Fisher Scientific Company

Instrumentation Laboratory

Thomas O Tiffany

Norman G Kelln

Larry A Nelson

Marlo R Andersen

Mario J Gangitano

Hamid Keramaty

Romas A Brickus

Chris M Coelho

Gilbert B Manning

Philip C Thayer

An analysis system of the concurrent type has a multicuvette unit supply station, a loading station, an analysis station, and transport mechanism for transporting cuvette units in correlated orientation between the several stations. Each cuvette unit includes mechanical interlock structure that cooperates with orientation structure at each of the several stations and with orientation structure carried by the transport mechanism so that continuity of cuvette orientation information is maintained throughout loading and concurrent analysis of the several samples in the cuvette unit.

Cuvette handling

A reagent container for use in a sample and reagent transfer system is of sector shaped configuration and has a generally vertical curved outer wall, generally vertical side walls that are disposed and angled to one another, a generally horizontal top wall with two ports through which two probes may concurrently be inserted, a generally horizontal bottom wall that has a well portion below and aligned with one port in the top wall, and a dry well channel that is open at its bottom and aligned with the other port in the top wall.

Liquid handling

A sealed reagent container structure that contains reagent material, has a body portion with length and width dimensions each greater than its height dimension and port defining neck structure upstanding from the upper wall of the body portion and asymmetrically located so that it is close to one endwall of the body portion. Coupling structure on the bottom wall of the body portion is provided for interengagement with a transport mechanism so that a series of reagent containers may be disposed on the transport mechanism for movement past a reagent station where the reagent material is transferred from the reagent container to the analysis cuvettes for mixing with sample material and analysis.

Reagent handling

A liquid handling system that is particularly useful in a clinical analysis system includes a cuvette loading station for receiving a centrifugal analyzer rotor with two compartment cuvettes. Fixedly mounted on transfer structure are two spaced apart liquid handling probes such that the two probes may be simultaneously inserted into the two compartments of an analysis cuvette. A sample station has a sample container support mechanism, and means for indexing the support mechanism past the sample station for sequentially positioning successive sample containers at the sample station. An auxiliary station that is spaced from the sample station a distance corresponding to the spacing of the two probes includes a support mechanism for supporting a plurality of auxiliary containers and a drive mechanism for selectively positioning auxiliary containers at the auxiliary station. A first drive provides relative movement between the transfer structure and the loading sample and auxiliary stations; a second drive is adapted to concurrently insert the tips of the two liquid handling probes into containers at the loading, sample or auxiliary stations. First and second liquid metering means are coupled to the probes by storage chamber structure so that each metering means controls the flow of a liquid into and out of its storage chamber through its probe; and control means operate the drive mechanisms and the liquid metering means in coordinated manner to transfer sample and reagent materials from sample and auxiliary containers at the sample and auxiliary stations to an analysis cuvette at the loading station. The system provides coordinated automatic pipetting and transfer of sample, diluent and reagent liquids in rapid, efficient and precise manner.

Reagent container or similar article

Centrifugal analyzer rotor

A disposable multi-cuvette rotor for use in an analytical photometer which comprises two injection molded parts from a transparent material of suitable chemical and absorption characteristics. These parts are joined together by ultrasonic welding and when so joined, define a plurality of radially-arranged cuvettes being separated by triangularly-shaped open spaces. Each of the cuvettes is divided into adjoining sample and reagent/measuring chambers by a wedge-shaped dam in a manner that the chambers are communicating with one another through an open space above the dam. There are pairs of recessed optical windows formed in both of the parts which are axially aligned and positioned adjacent the chambers of the greater radial distance so as to provide opposing planar walls defining an optical path through the chambers. There is provided a further integral optical window in the radial outer wall of each reagent/measuring chamber for use of the chamber in a light scattering or fluorescent measuring mode. A plurality of loading ports are provided in the cover portion in two concentric rings in a manner that each loading port communicates with each one of the chambers of the cuvettes whereby discrete portions of samples and reagents may be respectively loaded into the adjoining chambers separated by the wedge-shaped dams.

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Spokane, WA, United States of America

Thomas O Tiffany