Back to results
US 11,852,645 B2Granted
Modular wash bridge for multiple-pass immunoassay systems
AssigneeSiemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
InventorsAyman Ismail, Eric Gerolstein, Brian Bolger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wash system for use in an in vitro diagnostic immunoanalyzer utilizes a bridge having a linear track to move cuvettes from one incubation ring portion to another incubation ring portion. Washing stations along the linear track provide a magnetic field and fluid washing of cuvette contents independent of the size and motion of one or more incubation rings.
Claims15
A linear wash system configured for use in an immunoanalyzer, comprising:
- a first temperature-controlled cuvette incubation ring that has a plurality circumferential slots each configured to hold one of a plurality of sample cuvettes;
- a linear track placed inside and coplanar to the first temperature-controlled cuvette incubation ring and configured to transport the plurality of sample cuvettes;
- a motorized belt configured to engage the plurality of sample cuvettes and provide motive force along the linear track;
- and
- one or more wash stations along the linear track,
- each wash station comprising
- one or more magnets configured to provide a magnetic field on plurality of sample cuvettes and
- a pipette configured to rinse the contents of each sample cuvette while in the magnetic field of the one or more magnets,
- wherein the linear track terminates in an input end configured to receive each sample cuvette from a first circumferential slot of the first cuvette incubation ring and terminates in an output end configured to deliver each sample cuvette to a second circumferential slot in the first temperature-controlled cuvette incubation.
6 more elements
An immunoanalyzer comprising:
- a cuvette incubation ring having a plurality of slots on an inner circumference of the incubation ring, each slot being configured to hold a sample cuvette and a drive mechanism to rotate the ring;
- a first set of plurality of pipettes configured to interact with cuvettes in the cuvette incubation ring at predetermined locations;
- a linear wash bridge configured to receive cuvettes from a first location of the cuvette incubation ring, wash the contents of each cuvette, and to deliver each cuvette to a second location of the cuvette incubation ring, the linear wash bridge comprising:
- a linear track placed inside and coplanar to the cuvette incubation ring and configured to transport the plurality of sample cuvettes;
- a motorized belt configured to engage the plurality of sample cuvettes and provide motive force along the linear track;
- and
- one or more wash stations along the linear track,
- each wash station comprising
- one or more magnets configured to provide a magnetic field on plurality of sample cuvettes and
- a second set of plurality of pipettes configured to rinse the contents of each sample cuvette while in the magnetic field of the one or more magnets,
- wherein the linear track terminates in an input end configured to receive each sample cuvette from a first circumferential slot of the cuvette incubation ring and terminates in an output end configured to deliver each sample cuvette to a second circumferential slot in the cuvette incubation ring;
- and
- a luminometer configured to analyze the contents of each cuvette subsequent to each cuvette traveling along the linear wash bridge.
10 more elements
An immunoanalyzer comprising:
- a first cuvette incubation ring having a plurality of slots on an inner circumference, each slot being configured to hold a sample cuvette and a drive mechanism to rotate the first cuvette incubation ring;
- a second cuvette incubation ring having a plurality of slots on an outer circumference, each slot being configured to hold a sample cuvette and a drive mechanism to rotate the second cuvette incubation ring;
- a plurality of pipettes configured to interact with cuvettes in the first cuvette incubation rings at predetermined locations;
- a linear wash bridge configured to receive cuvettes from a first location of the first cuvette incubation ring, wash the contents of each cuvette, and to deliver each cuvette to a second location of the second cuvette incubation ring, the linear wash bridge comprising:
- a linear track placed inside and coplanar to the first cuvette incubation ring and configured to transport the plurality of sample cuvettes;
- a motorized belt configured to engage the plurality of sample cuvettes and provide motive force along the linear track;
- and
- one or more wash stations along the linear track,
- each wash station comprising
- one or more magnets configured to provide a magnetic field on plurality of sample cuvettes and
- a pipette configured to rinse the contents of each sample cuvette while in the magnetic field of the one or more magnets,
- wherein the linear track terminates in an input end configured to receive each sample cuvette from a first circumferential slot of the first cuvette incubation ring and terminates in an output end configured to deliver each sample cuvette to a second circumferential slot in the second incubation ring;
- and
- a luminometer configured to analyze the contents of each cuvette subsequent to each cuvette traveling along the linear wash bridge.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.