Ortho Diagnostic Systems Inc.

Marco Forster

Martin Kuster

Rosemary K Chachowski

Karl Puchegger

Walter Imfeld

Hansjoerg Kunz

Mykola Yaremko

Gregor Batliner

Marcel Frischknecht

Beat Gretener

Martin Gander

Linus Flueler

A transport system for instruments utilized in the analysis of fluids and, more particularly, a transport system which is adapted to be employed in the automated analysis of blood samples. The transport system including cassette transporting and filling structure is provided to extend over and operatively interconnect various stations of a blood analysis apparatus consisting of a blood sample and reagent supply holder, a storage unit for empty cassettes, a carousel or rotor containing an incubator chamber and a chamber at room-temperature for the receipt and filling with blood samples of cassettes, a centrifuge and an automated optical readout rotor.

Transport system for fluid analysis instrument

A blood analysis system or instrument, generally, including an incubator station, a sample and reagent holding station, a pipette assembly, a centrifuge, an analysis station, and a transport assembly. Generally, the incubation station holds containers while reagents and fluids are being dispensed in those containers, and, if desired, for incubating the containers. The sample and reagent holding station holds samples and a plurality of reagents, and the pipette assembly transfers fluids from that sample and reagent holding station to containers in the incubation station. The centrifuge is provided for centrifuging the container, and the analysis station is provided to analyze the containers optically to identify reactions therein. The transport assembly carries the containers between the incubator station, the centrifuge, and the analysis station. Preferably, the pipette assembly is automatically operated to draw fluids and preselected reagents from the sample and reagent holding station, and to dispense fluids into the containers held in the incubation station to produce predetermined solutions therein. Also, the transport subassembly is automatically operated to carry containers from the incubator station to the centrifuge after the predetermined solutions have been produced in the containers, and then to carry the containers from the centrifuge to the analysis station.

Automated blood analysis system

Automated blood analysis system with an integral centrifuge

Growing community of inventors

Grueningen, Switzerland

Marco Forster