Pasteur Sanofi Diagnostics

Pasteur Sanofi Diagnostics, S.a.

Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Ross Krogh

Gershon Giter

Venkatesh Prasad

Alfredo Choperena

Alan Wirbisky

David Breeser

Brian Wilson

The present invention provides a vessel shuttle which can be used, for example, for moving reaction vessels to or from an assay resource station in an automated chemical analyzer. The vessel shuttle has a plurality of movable plates including first and second vessel carrying plates adapted to move cooperatively with respect to one another to advance a vessel stepwise along a linear path without net motion of the first and second vessel carrying plates as the vessel is advanced one step. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second vessel carrying plates each comprise a plurality of fingers defining recesses for receiving vessels and the first vessel carrying plate is adapted to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vessels' linear path and the second vessel carrying plate is adapted to move rectilinearly both generally parallel to and generally perpendicular to that linear path. The present invention may also include a waste chute for disposing of spent reaction vessels, the waste chute having a novel gate design. In accordance with this embodiment, the vessel shuttle can move a new vessel to a position for access by a pipettor or the like, transport a reaction vessel from the vessel shuttle to an adjacent assay resource station, and transport a reaction vessel from that assay resource station to the waste chute in one motion of the vessel shuttle.

Method and device for automatic chemical analysis

This invention provides an automated chemical analyzer capable of automatically analyzing a plurality of samples for at least two different analytes. The analyzer includes a plurality of assay resource stations and an analyzer control means. Each assay resource station includes an assay resource capable of performing a predetermined operation upon a sample-containing reaction vessel within a fixed indexing time. The analyzer control means includes scheduling means for allocating assay resources to one of the reaction vessels as a function of that time cycle and a transfer control means for controlling transfer of reaction vessels directly from one assay resource station to another according to a chronology selected from a plurality of different predetermined chronologies.

Device for automatic chemical analysis

This invention provides an automated chemical analyzer with improved processing flexibility and ease. In one embodiment of this invention, the analyzer includes an incubation station, a wash station and a read station. The incubation station includes an elongated, movable track to carry reaction vessels along an incubation path, the wash station includes a movable track to carry vessels along a wash-cycle path, and the read station is adapted to move vessels along a read path. A first transfer station is positioned adjacent a first end of the wash-cycle path to transfer vessels from the incubation path to the wash-cycle path and a second transfer station is positioned adjacent a second end of the wash-cycle path and a first end of the read path for selectively transferring a vessel from the wash-cycle path to either the incubation path or the read path. The system also includes an analyzer controller having scheduling means for allocating assay resources to one of the reaction vessels and transfer control means for controlling the transfer of reaction vessels from one assay resource station to another according to a chronology selected from a plurality of different predetermined chronologies.

The invention provides a method for analyzing samples for different analytes. A plurality of assay resource stations are provided, each of which includes an assay resource capable of performing a predetermined operation upon a reaction vessel within a time cycle of fixed duration, as is an analyzer control means. Information identifying two samples and the analyte to be determined in each is provided to the analyzer control means. Assay resource requirements for the first assay are determined as a function of an integral number of time cycles and appropriate time cycles of each required assay resource are allocated to the first assay. Assay resource requirements for the second assay are also determined as a function of an integral number of time cycles and time cycles are allocated to the second assay according to the availability of the assay resources. The first and second assays are processed by automatically transferring each reaction vessel from one required assay resource station directly to the next required assay resource station.

Vessel transport device for automatic chemical analysis

This invention provides an automated chemical analyzer with improved processing flexibility and ease. In one embodiment of this invention, the analyzer includes an incubation station, a wash station and a read station. The incubation station includes an elongated, movable track to carry reaction vessels along an incubation path, the wash station includes a movable track to carry vessels along a wash-cycle path, and the read station is adapted to move vessels along a read path. A first transfer station is positioned adjacent a first end of the wash-cycle path to transfer vessels from the incubation path to the wash-cycle path and a second transfer station is positioned adjacent a second end of the wash-cycle path and a first end of the read path for selectively transferring a vessel from the wash-cycle path to either the incubation path or the read path. Optimally, the first transfer station is positioned adjacent a second end of the read path, enabling the first transfer station to transfer a vessel from the read path to the incubation path, e.g., for disposal at a central waste container.

Specimen sample cup for use in an automatic analyzer

The present invention provides an analyzer which permits clinical analysis of samples for multiple analytes with a variety of assay protocols in a multiple chronology sequence while operating on a predetermined fizzed length cycle method of timing control. In this analyzer, assay resources (e.g. an incubator belt, a wash station, and a signal detection apparatus) are assigned fixed operating sequences which begin and end within a time cycle of fixed duration. Samples may be transferred directly from one assay resource to another without unnecessarily occupying any unused resources. The invention also contemplates a method of analyzing samples consistent with use of this analyzer. In this method, different samples having different assay protocols may be entered into the analyzer. The assay resource requirements of the first sample are determined and 'time slots' of the assay resources are allocated to that sample. The second sample, which may have a different assay protocol from the first, is entered and its assay resource requirements are determined, and available time slots of the assay resources are assigned to the second assay. By assigning 'time slots' of the resources to the samples, flexibility and throughput of the system may be maximized without unduly complicating the scheduling logic and control.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Ross Krogh