Mounting platform for biological growth plate scanner

Abstract

The invention is directed to a biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates. A biological growth plate can be loaded into the biological scanner. Upon loading of a biological growth plate, the biological scanner generates an image of the plate and may perform an analysis of the image. Various embodiments are directed to loading features that facilitate automated loading and proper positioning of a plate within the biological scanner, and ejection features that facilitate the automated ejection of the plate from the scanner. Additional embodiments are directed to features that allow a scanner unit of the biological scanner to be attached to a mounting platform of the scanner in different possible configurations.

1 . A biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates, the scanner comprising: 
 a scanner unit including a drawer that opens to receive a biological growth plate and closes to move the plate into the scanner; and    a mounting platform including a conveyor that ejects the biological growth plate after the plate has been scanned.    
     
     
         2 . The biological scanner of  claim 1 , wherein the scanner unit and the mounting platform are configured such that the scanner unit and the mounting platform can be coupled to one another in a plurality of different possible positions relative to one another.  
     
     
         3 . The biological scanner of  claim 2 , wherein the scanner unit and the mounting platform each include a plurality of electrical interfaces and the scanner unit and the mounting platform can be electrically coupled to one another via one or more of the electrical interfaces in the plurality of different possible positions relative to one another.  
     
     
         4 . The biological scanner of  claim 1 , wherein the scanner unit houses an imaging device and a processor to scan the plate, the imaging device being configured to generate an image of the plate and the processor being configured to count biological agents in the plate based on the image.  
     
     
         5 . A biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates, the scanner comprising: 
 a scanner unit including a means for receiving a biological growth plate; and    a mounting platform including a means for ejecting the plate, wherein the scanner unit and the mounting platform are configured such that the scanner unit and the mounting platform can be coupled to one another in a plurality of different possible positions relative to one another.    
     
     
         6 . The biological scanner of  claim 5 , further comprising means for removably coupling the scanner unit to the mounting platform in one of a plurality of different possibly positions.  
     
     
         7 . The biological scanner of  claim 5 , further comprising means for electrically coupling the scanner unit to the mounting platform in one of a plurality of different possible positions.  
     
     
         8 . The biological scanner of  claim 5 , further comprising means for counting a number of biological agents in the plate.  
     
     
         9 . The biological scanner of  claim 8 , wherein the means for counting includes means for illuminating the plate, means for imaging the plate, and means for counting biological agents based on an image of the plate.  
     
     
         10 . A biological scanner for scanning biological growth plates, the scanner comprising: 
 a scanner unit that scans biological growth plates; and    a platform to support the scanner unit, wherein one of the platform and the scanner unit delivers operating power to the other of the platform and the scanner unit and the scanner unit is positionable on the mounting platform in different positions.    
     
     
         11 . The biological scanner of  claim 10 , wherein the scanner unit and the platform include a plurality of electrical interface components for delivery of the operating power.  
     
     
         12 . The biological scanner of  claim 10 , wherein the electrical interface components include pins that engage different sockets depending on the position of the scanner unit relative to the platform.