Eastman-kodak Company

Other

Ortho-clinical Diagnostics, Inc

Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.

Johannes J Porte

Raymond Francis Jakubowicz

Richard L Columbus

Jeffrey L Helfer

David Angelo Tomasso

John A Quenin

Dale Robert Ryan

Harvey J Palmer

Merrit Nyles Jacobs

James Daniel Riall

Russel H Marvin

Jeffrey A Wellman

Thomas A Wertman

Gary Steven Hartman

James D Riall

William D Vanarsdale

William D Van Arsdale

Gerald George Meiler

Dale Bruce Nash

Gary Francis Gnolek

David H Middleton

James E Robinson

Christopher E Thomas

Gary S Hartman

A method for positioning a sample in a diagnostic analyzer includes: providing two or more sample carriers on a conveyor; providing a fixed registration element for each sample carrier at predetermined locations along the conveyor; providing a flexure device positioned between the sample carrier and the conveyor; advancing the sample carrier beyond the fixed registration elements; reversing the conveyor direction to back at least one of the sample carriers into contact with its corresponding registration elements; continuing to reverse the conveyor until all sample carriers are in contact with their respective registration elements; whereby the flexure elements of the sample carriers in contact with the respective registration elements will deform as the conveyor reverses to allow all sample carriers to contact their respective registration elements, thereby providing a known position of the sample carrier. The flexure device includes: first and second legs forming a inverted U-shape; a third leg which extends away from the top of the inverted U-shape; and a fourth leg which extends down the center of the U in the direction of the ends of the U.

Two dimensional sample handler

An incubator includes an incubator ring assembly having at least two concentric rings supported for rotation about a common axle defining an axis of rotation. Each concentric ring includes a plurality of circumferentially defined load positions, each load position being sized for accommodating a test sample. At least one test station is arranged in relation to the plurality of load positions to selectively test a test sample, the test samples being are sequentially shuttled into and out of load positions of at least one of the concentric rings to increase the overall throughput of the analyzer.

Tandem incubator for clinical analyzer

An improved cartridge and method of dispensing test elements therefrom, which seals off the elements from exposure to the atmosphere. The cartridge includes, at its end apertured to eject test elements, a cover plate, said plate optionally being biased into contact with the end-most test element to cover the fluid opening provided in all such test elements. To dispense that end-most element, a pusher blade engages and ejects the element as in conventional cartridges. Optionally, the opposite end of the cartridge is sealed with a duck-bill seal.

Sealed cartridge to improve chemistry stability of test elements

Apparatus and a method for automatically transferring by pushing and pulling a reagent module onto and off of a rotor of modules. A surface of the module and the transfer mechanism are cooperatively shaped with a loose-fitting tongue and arcuate groove, both the tongue and groove having a curved extension along an arc concentric with the axis of rotation of the rotor, such that modules mounted on the rotor can be rotated off the transfer mechanism by sliding the tongue relative to the groove in a rotational direction. An additional groove is provided at an angle to said arcuate groove, along which the tongue or arcuate groove, whichever is on the transfer mechanism, reciprocates to push or pull a module into or out of the rotor.

Transfer mechanism for automatic loading and unloading of reagent modules

A stack of a plurality of substantially identical cup-like vessels pre-incorporated with reagent on the inside, each of the vessels occupying at least about 50% of the depth of the next adjacent vessel to maximize stacking density. Because the pre-incorporated reagent overlaps the occupied depth portion of the vessel and therefore runs a risk of being dislodged, the wall of the vessel is constructed to provide a gap between the inside surface bearing the reagent, and the outside surface of the occupying, nested vessel, that is at least 0.025 mm.

Reagent cup shape allowing stacking without dislodging reagent

A container of sample tubes is described with a mechanism for detecting the diameter of variously sized tubes that are placed therein. A method of detection is also described. Both the mechanism and the method rely on pairs of tube holders that are biased together with detectable ends that are spaced farther apart, the larger the tube that is held by the holders. A sensor is provided externally of the container to sense how far apart the ends are spaced.

Tube diameter measuring apparatus and method

A tray and conveyor for the trays are described, for moving liquid samples in an analyzer. The tray comprises a base having a magnetic member for responding to a magnetic field, a tray frame and member for freely rotatably mounting the frame on the base, the tray frame comprising a plurality of receptacles constructed to receive either sample tubes or aspirating tips useful to aspirate sample from a tube, the receptacles including a fixed bottom support. The conveyor comprises a support, conveying members under the support comprising a plurality of magnets and members for generating a moving magnetic field with the magnets, the conveying members being mounted in a continuous loop under the support and the support being permeable to a magnetic field, one of the above-noted trays being mounted above the support on the base.

Tray and magnetic conveyor

Apparatus for mixing are disclosed for use in an analyzer providing wet assays in a cuvette. Preferably, they comprise protrusions that project into the path of the cuvette as it passes through preferably the incubator. The protrusions can be fixed or driven, and can project upwardly or sideways into the path of the moving curvette. The mixing is useful to cause thorough mixing of, e.g., a diluent with a liquid sample.

Ribbed mechanism for mixing sample by vibration

A clinical analyzer moves a stack of slide or cup-like test elements into position for dispensing by a plunger and a driver featuring a housing around the plunger, a spring for biasing the plunger to project beyond the housing, a connection between the housing and the driver, and two sensors. The first sensor senses the initial movement of the housing and plunger toward the stack, and the second sensor senses movement of the plunger against the spring back into the housing upon contact with the stack.

Plunger and driver mechanism for an analyzer

An analyzer that uses a wash head to access via vertical movement a container in the analyzer for washing, and a soak reservoir to keep the wash head from crusting over. To eliminate the need for rotary motion of the wash head, a mechanism is provided for mounting the reservoir and for aligning it concentric with the vertical movement of the wash head, and for moving the reservoir out of alignment when the wash head needs to enter and wash a container.

Door-mounted wash station

An incubator housing is disclosed with access apertures and doors, and a single mechanism for operating the doors comprising a cam, a cam track, and a cam follower on each door mounted in the track.

Cam-operated doors for an incubator

An incubator and an incubator method using two independently driven incubator rings each holding and transferring a liquid-containing cuvette between processing stations. At least one reagent addition station is disposed permanently adjacent each of the two rings. One advantageous result is enhanced throughput compared to having only one such ring for all reagent addition stations.

Analyzer incubator with plural independently driven rings supporting

A needle device and method of use are disclosed, wherein the needle moves out of and into a protective housing, between two operative positions, one of which causes the housing to shield the needle. Each operative position includes releasable locking detents to temporarily hold the needle in one of those positions, the holding force of one being less than the other. A third position beyond the one that shields the needle in the housing is used to permanently lock the needle in the housing against accidental reuse. The needle device can be used with a blood collection container or a syringe drug delivery container, each one releasably mating with the device during use.

Needle device for safely collecting blood or injecting drugs

An analyzer features an incubator and a whole blood centrifuge, each using a separate rotor, and a serum-dispensing station in between them. A transfer mechanism is also included for moving a container used in the rotor to separate serum from blood cells, out of the rotor to the dispensing station. The serum is then dispensed directly from such container onto a test element, which is transferred to the incubator.

Growing community of inventors

Webster, NY, United States of America

Johannes J Porte