Biomerieux Vitek, Inc.

Biomerieux, Inc.

William Ernest Seaton

Mark Joseph Fanning

Craig Drager

Ron Robinson

Roger James Morris

Jean-Pierre Bernard Gayral

David B Shine

JoAnne T Gerst

Paul Springer

Donald L Meyer

Clifford W Karl

David Paul Chastain

James Clement Bishop

Andrew K Moore

David Porat

Arthur Rousmaniere

Andrew G Zeigler

Thomas Burchard

Stephen Guerrera

Daniel Ray Williams

Bernard Jean Limon

Erik W Anthon

Richard James Ryall

An automatic sample testing machine for testing samples stored in test cards. The machine has a test sample positioning system for moving a tray containing a plurality of test sample cards and fluid receptacles among various stations in the machine. The machine has a diluting station for adding a predetermined quantity of diluent to the receptacles as needed. A pipetting station transfers fluid from one receptacle to another. A vacuum station is provided having a vacuum chamber moveable relative to the tray between upper and lower positions. The chamber cooperates with the tray to make a sealing engagement with the top surface of the tray when it is lowered to the lower position. A vacuum generator supplies vacuum to the chamber. When the vacuum is released from the chamber, the fluid samples are loaded into the cards from the receptacles. The test sample positioning system moves the tray to a cutting and sealing station and then to an incubation station and loads the cards one at a time into a carousel within the incubation station. A test card transport station transports the test cards from the incubation station to an optical reading station, where optical measurements (e.g., transmittance and/or fluorescence optical testing) is conducted on the wells of the card. When the card has been read, it is either moved back to the incubation station for additional incubation and reading or transferred to a card disposal system when the reading is complete.

Automatic sample testing machine

Vacuum loading of test sample cards in an analytical instrument

A positioning system for a sample testing machine incudes a base pan and a set of independent drive systems for sliding a sample tray across the base pan. Each of the drive systems incudes a paddle that engages a side of the sample tray. The paddle is slideably mounted to a shaft with a collar that slides over the shaft. A motor and drive belt is provided to move the collar along the shaft, causing the paddle to engage the side of the sample tray and slide the sample tray across the base pan. Track sections are provided in the base pan to prevent the sample tray from rotating as the paddle slides the sample tray across the base pan.

Test sample holder device for test sample positioning system

A sample card transport station moves a test sample card from an incubation station for the card to a transmittance and fluorescence optical station in a sample testing machine. The sample card transport station has a drive belt and an associated stepper motor. The belt supports the card from one side of the card. A ledge having a card slot is disposed above the belt. The card is snugly received within the card slot, and supported from below by the drive belt and rollers for the belt. When the motor turns the belt, the belt grips the card and slides the card along the slot to the optical stations, without any slippage between the belt and the card. This construction provides for precise control over the movement of the card. The fluorescence station has a linear flash lamp that illuminates a column of the wells of the cards simultaneously. A reference detector and dichromatic beam splitter design is used to insure that the fluorescence measurements are independent of lamp output changes over time. A solid reference is mounted to an optical shuttle and moved into the optical path to calibrate the fluorescence photodiode detectors.

Optical reader and sample card transport stations for biological sample

Identification system for test sample cards in an analytical instrument

Automatic sample testing method

Test sample positioning system

A sample card transport station moves a test sample card from an incubation station for the card to a transmittance and fluorescence optical station in a sample testing machine. The sample card transport station has a drive belt and an associated stepper motor. The belt supports the card from one side of the card. A ledge having a card slot is disposed above the belt. The card is snugly received within the card slot, and supported from below by the drive belt and rollers for the belt. When the motor turns the belt, the belt grips the card and slides the card along the slot to the optical stations, without any slippage between the belt and the card. This construction provides for precise control over the movement of the card.

A positioning system for a sample testing machine includes a base pan and a set of independent drive systems for sliding a sample tray across the base pan. Each of the drive systems includes a paddle that engages a side of the sample tray. The paddle is slideably mounted to a shaft with a collar that slides over the shaft. A motor and drive belt is provided to move the collar along the shaft, causing the paddle to engage the side of the sample tray and slide the sample tray across the base pan. Track sections are provided in the base pan to prevent the sample tray from rotating as the paddle slides the sample tray across the base pan.

Drive system for test sample positioning system

Sample card transport method for biological sample testing machine

Growing community of inventors

Chesterfield, MO, United States of America

William Ernest Seaton