Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Gmbh

Dade International Inc.

Dade Microscan Inc.

Antoine Haddad

John Paul Mizzer

Peter Louis Gebrian

William A Stark

Edward Francis Farina

Timothy Patrick Evers

Bruce McLean Gemmell

John C Mazza

Joseph E Brennan

John Charles Mazza

Edward Stephen Kaminski

Stephen Krufka

Raymond Waterbury

Jeffrey Taylor

Kenneth R Rogers

John Esposito

Michael Taylor McVey

Disclosed are mixing apparatus adapted to provide mixing of components in an automated analyzer. The mixing apparatus includes a reservoir configured to contain a coupling liquid, a transducer configured to be driven at a frequency and communicate with the coupling liquid, and a signal generation unit configured to provide a phase modulatable drive signal to the transducer. In some embodiments, improved patient sample and reagent mixing may be provided. Systems and methods are provided, as are other aspects.

Phase-modulated standing wave mixing apparatus and methods

Disclosed are methods to aid in a calibration of a vertical orientation of a nozzle tip to a sample container in a processing or testing system. The method includes positioning the nozzle over a calibration target at a home height location (HM), moving the nozzle downward a distance (D) until contact with the calibration target is sensed, positioning the nozzle over the sample rack and moving the nozzle downward until contact with a registration location is sensed, imaging the sample rack and calibration target to determine a height (H) between the registration location and calibration target, and calculating a translation ratio (TR) between the height (H) measured in pixel space and the distance (D) measured in machine space. The translation ratio (TR) may be used to drive the nozzle tip to a predetermined depth. A robot calibration system is disclosed, as are other aspects.

Methods and systems for calibration of a positional orientation between a sample container and nozzle tip

A rinsing and drying apparatus of a clinical analyzer probe drain station is provided. The rinsing and drying apparatus has a group of nozzles that are offset from a longitudinal axis of a probe passage and may be inclined and oriented to provide tangentially oriented fluid-jet trajectories exiting into the sample probe passage. The offset nozzles, nozzle orientation, and cavity geometrical features of the device permit the drying capacity of probe-impinging planar air-knife jets to be maximized by stabilizing local internal fluid movement to form a swirling (e.g., helical) gas flow field directed away from a drying region and toward a vacuum exhaust. The rinsing and drying apparatus eliminates rinse water re-circulated entrainment and up-wash (spitting) during the air-knife drying operation. Therefore, the rinsing and drying apparatus significantly reduces water carryout on sampling probes thereby reducing sample/reagent dilution.

Apparatus, systems, and methods adapted to rinse and dry clinical analyzer sample probes

Providing the desired volume of a liquid within a biochemical analyzer by aspirating an excess slug of liquid from a container into a probe, ejecting a portion of the excess liquid, and then dispensing the desired volume of liquid into a container.

Method and apparatus for aspirating and dispensing small liquid samples in an automated clinical analyzer

A circular shaped rotor to facilitate automated identification testing of microorganisms in a microbiology analyzer having two circular arrays of microwells downwardly projecting from the top of the rotor connected to a recessed central region by a plurality of microchannels formed in the upper surface and connecting the recessed central portion to the second plurality of microwells; the rotor is further adapted to be rotated by a source of rotational energy and moved throughout the analyzer using troughs formed near its outer diameter.

Indentification test device in a random access microbiological analyzer

A system for ultrasonic energy coupling includes an ultrasonic transducer, a horn member defining a passageway, and a pump for moving fluid through the passageway and outwardly of the horn. The method used to accomplish the energy coupling or transfer includes vibrating the horn member with an ultrasonic transducer and pumping fluid through the passageway in the horn member and onto an object.

System for ultrasonic energy coupling by irrigation

The present invention provides a waste removal assembly used in conjunction with a sampling system which provides access to a sealed container. The assembly includes a lifting mechanism which moves a sample container against a hollow cleaning needle. The needle penetrates the stopper of the container, and its penetrating end moves into the container proximate the inside surface of the stopper. The assembly also includes a pump and tube arrangement in communication with the needle for removing or displacing entrapped serum or other debris from the bottom surface of the stopper and placing it in a waste container. After removing the debris from the container, the cleaning assembly vents the cleaned container to atmospheric pressure, and the sampling system performs sampling operations through a puncture tube which defines a temporary opening in the stopper of the container.

Growing community of inventors

Newark, DE, United States of America

Antoine Haddad