Method and device for mixing and temperature-controlling liquid media
AssigneeMeon Medical Solutions GmbH & Co KG
InventorsReinhard Marik, Arnold Bartel
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Abstract
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to devices and methods for mixing and controlling the temperature of liquid media which are introduced into lined-up cuvettes of a cuvette array in order to determine analytes. In some devices consistent with the present disclosure, the device may include a cuvette block with form-fitting receptacles for the cuvettes, said cuvette block being regulated to a predefinable block temperature. The cuvette block is equipped with a temperature control device and is in thermal contact with the individual cuvettes, wherein at least one ultrasonic transducer is attached to each cuvette in order to introduce ultrasonic energy into the cuvettes.
Claims17
A method for mixing and controlling the temperature of liquid media which are introduced into lined-up cuvettes of a cuvette array in order to determine analytes, wherein the cuvettes of the cuvette array are arranged in a form-fitting manner in receptacles of a cuvette block which is temperature-controlled to a block temperature (TBL),
- the method comprising the following steps:
- regulating the temperature of the cuvette block to the block temperature (TBL), heating the empty cuvettes to a predefinable target temperature of 25 to 42° C. by heat conduction from the temperature-controlled cuvette block, the block temperature (TBL) of which is 0.1 to 1° C. above the target temperature,
- adding one or more liquid media having a temperature lower than the target temperature into at least one of the cuvettes, wherein the liquid media in the cuvette have an initial temperature (T0) below the target temperature,
- heating the liquid media through heat conduction from the temperature-controlled cuvette block in order to reach the predefined target temperature,
- in the phase of heating by heat conduction, before the target temperature is reached, additionally introducing a predetermined quantity of ultrasonic energy by means of at least one ultrasonic transducer attached to each cuvette in order to increase the rate of heating, and
- simultaneously mixing the liquid media by means of the ultrasonic energy.
A device for mixing and controlling the temperature of liquid media which are introduced into lined-up cuvettes of a cuvette array in order to determine analytes, wherein the device comprises
- a cuvette block with form-fitting receptacles for the cuvettes, said cuvette block being regulated to a predefinable block temperature (TBL), wherein the cuvette block is equipped with a temperature control device and is in thermal contact with the individual cuvettes,
- at least one ultrasonic transducer is attached to each cuvette in order to introduce ultrasonic energy into the cuvettes, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer is a piezoelectric vibrator and is communicatively connected to a control unit configured and arranged to actuate the at least one ultrasonic transducer as a function of parameter values of the liquid media;
- a control unit for controlling the ultrasonic transducer such that the liquid in the cuvettes is heated and is constantly circulated at the same time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.