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US 10,058,866 B2Granted
Methods and apparatus to mitigate bubble formation in a liquid
AssigneeAbbott Laboratories
InventorsRobert Paul Luoma, II, Brian Ochranek, Cheryl L. Davidson, Bradley Weston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus to mitigate bubble formation in a liquid are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a bottom wall, a first baffle cantilevered from the bottom wall, and a second baffle cantilevered from the bottom wall. The first baffle is spaced apart from the second baffle, and the first baffle and the second baffle are positioned radially relative to an axis of rotation of the apparatus.
Claims30
An apparatus, comprising:
- a base;
- a reagent container coupled to the base, the base configured to couple the reagent container to a rotatable carousel of a diagnostic analyzer, the reagent container to hold a liquid reagent to be used by the diagnostic analyzer for performing a diagnostic test on a sample, the reagent container comprising:
- a first sidewall;
- a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall;
- a first end wall coupled between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
- a second end wall coupled between the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite the first end wall;
- a top wall coupled to and extending between the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall and the second end wall;
- and
- a bottom wall opposite the top wall, the bottom wall coupled to the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall and the second end wall,
- wherein the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall, the second end wall, the top wall and the bottom wall form a substantially enclosed volume,
- wherein a first axis of the reagent container extends through the top wall and the bottom wall between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and a second axis of the reagent container extends through the first sidewall and the second sidewall between the top wall and the bottom wall, the reagent container having a height along the first axis greater than a width along the second axis;
- a first baffle extending from the bottom wall, the first baffle spaced apart from the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the top wall such that the liquid reagent can flow between the first baffle and the first and second sidewalls;
- and
- a second baffle extending from the bottom wall, the second baffle spaced apart from the first sidewall, the second sidewall and the top wall such that the liquid reagent can flow between the second baffle and the first and second sidewalls, the first and second baffles having c-shaped cross-sections, the first and second baffles spaced apart from each other and aligned along an axis extending between the first and second sidewalls.
11 more elements
A system comprising:
- a reagent container including:
- a first sidewall;
- a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall;
- a first end wall coupled between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
- a second end wall coupled between the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite the first end wall;
- a top wall coupled to and extending between the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall and the second end wall;
- and
- a bottom wall opposite the top wall, the bottom wall coupled to the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall and the second end wall,
- wherein the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall, the second end wall, the top wall and the bottom wall form a substantially enclosed volume,
- wherein a first axis of the reagent container extends through the top wall and the bottom wall between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and a second axis of the reagent container extends through the first sidewall and the second sidewall between the top wall and the bottom wall, the reagent container having a height along the first axis greater than a width along the second axis;
- a liquid reagent contained in the reagent container to be used by a diagnostic analyzer for performing a diagnostic test on a sample;
- a first baffle extending from the bottom wall, the first baffle spaced apart from the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the top wall such that the liquid reagent can flow between the first baffle and the first and second sidewalls;
- a second baffle extending from the bottom wall, the second baffle spaced apart from the first sidewall, the second sidewall and the top wall such that the liquid reagent can flow between the second baffle and the first and second sidewalls, the first and second baffles having c-shaped cross-sections, the first and second baffles spaced apart from each other and aligned along an axis extending between the first and second sidewalls;
- and
- a carousel, the reagent container disposed on the carousel and rotated about an axis of rotation of the carousel, wherein, when the reagent container is disposed on the carousel, the first baffle and the second baffle are positioned radially relative to the axis of rotation of the carousel.
12 more elements
An apparatus for use in a diagnostic analyzer, the apparatus comprising:
- a base configured to be coupled to a rotatable carousel of the diagnostic analyzer;
- and
- a container coupled to the base, the container including:
- a first sidewall;
- a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall;
- a first end wall coupled between the first sidewall and the second sidewall;
- a second end wall coupled between the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite the first end wall;
- a top wall coupled to and extending between the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall and the second end wall;
- a bottom wall opposite the top wall, the bottom wall coupled to the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall and the second end wall,
- wherein the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first end wall, the second end wall, the top wall and the bottom wall form a substantially enclosed volume,
- wherein a first axis of the container extends through the top wall and the bottom wall between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and a second axis of the container extends through the first sidewall and the second sidewall between the top wall and the bottom wall, the container having a height along the first axis greater than a width along the second axis;
- a first baffle extending from the bottom wall, the first baffle spaced apart from the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the top wall;
- and
- a second baffle extending from the bottom wall, the second baffle spaced apart from the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the top wall and the first baffle, the first and second baffles positioned equidistant from the first and second sidewalls.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.