Dpc Cirrus, Inc.

Warner-lambert Company

Cirrus Diagnostics, Inc.

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Gmbh

Other

Arthur L Babson

Thomas Palmieri

Anthony P Montalbano

James E Turner

Eric C Fleischer

Douglas R Olson

William T Tyberg

Greg A Montalbano

Chris P Montalbano

John E Underwood

Evan N Chen

Ilya Malyarov

Victor R Huebner

Arthur F Ross

Gershon Giter

John S Loder

A method and device for measuring HIL levels in blood serum samples that are disposed in an automated, clinical chemistry analyzer. The device probe can be attached adjacent to a pipette or sample probe of the analyzer and includes fiber optic bundles and a light-reflecting surface. A cutaway portion is provided between the ends of each of the fiber optic bundles and the light-reflecting surface. One of the four fiber optic bundles is optically coupled to a light-emitting source. Each of the other three fiber optic bundles collects and filters reflected light from the reflecting surface. The light filters correspond to the optimal absorption wavelengths for one of hemoglobin, bilirubin, and triglycerides. A light intensity-measuring device is optically coupled to each of the three fiber optic bundles, to measure the intensity of the filtered, reflected light. A processing device receives output data signal from the light intensity-measuring devices; stores the data; and calculates whether a serum sample has elevated levels of one or more of HIL.

Serum sample quality determination

A test vessel agitator assembly that agitates test vessels and the contents therein within an immunoassay automated analyzer system. The test vessels are transported along an element that is comprised of ridges and troughs such that the test vessel is moved in a directions that is approximately perpendicular to the direction of transportation.

Vessel agitator assembly

An automated chemical or biological sample analyzer includes a plurality of linear sample carrying racks that are moved to a processing station for conducting an analysis using one or more carousel devices. Under computer control, rotational movements of the carousel or carousels, linear movements of the transfer or shuttle mechanisms, and operation of a pipetting station are performed in a coordinated fashion so as to handle the processing of a large number of samples simultaneously in an optimized fashion that allows random ordering of samples for processing.

Carousel system for automated chemical or biological analyzers employing linear racks

A bead dispenser device useful for supplying, one at a time, beads for heterogenous immunoassay, including an inner chamber having a return spring integrally formed to the inner chamber. The bead device also includes a plunger housed within a plunger chamber. The plunger includes a bead holding member and a notch. The return spring communicates with the notch of the plunger and biases the plunger in a resting position. In the resting position, the bead holding member is aligned with a bead receiving channel formed partly in the base of the inner chamber. When the plunger is depressed, the bead residing in the bead holding member is transported to a bead exit opening for dispensing therefrom. In this position, the return spring is also displaced inward to an inner portion of the inner chamber and is capable of agitating and contacting the beads located within the inner chamber. This ensures that the beads will not block or bridge the bead receiving channel which communicates with the bead holding chamber of the plunger.

Bead dispenser and bead dispenser system for immunoassay analysis

A pipetting station having a bottom sensing device is provided in conjunction with one of any known liquid level sensing devices. The bottom sensing device includes a pipetting probe spring mounted to a pipetting arm of the pipetting station. The bottom sensing device also includes a sensor for determining when a pipetting tip of the pipetting probe is in contact with a bottom of a tube. The bottom sensing device permits the pipetting probe to measure an exact volume of fluid in the tube by allowing the pipetting tip to be lowered to the bottom of the tube beyond the sensed fluid level.

Tube bottom sensing for small fluid samples

An improved automated immunoassay analyzer including a high throughput automated immunoassay system which can perform high volume testing on a broad range of analytes while selecting from among a diverse set of immunoassays for any given sample. The immunoanalyzer has the capacity to perform a wide range of different types of immunoassays by facile storage and automated combination aboard the instrument among a wide variety of different types of reagents and heterogenous immunoassay beads stored on-board the instrument. The automated design allows reduced user interface (e.g., tests are performed automatically from computer input) including the ability to order, perform and reassay tests reflexively based on test results without operator intervention. Further, the inventive analyzer is not sample tube specific; that is, an instrument that can accept sample tube sizes within a broad size range. The inventive automated immunoassay analyzer also provides a re-useable sample dilution well, and a high speed bead washing station that eliminates the need for assay tubes having integral, waste fluid collection chambers.

