Bayer Corporation

Bruce E Behringer

James A Mawhirt

Gregory A Farrell

John F Cremins

Joseph Carlucci

John W Nelson

Loretta Catania

Kevin J Hanmann

Peter Schmitz

Joseph Raneri

A reagent pump assembly for metering precise volumes of fluids, such as reagent, for an analytical instrument, such as a clinical hematology or flow cytometer instrument. The assembly includes a multilayer block having a plurality of diaphragm pumps interposed between two of the layers, controlled by application of one of vacuum or pressure, in sequence, to fill the reservoirs and expel the contents of the pump. One-way check valves are used to control the fluid flow from the reservoirs of fluids to the fluid outlet ports. The fluid outlet ports may be directly coupled to fluid inlet ports of a compatible unified flow circuit, which contains reaction chambers and a plurality of sample aliquots. Thus, the reagent pump assembly can be used to combine and mix a sample aliquots with a precise amount of reagent in a reaction chamber, preparatory for analyzing the reaction mixture.

Reagent pump assembly

An integral heated reaction chamber for use in a unified fluid circuit having an acrylic body. The acrylic body is preferably formed of first and second acrylic layers bonded or fused together. A chamber half is formed in each of the acrylic layers and the layers are bonded together in opposition. A thinning notch is provided in one of the acrylic layers to form a thin wall of the chamber, and a heater element is secured adjacent the thin wall to heat the contents of the chamber. A temperature sensor is provided to monitor the temperature of the chamber contents. The sensed temperature may be used to control the heating element and the heating time according to a predetermined reaction protocol.

Heated reaction chamber in a unified fluid circuit of a hematology

An integral valve diaphragm pump has a first rigid layer, a second rigid layer and a flexible membrane therebetween. Concave surfaces in the two rigid layers form a pump. The pump includes an actuating chamber which is alternately connected to a source of pressure and a source of vacuum. A pump chamber is connected to a fluid source and a fluid receiver through a filling check valve and a dispensing check valve, respectively. Duckbill and spring loaded ball check valves are disclosed.

Diaphragm pump having multiple rigid layers with inlet and outlet check

A unified fluid cell circuit assembly for an analytical instrument, such as a clinical hematology, immunoassy or chemistry or a flow cytometry instrument. The assembly includes a unified fluid circuit, a shear valve, a fluid pump assembly, and a plurality of solenoid valves. The unified fluid circuit is made of a plurality of acrylic plates which have formed in the various plate surfaces chamber cavities, pneumatic, hydraulic and vent line, and valve cavities. The plates, when secured together, form a plurality of reaction chambers, a plurality of control valves and various lines as a network for controlling the flow and mixing of aliquots of a sample and fluids (rinse, reagents, etc.) to perform the reactions for analyzing the sample. The fluid pump assembly is connected to the unified flow circuit and has a plurality of diaphragm pumps which pump precise volumes of fluids. The solenoid valves provide the pressure and vacuum to operate the pumps and to provide a sample into the shear valve to form sample aliquots, and to mix the various aliquots with the reagents and diluents to form the reaction mixtures.

Unified fluid circuit assembly for a clinical hematology instrument

A method and apparatus for selecting a subset of a predetermined number of test sample aliquots to mix with respective reagents using a shear valve having a maximum predetermined number of aliquot loops in an analytical instrument, including without limitation a clinical hematology or a flow cytometer instrument. Each aliquot loop can be filled with a test sample aliquot. Selected ones of the aliquot loops can be filled with a rinse solution and, using bypass passages and valves, closed off from the rinse source and a vacuum source used to empty the rinse from the non-closed off aliquot loops. The vacuum source also is used to fill the non-closed off aliquot loops with the sample to be aliquotted, so that the closed off aliquot loop remains filled with rinse. The shear valve can then be shifted to a second position, where the reagents for the non-closed off aliquot loops are pumped through those aliquot loops to mix the selected sample aliquot loops with their respective reagents. Preferably, the reagent for the closed-off aliquot loop is not pumped and thereby conserved. The selective shear valve is usable in an analytical instrument, such as a clinical hematology instrument where it is possible to select from a standard panel of tests a particular one test or a particular combination of tests to perform. It is particularly useful when it is frequently desirable to perform only some of the full panel of tests, e.g., three or four of five standard blood chemistry tests, rather than always performing the full panel of tests.

Apparatus and methods for selecting a variable number of test sample

Pneumatic diaphragm pump

A valve comprises a first rigid layer having a substantially planar first surface, a second rigid layer having a substantially planar second surface facing the first surface and a substantially planar third surface opposite the second surface and a flexible layer positioned between the first and second surfaces. A valve chamber is demarcated by a concave surface in the substantially planar first surface and one surface of the flexible layer and at least one first fluid passageway in the first rigid layer opens into the valve chamber at the concave surface to alternatively apply a vacuum and pressure thereto. A fluid chamber is demarcated by another surface of the flexible layer and a concave-convex surface in the substantially planar second surface which comprises an inner circular convex portion and a concentric annular outer concave portion. At least two second fluid passageways in the second rigid layer open into the valve chamber at the convex surface. When a vacuum is applied to the valve chamber, the flexible layer flexes to space the other surface of the flexible layer apart from the concave-convex surface to permit communication between the at least two second fluid passageways and when a pressure is applied to the valve chamber, the flexible layer flexes to dispose the other surface of the flexible layer on the concave-convex surface to prevent communication between the at least two second fluid passageways.

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Park Ridge, NJ, United States of America

Bruce E Behringer