# US 10,481,098 B2 · Luminometer apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,098 B2 - Document ID: US10481098B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/547,910 - Filed: 2015-04-30 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-30 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Masahiro Okanojo; Hideyuki Noda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481098B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/76: Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence - C12Q 1/02: involving viable microorganisms - G01N 21/763: {Bioluminescence} - G01N 35/00871: {Communications between instruments or with remote terminals} - G01N 35/025: {having a carousel or turntable for reaction cells or cuvettes} - G01N 35/04: Details of the conveyor system {(G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence)} - G01N 35/1004: {Cleaning sample transfer devices} - G01N 35/1009: {Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids} - G01N 2035/00277: {Special precautions to avoid contamination (e.g. enclosures, glove- boxes, sealed sample carriers, disposal of contaminated material)} - G01N 2035/00306: {Housings, cabinets, control panels (details)} - G01N 2035/00356: {Holding samples at elevated temperature (incubation)} - G01N 2035/0422: {carried on a linear conveyor} - G01N 2035/0432: {integrated with measuring devices} - G01N 2035/0444: {for cuvettes or reaction vessels} - G01N 2201/0231: Thermostating - G01N 2201/064: Stray light conditioning - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES ## Abstract A luminometer apparatus includes, inside a light-shielded room, a container rack loaded with holding containers, a dispensation mechanism that dispenses a liquid, a rotary plate that turns, while holding a plurality of reaction containers which accommodate a mixture liquid of a sample and a luminescent reagent on a concentric annular plate, and is provided with a gap allowing the container rack to pass therethrough between at least a pair of adjacent ones of the reaction containers, and a photodetection unit that performs luminescence measurements. The light-shielded room has an insertion opening having a width allowing for insertion of the container rack and provided to be openable and closable. The rotary plate is provided with a region in which the container rack can be installed inside a region of passage of the reaction containers, when turning, and is provided to be turnable where the light-shielded room is in a closed state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A luminometer apparatus inside a light-shielded room shielded from external light, the luminometer apparatus comprising: a container rack that is loaded with holding containers, each discretely accommodating at least one selected from a sample and a luminescent reagent which produces a luminescent reaction when mixed with the sample; a rotary plate that turns, while holding a plurality of reaction containers which accommodate a mixture liquid of the sample and the luminescent reagent along an outer circumference of the rotary plate, wherein the rotary plate includes a centrally positioned support configured to support the container rack, wherein the rotary plate includes a gap formed between at least a pair of adjacent reaction containers of the plurality of reaction containers, and wherein the rotary plate is provided with a transporter configured to transport the container rack to the centrally positioned support through the gap; a dispensation mechanism configured to dispense said sample or luminescent reagent into a reaction container of the plurality of reaction containers held by the rotary plate; and a photodetector disposed below an opening of the rotary plate and facing a bottom surface of a reaction container of the plurality of the reaction containers held by the rotary plate, the photodetector is configured to perform luminescence measurements in a state where the light-shielded room is closed, wherein the light-shielded room has an insertion opening having a width allowing for insertion of the container rack and configured to be openable and closable, and the rotary plate configured to be turnable in a state where the light-shielded room is closed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dispensation mechanism is provided so as to be capable of dispensing a liquid in a state where the light-shielded room is closed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light-shielded room is provided with a door to open and close the insertion opening and the door is provided with a second door which is narrower than the door. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotary dial to turn the rotary plate is provided on the outside of the light-shielded room. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotary plate is provided with a shutter on its underside, the shutter being openable and closable in a state where the light-shielded room is closed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the luminometer apparatus is equipped with a control unit that controls the rotary plate, the dispensation mechanism, the photodetection unit, and the shutter individually. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one selected from a group consisting of a reagent which decomposes a substance other than a cell included in the sample, a reagent which increases a substance within a cell included in the sample, and a reagent which decomposes a cell included in the sample is put into the holding containers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the luminometer apparatus is configured to heat at least one of the holding containers and the plurality of reaction containers and keep the at least one of the holding containers and the plurality of reaction containers in a constant temperature condition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transporter comprises a supporting pedestal equipped with rails provided in a central region of the rotary plate, and the container rack is held on slides provided to be movable on the rails. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the luminometer apparatus is provided with a suction unit that has a cylindrical body at its far end and sucks in a liquid fed into a space inside the cylindrical body, a bottomed filter is provided to fit in with the inner wall of the cylindrical body inside the cylindrical body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a cleaning solution tank holding a cleaning solution is connected to the dispensation mechanism. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a control unit moves a tip of the dispensation mechanism to above the cylindrical body and controls the dispensation mechanism to eject a cleaning solution sucked in it from the cleaning solution tank into a space inside the filter when suction is performed by the suction unit and controls the dispensation mechanism to eject a cleaning solution sucked in it from the cleaning solution tank into a space inside the filter and immerse the tip of the dispensation mechanism into the cleaning solution accumulated in the filter when suction is not performed by the suction unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The luminometer apparatus according to claim 12, wherein before dispensation of the reagent or the sample put into the holding containers is dispensed into the plurality of reaction containers, the control unit moves the tip of the dispensation mechanism to above the cylindrical body and causes the dispensation mechanism to eject a cleaning solution sucked in it from the cleaning solution tank into a space inside the filter when suction is not performed by the suction unit, and after dispensation of the reagent or the sample put into the holding containers is dispensed into the plurality of reaction containers, the control unit moves again the tip of the dispensation mechanism to above the cylindrical body and controls the dispensation mechanism to immerse the tip of the dispensation mechanism into the cleaning solution accumulated in the filter.