Automated immunoassay analyzer

A sample dilution system including a dilution well waste chamber chamber, a dilution well spinning device, and a dilution well adapted to be controllably rotated by the dilution well spinning device when positioned within the dilution well chamber. The dilution well used in the dilution well system has an outer splash guard and a distal tip to permit facile tube gripping, respectively, and inner fins (baffles) to effect rapid and efficient mixing of the fluid contents of the dilution well.

Sample dilution system and dilution well insert therefor

A tube washing system including a tube spinning station having a rotatable chuck and a waste chamber surrounding the chuck for capturing and draining tube fluids expelled from a spun tube driven in rotation by the chuck. The chuck has a body portion and a plurality of spaced apart teeth defining intervening grooves extending through the body portion with at least one of the grooves permitting passage of fluid through the body portion and at least one other of the grooves receives and mechanically connects a projection on an open end of a tube. A pipette for dispensing wash water into a tube is located centrally within the chuck. There is also a tube elevating device located beneath the tube spinning station, the tube elevating device comprising a freely rotatable tube holder, and lift drive motor provided to vertically move the tube holder towards and way from the chuck. The tube used in the washing system has at least one projection provided on its open end which can interlock with a chuck groove. The invention also relates to a method of using the tube washing system to rapidly and efficiently wash a tube and its contents.

Tube washing system

Self-sealing reagent container, and a system of same on a carousel, related to a vessel having a plurality of separate compartments, each compartment having an opening in an upper surface of the vessel, with a hinged lid member attached to said vessel having spring-like biasing to automatically reseal openings of the vessel after reagent extraction. The lid has a first arm that is normally biased such that its caps cover the compartment openings, but external force can be applied to said first arm to permit the first arm to be translated so as to displace the caps from covering the compartment openings whereby reagent in the compartments can be accessed and withdrawn. Once the reagent extraction is completed and the compartment opening cleared of the extraction device, the normal biasing acting on the first arm of the lid causes it to move back to reseal the caps over the compartment openings. The lid member is used with a ramp guide means to ensure alignment of openings and caps and provide vertical clearance of the first arm relative to the cover of the reagent vessel when displaced by external force.

Self-sealing reagent container and reagent container system

A centrifuge vessel (10) for performing automated immunoassays is disclosed. The centrifuge vessel (10) comprises a center tube (11) and an outer waste chamber (15). A biomaterial (18) is held within the center tube (11) and is capable of binding specific analytes in test samples. In operation, the centrifuge vessel (10) is rotated at high speed about its longitudinal axis, thereby causing all fluid within the center tube (11) to be transported into the outer waste chamber (15) while the analyte of interest remains bound to the biomaterial (18) positioned within the center tube (11).

Centrifuge vessel for automated solid-phase immunoassay having integral

An automated immunoassay analyzer includes a computer controlled instrument (10) and display (16). The display (16) provides a real-time presentation of all operations being performed within the instrument (10). A large number of samples can be loaded into the instrument (10), and the order of testing the samples can be rearranged according to a priority determined by the operator at any time. A wide variety of immunoassays can be performed on each sample and several different immunoassays can be performed on any one sample. Information related to the type of immunoassays being performed on particular samples is collected by a bar code reader (44) and this information is conveyed to the computer (12) for presentation on the display (16). The computer (12) tracks the progress of each immunoassay through the reaction circuit to the detection station (46). The time to completion for particular immunoassays as well as the concentration information for recently completed immunoassays is provided in a readily usable format. The immunoassay automation process is improved by performing the washing operation with an assay tube (26) which allows water to be expelled by centrifugal forces generated by rotating the tube about its longitudinal axis; rather, than by using more conventional aspirating equipment. Bound label is detected by chemiluminescence using a photomultiplier tube (96).

Automated immunoassay analyzer with pictorial display of assay

A method for conducting immunoassays in an automated fashion is disclosed. A biological fluid under test is placed in a tube (11) which has a solid support (18) therein to which a specific analyte in the biological fluid will be selectively bound. After the analyte in the biological fluid is bound to the solid support (18), the tube (11) is rotated at high speed about its longitudinal axis causing the biological fluid to be transported up the inside walls of tube (11), over the open terminal end (16), and into waste chamber (15). The solid support (18) with the bound analyte may easily be washed by flushing the inside of tube (11) with water or other suitable fluids and rotating the tube (11) at high speed about its longitudinal axis.

Growing community of inventors

Chester, NJ, United States of America

Arthur L Babson