E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Dade International Inc.

Robert Kyle Wiedenmann

Paul John Zuk

Carl F Morin

Joseph Edward Kegelman

Diane Kathleen Stille

William J Devlin

Assays for separating magnetic particles include separating magnetically responsive particles from a liquid dispersion disposed in a plurality of reaction vessels, and transporting the reaction vessels in sequence past at least one processing position. A robotics reagent arm and probe dispense reagents into the reaction vessels and a reaction monitoring device is capable of relative movement with respect to the transporting device. Incomplete separation is effected by positioning a magnetic field in contact with the reaction vessel for a first shortened time interval during which the particles partially aggregate and afterwards are removed from the reaction vessel. The magnet is repositioned in contact with the reaction vessel for a third time interval to achieve full separation of particles from the liquid.

Apparatus and method for reagent separation in a chemical analyzer

An automatic vortexing drive is described in which a rotatable coupling has a cuplike recess positioned off of and opening radially outward from the axis of rotation of the coupling. The coupling is positioned to intercept the lower and reaction vessels in the recess. Selective rotation of the coupling permits the vessels to pass the coupling or be engaged by the coupling and nutated.

Vortex mixer drive

Growing community of inventors

New Castle, DE, United States of America

Robert Kyle Wiedenmann