Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Abbott Molecular Inc.

Abbott Laboratory

Stephen L Herchenbach

Scott G Safar

Chadwick M Dunn

Charles Michael Galitz

Eric B Shain

Michael G Lowery

Cass J Grandone

Larry L McDowell

Gary L Zuck

Ronald E Kukla

Julius J Toth

James T Tyranski

Robert J Nelson

E Kim Pavlovic

Larry L Mcdowell

An apparatus and method of loading reagent in a specimen handling device is disclosed. Fluids including specimen samples and reagents are moved between tubes during processing without directly passing over tubes which the reagents could contaminate. The apparatus may also include a head adapted to carry selected fluids in pipettes and a reagent receptacle adapted to permit entry of the head.

Apparatus and method for handling fluids for analysis

A rack for a plurality of capped tubes, including a frame having a longitudinally extending bottom base member having a row of spaced open top recesses adapted to receive the capped tubes. Vertical supports at the ends of the row of recesses fix a cover member above the base member. The cover member has openings therethrough smaller than the capped tubes. A wall is along one longitudinal side between the base member and the cover member, with the other longitudinal side between the base member and the cover member being open. The base member and cover member are vertically spaced a distance sufficient to permit tipped capped tubes to be moved into the frame with the tipped tubes then dropped into the recesses and tipped back to an upright vertical position.

Specimen sample rack

Magnetic handling structure comprising a retractable magnet and a probe for the manipulation of magnetic particles in biological samples and methods of handling magnetic particles in biological samples.

Structure and method for handling magnetic particles in biological assays

A reaction vessel with a bottom drain opening supporting a selected unpressured head of fluid by the surface tension of the fluid. A device processing zone includes a support for spaced rows of reaction vessels, passages communicating with their drain openings of supported vessels, and a pressure source for selectively draining fluid through the drain openings. Generally horizontal bar magnets are supported for selected vertical movement between the vessel rows. A dispensing head has X discharge openings selectively positionable over X selected reaction vessels. A metering pump mechanism selectively meters X a selected quantity of fluid a bulk supply (where X is at least four), and selectively pumps the metered selected quantities through the drain openings to the selected reaction vessels. Methods of drawing fluid from the vessels using the pressure source, and moving the magnets to form a pellet of analyte are also included.

An apparatus and method of loading reagent in a specimen handling device is disclosed, where the apparatus includes a deck with a plurality of positions defined thereon and each of the positions visually marked by a distinct one of a first set of icons. Each of a plurality of trays is removably securable to a selected one of the positions on the deck and includes the distinct one of the first set of icons visually marking the selected one of the positions. Reagent receptacles on each of the plurality of trays are visually marked by a distinct one of a second set of icons, and a kit is provided with a plurality of containers with selected reagents therein, each of the containers being visually marked by the distinct one of the second set of icons visually marking the receptacle into which that reagent is to be poured. The fluids including specimen samples and reagents are moved between tubes during processing without directly passing over tubes which the reagents could contaminate. The apparatus may be used in a method including emptying reagents into the reagent receptacles that are visually marked with the same distinct one of the set of icons visually marking the reagent container, and mounting the trays in selected positions in the specimen handling device.

A rack for a plurality of capped tubes, including a frame having a longitudinally extending bottom base member having a row of spaced open top recesses adapted to receive the capped tubes. Vertical supports at the ends of the row of recesses fix a cover member above the base member. The cover member has openings therethrough smaller than the capped tubes. A wall is along one longitudinal side between the base member and the cover member, with the other longitudinal side between the base member and the cover member being open. Support fingers extend horizontally from the wall toward the open longitudinal side and are vertically aligned between the recesses to secure capped tubes in a generally vertical direction in a longitudinally extending vertical plane. The base member and cover member are vertically spaced a distance sufficient to permit tipped capped tubes to be moved into the frame with the tipped tubes then dropped into the recesses and tipped back to an upright vertical position.

Magnetic handling structure () comprising a retractable magnet () and a probe () for the manipulation of magnetic particles in biological samples and methods of handling magnetic particles in biological samples.

An assay carrier for carrying and positioning a plurality of reaction cells each carrying a single assay, and for carrying and positioning a plurality of reagent packs, for use in selectively performing any one of a plurality of immunoassays on each of the plurality of cells in the carrier.

Carousel for assay specimen carrier

A kit comprising a modified carousel for carrying a plurality of reaction cells and a plurality of reagent packs is adapted to be installed as a replacement unit in single immunoassay instrumentation, providing an immunoassay instrument which is capable of selectively performing any one of a plurality of immunoassays on multiple reaction cells.

Retrofit kit for changing single immunoassay instrument to flexible

A reagent pack for carrying a plurality of individual reagent containers which are required for performing a specific immunoassay is suitable both for transportation of the assays from the manufacturer to the instrumentation site and for use at the instrumentation site during the running of the specific immunoassays on an assay specimen.

Growing community of inventors

Grayslake, IL, United States of America

Stephen L Herchenbach