning means for providing relative movement between the optical detection means and the chromatography lanes.

Claim 22

An apparatus for determining the chromatographic migration velocity and amount of components in a mixture, wherein the mixture components are labeled with a fluorescent dye and separated by chromatography, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of chromatography lanes disposed in a non-planar array; optical detection means for detecting radiation emanating from the chromatography lanes; and, rotary scanning means for providing relative movement between the optical detection means and the chromatography lanes.

Claim 23

A method of detecting fluorescence from multiple lanes of an electrophoresis apparatus comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of electrophoresis lanes, the lanes being disposed in a nonplanar curvilinear array; illuminating molecules in the lanes with electromagnetic radiation, the molecules having fluorescent dyes attached thereto; collecting light resulting from fluorescence of the fluorescent dyes by providing relative motion between an optical detection system and the electrophoresis lanes; directing the collected light onto a detection means for measuring the intensity of the radiation; and sorting the intensity profiles in time to identify a time-ordered sequence of dyes traversing each of the lanes.

Claim 24

A method of detecting fluorescence from multiple lanes of an electrophoresis apparatus comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of electrophoresis lanes, the lanes being disposed in a nonplanar curvilinear array; illuminating molecules in the lanes with electromagnetic radiation, the molecules having fluorescent dyes attached thereto; collecting light resulting from fluorescence of the fluorescent dyes by providing relative motion between an optical detection system and the electrophoresis lanes; directing the collected light onto a detection means for measuring the intensity of the radiation; and sorting the intensity profiles in time to identify a time-ordered sequence of dyes traversing each of the lanes.